Custom Orthotics: When It’s Time to Let Go
Having orthotics custom to you and your lifestyle make it easier to navigate through life comfortably, but there’s a time where you must say goodbye and invest in a new pair. Much like a pair of eyeglasses, you’ll actually want to change it up when your lifestyle or body changes, and it’s more often than you think. When there’s some sort of change within your feet, or significant lifestyle changes, you’ll want to be reevaluated to see where your custom orthotics stand.
In short, there’s not a specific time range that you’ll want to change your custom orthotics. Typically, they last between one year, and can go as long as five years, depending on your lifestyle and how much harsh wear they have. Obviously, the more you use, the more wear that will be on them and the sooner you’ll have to replace. If you’re someone that runs or jogs, or participates in any sort of activity with impact, you’ll see that you’ll need a replacement sooner, rather than later.
When you first were fit for your custom orthotics, you were fitted for a reason. If you change your orthotics at any point, and those problems begin to come back, you’ll want to see your specialist to go back to another custom piece or see what you can do to prevent your problems from coming back in full. This doesn’t just go for the shape of your body, either, it also goes for any pain that’s coming back after prolonged use of your orthotics.
If the pain went away after the usage of orthotics, but is now coming back, it may be time to adjust or get a new custom piece entirely. No matter if the pain is in the same spot, or elsewhere, it should be looked at by a pedorthist. Your body will let you know when it’s time to replace your custom orthotics. As for the appearance, you should replace your custom piece as soon as you start seeing wear that will compromise the integrity. The beginnings of cracks or rough ripping are just two signs that your pieces need to be replaced as soon as possible. Without, you run the risk of being in pain sooner than you thought.
When you replace your orthotics, you may find that it needs to be refurbished, or fixed so that it can relieve the pressure you have been feeling without the proper use of orthotics. There may be modifications that need to be made, or you’ll have to get a new one entirely. A certified specialist can let you know your options when you present a worn out custom piece to them.
Your custom piece should help alleviate and correct pain, as well as alignment issues that your body may see. Your shoes should be worn easy, and the even distribution of weight can help alleviate pain even further. If you have shoes that are a bit more worn out, then you should look towards your specialist for advice once more.
If you’ve recently gone through a lifestyle change or find that your custom piece just doesn’t work for you anymore, contact Pro Motion Healthcare at 705-315-0111 today.