You just bought a new pair of gorgeous shoes, and you can’t wait to wear them to the office. But shortly after you walk through the front door, you realize that you’ve made a big mistake. Those new shoes are killing your feet. You smile and wave to your colleagues, but you really can’t wait to just get to your office and sit down.
Maybe you just need to break them in? Or maybe, they’re just uncomfortable shoes. Instead of tossing them (and your money) in the trash, you could buy a pair of good insoles to make your feet feel more comfortable.
The best insoles will massage and cushion your feet, so you don’t have to grit-and-bear the pain all day. Some insoles have acupuncture points that alleviate pressure in key areas of the foot and improve circulation.
Uncomfortable shoes are just one reason to buy insoles. Here are six other reasons to start wearing insoles today.
When you stand or walk, does it feel like you put all of your weight on the outer part of your foot? You may have supination.
Supination occurs when the foot rolls too far onto the outer portion of the foot. Some people are born with this condition, but it can also be developed through poor gait and alignment.
A good pair of insoles can help correct the problem by ensuring that your foot and ankle are always in proper alignment. Rigid insoles work best because they can firmly keep your foot in a natural position.
Pain and discomfort should disappear immediately when you start wearing the right insoles – read our post on how to choose the right insoles for your feet. You may also want to try wearing shoes with deep heels for more comfort.
Overpronation is the opposite of supination – the foot rolls too far inwards when you take a step. Just like with supination, you can be born with this condition, or you can develop it over time. Along with instability, this issue can also cause foot pain while you walk.
Overpronation can be corrected with the right pair of insoles. Ideally, you want to choose insoles that offer rigid or semi-rigid support to fix the issue. Insoles made from cork or gel work best. Cork has the added benefit of preventing slipping inside of the shoe.
If you have overpronation, insoles will do two things for your feet:
Do you work a job that requires you to be on your feet all day? Whether you work in a retail store, salon, as a teacher or in some other profession that requires you to stand, your feet can benefit from a pair of insoles.
Otherwise, the foot pain may be unbearable at the end of the day – even if you’re wearing the right shoes in the right size.
Standing all day puts excess pressure on your feet. Foam inserts will work best to combat this issue. They provide support and cushioning. They may also have acupressure points that will massage your feet and draw blood to the damaged fibers in your feet.
It’s not uncommon for one leg to be longer than the other. Because the legs don’t hit the ground at the same level, you may develop pain and discomfort in your feet. The shorter leg will have to deal with more pressure than necessary.
Many people who have leg length discrepancy will develop back pain if the problem isn’t resolved.
Most people have a slight discrepancy in leg lengths. About 32% of military recruits in one study had a 1/5-3/5-inch difference between the lengths of their legs. This is considered normal.
But greater discrepancies between lengths can cause issues. These discrepancies can be caused by:
Some children are just born with legs of different lengths.
Custom-made insoles can help fix the problem by adding height to the shorter leg. The reason why you want to go with custom-made inserts is because you need it to add just the right amount of elevation to ensure an even height.
In most cases, these custom insoles are semi-rigid, so they provide support as well as shock absorption.
Intense physical activity can put a real strain on your feet. All of that excess pressure can leave your feet – and the rest of your body – in pain. The heels take the most abuse, which is why many athletes use shock-absorbing insoles.
If you ignore the excess pressure you put on your feet from sports, you may cause long-term damage to your nerves. That damage can lead to chronic pain as you age.
Insoles that have foam support and cushioning work best. Gel inserts offer much-needed shock absorption. Semi-rigid arch support will combine both foam and gel materials to give you the best of both worlds.
Plantar fasciitis is the most common causes of heel pain, and it’s caused by inflammation in the band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot (connecting the heel bone to the toes).
It’s common for this condition to cause a stabbing pain that typically occurs when you take your first steps in the morning. Once you get up and start moving, the pain usually subsides, but it may return if you’re standing for long periods of time.
MindInsole insoles are great for this condition because they focus on acupressure and used magnetic therapy to relieve pain and alleviate stress on your feet, especially if you’re standing for long periods at a time. Doctors and nurses use MindInsole inserts while working long shifts.
Plantar fasciitis is common in runners, those who are overweight, and those who wear improperly-fitting shoes.
Semi-rigid insoles can help with symptoms of plantar fasciitis, especially if you’re on your feet all day at work. Semi-rigid inserts provide support, but they also provide some cushioning to alleviate pain when you walk or stand.
If you’ve tried insoles and they didn’t work as well as you’d hoped, you may consider buying an orthotic that provides rigid arch support.
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My MindInsole was launched out of a passion for finding true, lasting pain relief. Did you know that 75% of the world’s population has foot pain of some kind? That’s a lot of people, and the footwear industry has done little to correct the issue.
Standing all day puts a lot of strain on your feet. And there’s little that you can do about it aside from making positive changes to help allevi...
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