You may recall that at the end of the Summer I attended a consultation at The Fane Clinic in Peterborough to be measured for a pair of custom orthotics. A few weeks after my initial consultation I received a call to say that my orthotics had arrived.
Fitting Appointment
When I arrived at the fitting appointment Ady showed me the orthotics and placed them inside my shoes to ensure they fitted well. He showed me what I need to look for when buying new shoes to ensure that my orthotics will fit;
- shoes must be wide enough to support the width of my foot particularly under the arch otherwise they will ‘rise up’ inside the shoe rather than sitting flat on the shoe bed.
- shoes need to be ‘flat’ in order to fully support my foot
- insoles may need to be removed for a more comfortable fit
A Comparison
Once Ady had fitted the Orthotics into my trainers he asked me to pop onto the treadmill to see the effect the orthotics have on the way that I walk. He set the video to record me whilst I walked for a couple of minutes and then played the videos back side by side and the change was obvious. My feet now hit the ground on the outer corner of my heel, the weight passes down the outside edge of my foot and then it pronates (rolls) across to the inner side of my feet so that I then push off from my big toes.
Getting to Grips
Before I collected my orthotics I had wondered what they might feel like in my shoes. I expected them to feel ‘alien’ and thought they would make my feet ache to begin with. I kept the orthotics in from the moment I left The Fane Clinic and have worn them pretty much all day every day ever since.
To my delight, they didn’t feel alien at all. They actually feel really comfortable, as though finally my feet are right where they should be. In fact, on the odd days that I have rushed out of the house in the morning without putting them into my choice of shoes for the day, I have really noticed the difference as the day has gone on because I ache so much more.
Being a work at home Mum I’m a bit of a barefoot girl at home but I need to rectify this and buy some ‘house shoes’ (I think slippers would be too warm for me) so that I can wear them around the house too. At the moment I have been wearing my Uggs with my orthotics in but my feet are roasting by the end of the day.
Better Posture
Since wearing my orthotics I have noticed that my posture has improved, my knees no longer roll inwards, my hips point forwards and I don’t hunch forwards as I used to. All in all, I’m looking forward to being a happier, healthier pain-free version of myself. And the best bit is that my ¾ length orthotics are suitable to wear in my trainers so from January I can finally start running again but hopefully this time without any sprained ankles. No excuses, I’m planning on making 2017 the year I get fit again!