Sore feet are a common problem for many people in America, as workers often have to spend long hours standing up, walking around, and carrying heavy items for their job. However, often the soreness in your feet is not because of the actual effort of standing up all day, but rather the fact that your foot does not perfectly fit into your shoe. Custom footwear is important, not just for work but for your daily life. The most important part of your custom footwear is the orthotics that you have in them, as they are the component that changes your shoe from something generic to a form-fitting footwear powerhouse!

What Are Orthotics?

Orthotics are special soles (sometimes even full shoes) that are designed to combat the areas of your gait that are giving you problems. Your gait is how you walk, and while it might look like everyone walks the same way, there are many little intricacies that differentiate one person's gait from another. If you learn to walk slightly the wrong way, then you could have significant back, leg and muscle problems later on in life. That is what orthotics try to combat by straightening up your walking stance and giving support to your feet in a way that they really need.

How Does Custom Footwear Work?

To get your own personal pair of custom footwear with orthotics you need to first get your feet and walking style analyzed by an expert. There are many companies that specialize in custom footwear, and often they use a podiatrist or other medical expert to help identify the key problems. They might even have special technology that does this process for them. Then, the footwear is made specifically for your issues and shipped out to you. It is that simple!

Will I Look Weird In Them?

No one wants to stand out due to a funny walk or weird shoes, and luckily, you will get neither of those problems with custom footwear and custom orthotics. In fact, most of the time no one will even realize you have anything out of the ordinary in your shoe at all. The orthotics themselves are not very big, so they won't make you look taller, and they don't change how you walk instantly, which allows everyone time to get used to your new stance. Pretty much the only person who will know is you, unless of course you can't stop talking about how good custom footwear has changed your life! 

For more information about custom footwear, contact a local orthotic clinic.