How Insoles Help Maintain Healthy Feet

Feet are like people - unique and diverse in size and shape. Shoes, unfortunately, are like any other manufactured product. They come off an assembly line in a standard, predictable, repeatable form - the same size and shape, over and over.

That's where insoles can help. Odor-eliminating insoles (the kind with which you are probably most familiar) are a common item in stores. However, while they can help rid your shoes of foul smells, they won't help your feet feel any better.

Cushioned insoles can be good if your shoes fit fine, and you're simply on the move a lot or standing up all day long. You also might find over-the-counter insoles that help give runners and walkers support but, just as with shoes, they tend to be geared toward a single shape of foot, particularly in terms of the foot's arch.

Despite these limitations, organizations like the American Podiatric Medical Association recommend that people use contoured inserts or insoles to provide additional cushion and take some pressure off the feet. As well as preventing muscle, tendon and ligament pain, this can help maintain healthy circulation. Such insoles can also help prevent the formation of corns. In addition, they can contribute to the healing of minor injuries such as bruises that might develop into much more painful problems that could last for weeks if you didn't use insoles.

Insoles need to be replaced from time to time. For people who walk, run or exercise daily, replacing the insoles every three months might be a good idea. Heavy use of insoles can cause the cushioning material to flatten out. The tiny pockets of air that keep you cushioned will eventually collapse, compromising the effectiveness of the insoles.

Store-bought insoles may not be enough, though. They can provide a good middle ground between the insoles already in your shoes, which are often too flimsy to truly be effective, and a custom-made, prescription insole (often called an orthotic). Over-the-counter insoles won't solve every problem, though. If you have chronic foot problems such as low arches, high arches, recurring pain or anything else, it might be time to visit a podiatrist or other such professional. Whereas over-the-counter insoles often help redistribute your weight from common problem areas of the foot, an orthotic from a podiatrist will be tailored to your foot's shape and size, as well as to your specific problem. It will help correct the mechanical dysfunction that causes your problems to begin with.

Of course, orthotics also cost more but, like buying good shoes to begin with, paying a little extra can save you a lot of pain later on.