Your legs are tired. Your feet are sore. You find yourself leaning and slouching more than ever. You may write these aches & pains off as being a little out of shape or getting older. While there could be some truth to that (we’re all human after all), these symptoms could be signs that your feet aren’t being supported the way that they should be.
“But I wear good shoes!”
At Arcus Custom Orthotics, we hear this one a lot. Just because a shoe hasn’t caused any twisted ankles or face plants, it doesn’t necessarily mean it provides the proper arch support, cushion, and alignment that it should.
Do I need Custom Orthotics with Athletic Shoes?
The majority of the athletic shoe manufacturers on the market today provide quality products that provide a lot of shock absorption, and some even provide arch support. They may not be fitted properly, however. Foot size can fluctuate with age and weight, and an astonishing number of people wear shoes that are either too tight or too loose. This can result in the foot sliding around in the shoe, or blisters from the toe or heel becoming crowded.
Your shoes could also be more worn down than you realize, however. In fact, shoes usually wear down on the inside before they begin to show wear & tear on the outside. This wear can lead to foot pain, discomfort in the joints, poor posture, lack of arch support, and other symptoms. While we do recommend updating your shoes periodically, there is something else you can do: get orthotics insoles. Oftentimes, investing in the best custom orthotic insoles is worth it.
If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you are aware that there’s a Grand Canyon of differences between the cheapest over-the-counter orthotics insoles and the best custom orthotic insoles.
So, what are the best custom orthotic insoles for me? Read on.
Finding the Best Custom Orthotic Insoles For You
Whether you’re looking for the best arch support insoles or simple orthotics insoles to provide comfort, deciding on a brand and style can be confusing. Here are a few considerations to help inform your choices.
1. Lifestyle. Do you work at a desk job and spend most of your time sitting, or are you on your feet all day? Do you do a lot of heavy lifting? Are you mostly a homebody, a tri-athlete (or somewhere in between)?
Your overall activity level as well as the types of activities you engage in dictate the style and level of support you need. You may try over-the-counter insoles and find that they bring you relief. If you’re young, in shape, and have no foot or joint issues, they may do the trick. If you’re like most of us, and if any of your symptoms continue, you should consider getting fitted for custom orthotics insoles. You’d be amazed by what getting fitted for the best custom orthotic insoles can do!
2. Foot conditions. Bunions. Calluses. Arthritis. Plantar Fasciitis. Metatarsalgia (a painful and inflamed condition of the ball of the foot). Morton’s neuroma (involving thickening of the tissue around one of the nerves leading to the toes). Diabetic foot issues. Flat feet. High arches. The list goes on. You may suffer from any number of foot issues that can’t be remedied by a well-fitted, supportive shoe alone.
Take it from Arcus, The Best Custom Orthotic Insoles are the ones that you can’t buy in a store. They are fabricated from a mold of your very own foot to address and correct the highly individualized issues of your foot and ankle through a layered, molded support system. Depending on your problem areas, the orthotics insoles will be crafted to provide structure to guide your foot, alleviate pressure, redistribute weight, provide arch support, and more.
3. Shoe style. What style of shoes do you wear on a daily basis? The best custom orthotic insoles can be fashioned around your particular favorite shoe styles. At Arcus, we provide custom options for work shoes, men’s dress shoes, athletic shoes, flat dress shoes, and even heels! They are crafted from different materials suited to the type of shoe and activity you are likely to be engaging with while wearing them. Tucked neatly inside your shoe, no one will be able to see them, but you will certainly feel the difference!
We suggest that you start out with a pair of orthotics insoles designed for the style of shoe that you wear most. You will find that it easily fits into your other shoes that are similar in style. You may also find that you love them so much that you want to get additional pairs for your special dress shoes as well!
4. Budget. Isn’t budget the age-old question? While the best custom orthotic insoles cost significantly more than the basic over-the-counter styles, you will find that they are fabricated from superior quality materials and last much longer than the consumer variety.
Happily, Arcus Custom Orthotics offers high-quality orthotics insoles in a variety of styles for users of all walks of life–and our prices are about half what you would pay for a custom orthotic ordered from a doctor’s office!
5. Schedule. What does your schedule have to do with ordering custom orthotics? A whole lot, actually! The process of getting fitted for a custom orthotic through your doctor can be very time-consuming. If you’re not a current patient, it may take months to get squeezed in for an appointment. You then have to get diagnosed, measured, and from there, the device is created offsite. Fabrication time varies, but you may have to return to the doctor’s office to have it fitted and adjusted to your needs. Between all of the appointments, it can be challenging to fit into one’s busy work and family schedule.
Arcus Custom Orthotics For All Lifestyles
At Arcus Custom Orthotics, you can do all of it from the comfort of your own home. No taking time off from work or away from the family. It works as follows:
- Go to My Account and sign up for a Username & Password
- Create your Custom Profile by filling out the type of shoe the orthotic insoles will be worn with.
- Select your top cover
- Looking for the best arch support insoles? Look no further. Here is where you indicate whether you have flat, normal, or high arches.
- Next, you check off any known foot conditions such as bunions or limb length discrepancies. If you don’t have one or don’t know, simply leave it blank. They will be addressed in the molding process.
- Finally, you can enter any further information about your shoe size and make, and upload any related images here.
- Once submitted, your kit is created and sent to you. With the instructions provided, you create a mold of your foot and return it to us with the provided postage return label.
- Once received at our Arcus facility, your orthotics insoles are created by our master technicians and mailed back to you within as little as two weeks.
- Your insoles are ready to wear! Get ready to resume your normal schedule in comfort, satisfaction guaranteed! You may even find that you’re able to be more active than before.
Why not see what we’re all about? We think that once you try Arcus Custom Orthotics, you’ll agree that they really are the best custom orthotic insoles for you!
