Benefits of custom FootLab orthotics for St. Paul MN area athletes
Reduce pain, fatigue and chance of injury and help maximize performance
The principle benefits of proper foot support for athletes are speed and injury prevention. The human foot and lower leg work together in an extremely complex and unique manner no matter what sport you participate in.
To learn just how complex, try this test. With shorts on standing with bare feet, stand with your feet parallel to one another about 12” apart. Roll both your feet onto their outside edges of the foot with your arches up and off the ground. You’ll notice that the shaft of your leg rotates outward and when you gently flex your knees they will track outward. Roll your feet all the way to their inside edges, your legs will rotate inward and when you flex your knees you’ll notice that your knees track inward. If you roll your feet to a position somewhere between fully inward and outward you’ll find a location that when you flex your knees they will track straight ahead, as they are intended to do.
In a “normal” walking stride the outside rear corner of the heel strikes the ground first, the foot comes down onto the 5th (little toe) metatarsal head, rolls to the 1st (big toe) metatarsal head then strides off the big toe. During a natural gait the foot moves from a “rolled out” position to a “rolled in” position. If the foot is allowed to roll inward too far (because of poor support) the shaft of the leg will rotate inward too far, the knee will track inward and pain may develop on the inside of the knee (among other places).
Proper foot support in athletic footwear will not only make your feet more comfortable it will help your knees track properly which saves your knees, it limits the rotation of your lower leg which keeps the pelvis from tipping and the back from misaligning. The FootLab has been helping athletes increase endurance, performance and reduce the chance of injury for over decades.
Schedule your FREE foot evaluation
You’ll learn and see how your feet, knees, hips and back will benefit from custom molded shoe inserts. Use our online scheduler, or call 651-429-3333 to ask questions or schedule your appointment.