Monday, November 25, 2013

Hockey Custom Orthotics & Orthotics For Sports in General


Hockey custom orthotics may help with plantar fasciitis, arch pain, heel pain and spurs, pronation, weak arches and tired, aching feet.  In other words, they may help a lot. 

Regardless of your sport of choice, using customized insoles can help improve your game.  Those that have tried them report reduced pain, everywhere from the lower back to the feet.  They have also reported reduced fatigue, which allowed them to participate for longer periods of time.

In addition to those benefits, they may also reduce your risk of injury to the knee, hip or ankle by correcting pronation.  Pronation is when the heel bone angles inward causing a knock-kneed effect.  If a person with a pronated foot does not make additional efforts to correct the problem, the result can be a fallen arch, which is very painful.

Pronation can also cause shin splints, knee pain, Achilles tendinitis and plantar fasciitis.  As you may be able to see, many of the conditions that affect the feet are interconnected.  One can cause or worsen another.  A problem in the heel can cause pain in the arch and vice versa. 

Although they are beneficial in all sports, hockey custom orthotics may be particularly beneficial in providing additional support to the ankles.  Any hockey player should spend extra time on lower body workouts that strengthen the calf muscles.  Elastic band workouts that strengthen the Achilles tendons and improve flexibility are recommended.  Stretching is, of course, important, but so is a good warm up.  Stretching cold muscles can increase your risk of injury.

But, there are some things that additional exercise cannot "fix".  Almost all people are born with slight differences in the feet, legs and hips that can cause a slightly uneven gait and interfere with one's athletic ability.

If you need hockey custom orthotics, you probably need insoles in all of your shoes.  If you have yet to consult a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist, it might be a good idea to do that.  But, orthotics will cost more if your order them through the doctor's office.  They are more affordable when you order them online.

Unlike other sports, where skates are not involved, the importance of equipment maintenance cannot be overstated.  If you have pain in your knees, shins or feet not caused by a fall or other injury, your skates could be to blame.  If the blades are not sharpened correctly, that could be responsible for your problem. 

Injuries can sometimes lead to the need for hockey custom orthotics.  It's a tough game.  No matter how much padding you wear, there is additional stress placed on the joints.  If you want to continue to enjoy the game and perform to the best of your ability, you need to take advantage of everything that sports medicine has to offer. 

A little physical therapy could be advisable.  Regular massages or visits to the chiropractor might be necessary.  Hockey custom orthotics are just one of many things that have been brought to us by the field of sports medicine.  They help amateurs and pros alike. 

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