BlossomingMe proprioceptive innersoles
The way that our feet move, absorb and distribute pressure (to and from our bodies) will affect the way in which our bodies move – our posture and our gait (walking) patterns. If these forces are transferred correctly, walking and standing postures should be optimal, resulting in minimal energy use and maximum comfort.
If, however, distribution is interrupted or altered, excess force is placed on different parts of our bodies such as our ankles, knees, hips, lower back or neck. This can lead to discomfort, pain, increased risk of injury and a multitude of muscle imbalances throughout the body, as well as excess wear and tear on different joints.
While traditionally firm or rigid orthotics are prescribed to “support” the arch of the foot by blocking its collapse with each step, this method also restricts the natural movement of the foot and in doing so, alters our natural pressure distribution.
Often, the force distribution is only altered. It’s not returned to where it should be. In those cases, other joints can begin to wear excessively over time and pain may develop.
Proprioceptive Innersoles
Proprioceptive innersoles (orthotics of a sort) may improve our proprioceptive input.
Proprioception is our brain’s ability to know where different body parts are in space and in relation to each other (take touching your nose while your eyes are closed for example). Input from the skin especially the soles of our feet can tell our brain a lot about the contours of the surface of the ground.
This allows our ankles to respond more effectively, working with altering ground contours, while keeping our posture upright, our eyes parallel with the ground (so that we can see three dimensionally properly), keep our balance and avoid injury.
When our brain is more aware of our feet, it will naturally improve posture and foot movements. Over time, this has been shown to allow our feet to move naturally, whilst improving posture – evidenced as corrected muscle imbalance and restoring spine curvatures.
These innersoles are only prescribed where assessment shows that a positive change is produced with the introduction of their input. Use of these proprioceptive innersoles is combined with Osteopathic treatment to ensure that blockages and strain patterns will respond effectively to them.
Reassessment is important to allow for adjustments if necessary and ensure that the input is still positive. Not everybody will continue to use the innersoles forever, as a substantial number of people appear to develop a re-training, where use may be reduced or stopped completely.
