Do You Need Custom Orthotics? Understanding Foot Biomechanics and Injury Prevention

Whether you’re navigating the sidewalks of downtown Newmarket, hiking the trails throughout York Region, or simply standing on your feet all day at work, your feet serve as the foundation for every step you take. Yet despite their critical importance, research shows that fewer than 10 percent of people worldwide have truly neutral feet—feet that naturally maintain proper alignment without additional support. For the remaining 90 percent, structural imbalances in the feet can create a cascade of problems throughout the body, from recurring muscle strains and joint pain to chronic discomfort that impacts daily activities.

Understanding whether you need custom orthotics starts with recognizing how your feet function and identifying the signs that indicate your body’s foundation may need additional support. Poor foot alignment doesn’t just affect your feet—it can contribute to muscle strains in the calves, ankles, and even the hips and lower back as your body compensates for improper biomechanics.

Understanding Foot Biomechanics and Common Conditions

Your feet are remarkably complex structures, each containing 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments working together to support your body weight and facilitate movement. When this intricate system functions optimally, forces are distributed evenly, and your body maintains proper alignment from the ground up. However, when structural imbalances exist, compensation patterns develop that can lead to overuse injuries and chronic pain.

Pronated Feet (Overpronation)

Pronation is a natural part of the gait cycle—your foot rolls slightly inward when you walk to absorb shock and adapt to uneven surfaces. However, excessive pronation, or overpronation, occurs when the foot rolls too far inward, causing the arch to collapse excessively under weight-bearing conditions.

People with overpronated feet often experience what’s commonly called “flat feet,” though technically, they may have visible arches when sitting or lying down that disappear when standing. This collapse can result from various factors including weak foot muscles, tight calf muscles, structural abnormalities in the heel or ankle bones, or rotational issues in the legs themselves.

The consequences of overpronation extend far beyond the feet. As the arch collapses, it causes internal rotation of the leg, which places abnormal stress on the ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. This misalignment creates an inefficient movement pattern that forces certain muscles to work harder than they should, leading to muscle strains and overuse injuries. Runners and athletes with overpronation frequently develop muscle strains in the calves, posterior tibialis tendonitis, shin splints, and knee pain due to these biomechanical compensations.

You can perform a simple self-assessment at home: examine your foot while seated and note if an arch is present. Then stand and place your full body weight on the foot. If the arch flattens significantly or disappears completely, you likely have pronated feet that could benefit from orthotic support.

High Arches (Pes Cavus)

At the opposite end of the spectrum are high arches, medically termed pes cavus. People with high arches have feet that don’t flatten adequately during the gait cycle, resulting in insufficient shock absorption with each step. When you look at your footprint in sand, snow, or on wet pavement, you’ll notice the middle section of your foot leaves little to no impression—only the heel and ball of the foot make solid contact with the ground.

High arches create their own set of problems. Without adequate pronation, the foot becomes a rigid lever that transmits excessive shock forces up through the ankles and legs with each step. This increased impact can contribute to stress fractures, ankle instability, and muscle strains throughout the lower extremities. People with high arches often experience chronic tension in their calf muscles and may be more prone to ankle sprains due to reduced contact with the ground.

The concentrated pressure on the heel and forefoot can also lead to conditions like plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot), and callus formation. Athletes with high arches frequently report calf muscle strains and Achilles tendon issues, as these structures work overtime to compensate for the lack of natural shock absorption.

Supinated Feet (Underpronation)

Supination, or underpronation, occurs when the foot rolls excessively outward during the gait cycle. This condition often accompanies high arches and creates similar biomechanical challenges. People who supinate place disproportionate stress on the outer edge of the foot, which you can often identify by examining your shoe wear patterns—the outside sole from heel to toe wears down more quickly than the inside.

Walking or running on the outside edge of your feet compromises stability and shock absorption. The heel of your shoes may lean outward or become deformed on the lateral side. This improper weight distribution increases the risk of ankle sprains, IT band syndrome, and lateral knee pain. The muscles along the outside of the leg and ankle must work harder to stabilize the foot, making them susceptible to strains and overuse injuries.

Neutral Feet

Neutral feet represent the biomechanical ideal—feet that maintain their natural arch in both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions. When viewed from behind, the heel remains relatively vertical, and the arch neither collapses excessively nor remains rigidly high. Your footprint shows appropriate contact along the entire outer edge and across the forefoot, with a natural curve along the inner arch.

People with neutral feet generally distribute forces evenly throughout the foot and lower extremity, reducing the risk of compensatory muscle strains and overuse injuries. However, even those with neutral feet may benefit from orthotics in certain situations, such as after injury, during pregnancy, or when participating in high-impact activities that place unusual demands on the feet.

The Connection Between Foot Alignment and Muscle Strains

The relationship between foot biomechanics and muscle strains throughout the lower body is both direct and significant. Your feet establish the foundation for the entire kinetic chain—a series of interconnected body segments that work together during movement. When the foundation is misaligned, every link in the chain must compensate.

Lower Leg Muscle Strains

Improper foot mechanics create abnormal stress patterns on the muscles of the lower leg. Overpronation places excessive strain on the posterior tibialis muscle, which works to support the arch and control pronation during walking and running. When forced to work beyond its capacity, this muscle becomes inflamed and strained, leading to pain along the inside of the shin and ankle.

The calf muscles—the gastrocnemius and soleus—must also compensate for foot misalignment. People with overpronation often develop chronic tightness and recurrent strains in these muscles as they attempt to control excessive inward rolling. Conversely, those with high arches or supination place extraordinary demands on their calf muscles to absorb shock that the foot structure fails to manage, resulting in frequent calf strains and Achilles tendon problems.

Hip and Thigh Muscle Strains

The effects of poor foot alignment travel up the kinetic chain to affect the hip and thigh muscles. Overpronation causes internal rotation of the entire leg, placing stress on the hip abductors and external rotators as they work to maintain proper leg alignment. This compensation can lead to hip muscle strains, IT band syndrome, and piriformis syndrome.

The quadriceps and hamstrings also experience altered loading patterns due to foot misalignment. Studies have shown that runners with overpronation demonstrate different muscle activation patterns in their thighs compared to those with neutral alignment, potentially contributing to muscle imbalances and strain injuries. Athletes in Newmarket and throughout York Region dealing with recurring hamstring or quadriceps strains may find that addressing underlying foot mechanics helps prevent these injuries from returning.

Benefits of Custom Orthotics in Physiotherapy Treatment

Custom orthotics serve as an important tool in comprehensive physiotherapy treatment plans, particularly for patients dealing with recurring muscle strains, chronic pain, or biomechanical dysfunction. Unlike over-the-counter insoles that provide generic cushioning, custom orthotics are precisely designed to address your specific foot structure and movement patterns.

Biomechanical Correction and Injury Prevention

The primary function of custom orthotics is to restore proper foot alignment and optimize biomechanics throughout the lower extremity. By supporting the arch at the appropriate height, controlling excessive pronation or supination, and ensuring even weight distribution, orthotics help your feet function more efficiently.

This biomechanical correction reduces the compensatory stress on muscles throughout the legs, hips, and lower back. For athletes and active individuals, this means fewer muscle strains and overuse injuries. Someone who previously experienced recurring calf strains due to overpronation may find that proper orthotic support eliminates these episodes entirely by allowing the muscles to function within their normal capacity.

Custom orthotics also help prevent early joint degeneration that can result from years of abnormal loading patterns. By promoting proper alignment, orthotics reduce wear and tear on ankle, knee, and hip joints, potentially preventing or delaying the development of osteoarthritis in these areas.

Enhanced Recovery from Injury

When muscle strains or other lower extremity injuries do occur, custom orthotics can accelerate the healing process by creating an optimal biomechanical environment. Physiotherapy in Newmarket and throughout the region often incorporates orthotic therapy as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program.

By correcting the underlying biomechanical issues that may have contributed to the initial injury, orthotics help prevent compensatory movement patterns that can delay healing or lead to secondary problems. A patient recovering from a hamstring strain, for example, benefits from orthotics that ensure proper foot alignment, preventing the altered gait patterns that often develop when people unconsciously protect an injured area.

Performance Enhancement for Athletes

Beyond injury prevention and recovery, custom orthotics can enhance athletic performance by improving efficiency and reducing energy expenditure. When your feet function optimally, less muscular effort is required to maintain proper alignment and control movement. This improved efficiency allows athletes to maintain better form throughout training sessions and competitions, potentially improving endurance and reducing fatigue-related injuries.

Many runners, basketball players, hockey players, and other athletes in York Region have found that custom orthotics help them train harder and compete more effectively while reducing their injury risk. The investment in proper foot support often pays dividends in terms of improved performance and extended athletic longevity.

The Custom Orthotics Assessment Process

Determining whether you need custom orthotics requires a comprehensive evaluation by a qualified healthcare professional who understands foot biomechanics and their impact on the entire musculoskeletal system.

Initial Evaluation

A thorough orthotic assessment begins with a detailed discussion of your symptoms, activity level, footwear habits, and injury history. Your practitioner will ask about any pain you experience in your feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips, or back, as well as questions about when pain occurs and what activities aggravate or relieve symptoms.

The physical examination includes observing your foot structure in both weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing positions, analyzing your standing posture and leg alignment, watching you walk to assess your gait pattern, and examining the wear patterns on your current footwear. These observations provide valuable insights into your biomechanics and how your feet interact with the ground during movement.

Biomechanical Testing

Advanced orthotic assessments often include objective measurements and tests. These may involve foot impressions using foam boxes or scanning technology to capture the three-dimensional structure of your feet, pressure mapping to identify areas of excessive force concentration, range of motion testing for the ankle and foot joints, and muscle strength assessment for the lower legs and feet.

This comprehensive data allows your practitioner to design orthotics that address your specific needs rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Footwear Recommendations

Custom orthotics work best when paired with appropriate footwear. Part of the assessment process involves evaluating your current shoes and providing recommendations for footwear that will accommodate your orthotics while supporting proper foot function. Your practitioner can advise on shoe features to look for based on your foot type and activity requirements.

Custom Orthotics in Newmarket

Understanding your foot structure and biomechanics is essential for maintaining an active, pain-free lifestyle. While only a small percentage of people have truly neutral feet, the remaining majority don’t necessarily need custom orthotics—but many would benefit significantly from this support, particularly if experiencing recurring muscle strains, chronic pain, or biomechanical dysfunction.

If you’re dealing with persistent foot pain, recurring lower leg muscle strains, or discomfort in your knees, hips, or back, your feet may be the underlying cause. Custom orthotics can provide the foundation your body needs to move efficiently, recover from injury, and prevent future problems. For residents of Newmarket and York Region experiencing any of these issues, a comprehensive orthotic assessment can determine whether custom foot support is the right solution. Contact our team to schedule an evaluation and discover how addressing your foot biomechanics can improve your overall musculoskeletal health and help you maintain an active lifestyle without pain or limitation.