Football Season and Properly Fitting Cleats

Along with bus rides and homework, back to school also brings about football games and practices.  Make sure your cleats fit properly to avoid foot pain!  Since it has probably been around a year since you were last in your football gear, including your shoes, it is time to get re-measured.  Along with getting sized up for new pads and jerseys you should also get your feet re-measured to make sure you still wear the same size shoe as you did last football season.  You should also make sure your shoes are in good condition.  Shoes that are old and worn out can cause just as much, if not more, damage to your feet as ill-fitting shoes or cleats.

It is also a good idea to see your podiatrist for a yearly exam.  He or she will be able to screen your feet for any existing problems or injuries and help you to avoid any future problems. The doctor may also prescribe orthotics.  They can help with peroneal tendon injuries, posterior tibial injuries, tendonitis, morton’s neuroma, shin splints, and plantar fasciitis.  Orthotics are also prescribed to

1) Reduce pain

2) Provide support

3) Prevent or slow down the development of a foot deformity

4) Provide better positioning of the foot, knee and hips

5) Improve the overall bio mechanical function of the body

Functional orthotics allow the muscles, tendons and bones of the feet and lower legs to function at their highest potential. When appropriately fabricated, orthotics can decrease pain, not only in the foot, but in other parts of the body such as the knee, hip and lower back. By eliminating the need for one's muscles to compensate for imbalances, orthotics can reduce fatigue and promote efficient muscle function to enhance performance. They can also increase stability in an unstable joint and prevent an early foot deformity from developing additional problems.

Most serious athletes who have bio mechanical imperfections end up with orthotics out of necessity. The occasional weekend athlete may not likely need orthotics unless they have a serious bio mechanical weakness, but for the serious athlete any bio mechanical weakness will be magnified ten-fold, with the result being injury.

When an athlete gets a series of nagging injuries one after the other, they are probably caused by a bio mechanical flaw and can be corrected by orthotics. Athletes who suffer from chronic knee pain, arch pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, hip and lower back pain and certain types of muscular fatigue very often benefit from orthotics.

Orthotics, like the Powersteps pictured above, can also be worn during everyday activities for support. The powersteps are available through our product store.  Call our office at 419-423-1888 or visit our website to make an appointment to get your feet evaluated for this football season.