How Long Do Orthotics Last?

Orthotics can last anywhere from a year to five years, depending on the material quality and product design, how you use them, and how much they fit your foot. Orthotics, especially custom-made devices, can be costly, so it's essential to buy products that last longer and use them responsibly to prevent unnecessary wear and tear. This article will explore how long orthotics last, the factors determining their longevity, and how to care for your orthotic device properly.

What Is an Orthotic?

An orthotic device is built to help with several foot conditions like flat feet, plantar fasciitis, corns and calluses, high arch feet, and metatarsalgia. Orthotics have several functions, including:

• Helping with alignment, posturing, and weight distribution.
• Preventing further degeneration of foot deformities.
• Relieving pain by accommodating sensitive areas of your foot when you wear shoes.

Factors that Determine the Longevity of Orthotics

Several factors determine how long orthotics will last. They include:

• Materials: Depending on its function, several materials can be used to make orthotics. For example, accommodative orthotics typically use softer materials because they come in contact with sensitive foot areas. Functional orthotics need more durable materials to help with foot alignment, body weight distribution, and proper posturing. Their functionality requires rigid materials.
• Design: Podiatrists specially designed custom orthotics to treat specific conditions on individual feet. A well-designed orthotic will fit into your foot organically, relieving pain and helping your gait. Poorly designed orthotics may not last long because they fail at their function – and since they do not fit around your foot structure, using them may lead to quicker wear and tear.
• Lifestyle: If you have an active lifestyle (that is, you walk or run often), your orthotic will wear and tear faster than people who live sedentary lifestyles.
• Weight: When you gain a lot of weight, you increase the pressure on your orthotics, making it more likely to get damaged.
• Wrong shoes: Custom orthotics are sometimes designed around specific shoes. For example, shoes with sufficient toe space will help root your toes in the ground, helping against overpronation (when you have flat feet and cannot balance your legs because your toes are not firmly rooted to the ground). Using the wrong shoes will put undue strain on your orthotic design, leading to damage.
• Significant medical changes: Since orthotics are built around your foot and support your ankle, knees, and even back, sudden medical changes like pregnancy and accidents may affect your gait (posture), leading to you using the orthotic in ways it was not built to be used. For example, if an accident makes you lean to the left, the orthotic on your left foot will suffer atypical pressure, which may damage it.
• Quality of materials: While materials used for orthotic devices vary by function, some companies specialize in building cheap orthotics made from substitute materials. It's essential to ask your podiatrist about the quality of materials that will be used in building your orthotics.

 

Functional Versus Accommodative Orthotics: Materials used in building

functional orthotics are restrictive – that is, they are meant to prevent abnormal or out-of-place movement of the feet. Because of their function, they are rigid. Functional orthotics are made of polypropylene and carbon graphite and are used to treat foot conditions like plantar fasciitis and overpronation.

Accommodative orthotics are softer because they come in contact with sensitive parts of the feet. Materials used in building accommodative orthotics include Neoprene Plastazote and Ethylene Vinyl Acetates.

Can Orthotics be Refurbished

Custom-made orthotics can be costly, so it's only natural for people to try to find cheaper alternatives when they get damaged. Yes, orthotics can be replaced; however, your podiatrist will advise that the replacement option depends on the level of wear and tear and the original material used. Refurbishing an orthotic device or the insole typically requires reheating and reshaping it to the appropriate form. It's a less expensive option.

Ensuring that Your Orthotics Last Longer

The longevity of your orthotics depends on its quality and the material used; however, you can do things to make the device last longer.

Don’t leave them in the shoes: Leaving your orthotics in your shoes after wear will subject them to heat and moisture. They'll also smell. When you pull your shoes, remove your socks and orthotics. Clean the orthotics with warm water and mild soap. To wash, soak a clean cloth in the warm water solution and wipe gently. Don't wash your orthotics in a cloth washing machine – washing machines spin when they wash, resulting in impacts that can damage their shape. 

Always use the right orthotics: When using a custom orthotic, ensure it perfectly fits your feet. Breaking into an orthotic may take longer than breaking into new shoes, but if you feel pain and discomfort when using a device after three weeks, call your podiatrist.  

Don’t share them: Letting another patient wear your orthotic may damage it because of differences in feet form and body weight.

Buy or build more than one: If you have an active lifestyle, get more than one device to relieve the pressure on the primary orthotic.

Wear only the shoes the orthotics were designed to match: Wear orthotic-friendly shoes.

Don’t leave under direct sunlight: Flexible orthotics can bend under immense heat. Direct sunlight may not expand the orthotic to a recognizable form; however, the device may contract and expand, reducing its efficiency.

What Should I Do if My Orthotics Start to Hurt?

If you notice that they hurt or you have some unnatural discomfort, it means any of these:

• Damaged device.
• Acute body change is caused by increased or decreased body weight, pregnancy, or accident.
• Bad shoes.
• Lifestyle change.
• Degenerating foot condition: Your foot condition is worsening, and your current orthotic can no longer help.

Whatever the reason, contacting your doctor before your condition worsens is important.

Conclusion

However flexible or firm, your orthotic device can degenerate from use and misuse. As a patient reliant on orthotics to relieve pain, correct foot deformity, or give comfort, you must treat the device well. If, after a while, you start noticing changes in how your orthotic fits and feels, contact your podiatrist.