Mild flat feet can be treated very well with specially designed insoles. The insoles should primarily support the longitudinal arch, which is unstable and sinks in patients with flat feet. In addition, the foot muscles that support the longitudinal arch are activated.
Today, there is a wide range of different insoles available. They differ mainly in the materials used and the special properties associated with them. Insoles are suitable for flat feet:
- Cork
- Leather
- Plastic or
- Metal.
But also their combinations like cork and leather inlays are possible.
Due to the different materials, the inlays are also of different sizes. Some insoles can take up a lot of space in the shoe and can therefore only be worn in wider shoes. Cork-Leather-Insoles on the other hand are space-saving and well supporting, but do not have any padding and are therefore possibly more uncomfortable.
Soft padded insoles on the other hand have very good wearing properties. Pressure points can be avoided by custom-made products and special inner and outer edge elevations support the foot individually. However, soft padded insoles are very thick and therefore require a lot of space in the shoe.
Thermolastic shell insoles are used for correction in children. They are very good at correcting children’s foot malpositions, but also require more space in the shoe than other insoles. Depending on the materials used, the insoles support, correct, relieve and guide the foot and the longitudinal arch.
In addition, the insoles can either have long soles, i.e. they can cover the entire shoe, or only have half soles. The disadvantage of half insoles is that they can slip inside the shoe. In addition, the wearing comfort might be lower.
Due to the numerous different possibilities for insoles, they should always be individually adjusted. In order to make sure that the insoles always fit well into the shoes, the shoes should be brought along for a fitting. It is also important that the insoles are adapted to the specific requirements of the foot pathology and that the material used, its advantages and disadvantages, are discussed.
