Two of the most common causes of foot pain are associated with the arch. Over-supination from high arches causes your foot to roll outward putting stress on the heel, outside edge and ball of the foot. Over-supination can cause ankle sprains, calluses, hammer toes and Plantar Fasciitis. The opposite condition is over-pronation caused by fallen arches or flat feet. Because people with flat feet have very flexible feet, the arch tends to flatten and stretch more as you walk. Over-pronating results in an inward roll with each step which can cause arch, heal, knee, hip or back pain, ankle sprains and shin splints.

There are a couple of easy ways to determine if you have a high or low arch. You can drop by NAO and have your arch measured or you can do the wet foot test by stepping your wet foot onto a dark piece of paper/cardboard and looking at the resulting foot print. If you only see the heel, outside edge and ball of the foot-you are supinating. If you see the whole foot without an indent for the arch, then you are pronating. Insoles can help both of these conditions by stabilizing your foot and ankle and bringing them into alignment, allowing an even distribution of weight and pressure across the entire foot and aiding the foot into a natural, stable motion.

Many consumers look for insoles by shoe size, but it is actually more important to fit the insole to your arch height AND length. We are happy to find the right shoe and insole combination for you and we do that by taking a variety of measurements to make sure the shoe and insole fit correctly. Brannock measuring devices which are specific to age and gender, measure your foot length, width and arch length. Since many people have one foot that is slightly larger than the other, it is important to fit shoes to the larger foot. Correctly fit shoes ensure that the ball of the foot, arch and toes are positioned properly in the shoe, preventing discomfort and fatigue.

Arch length is the distance from the ball of the foot to the back of the heal. Several individuals might have the same overall foot length but different arch lengths depending on the length of their toes. For shoes to fit properly the ball of your foot should rest in the widest part of the shoe, which is where the shoe is designed to bend when walking.

If you have a long arch and the ball of your foot rests in front of the flex point, you may find that the shoe crease irritates the top of your foot and your toes may be cramped. In this case even though your foot length shows an 8.5, your arch length is telling you that it would be better to buy a 9.0. The same thing happens with insoles. To fit an insole properly, we will have you take your shoe off, then look at your arch height and length. For long arches it is better buy a larger insole and trim the insole to the length of your shoes insole so that the arch is supported all the way down its length.

There are three arches on the bottom of your foot, but the medial arch is the one supported by most insoles. Icebug insoles also support the metatarsal arch which is a transverse arch along the ball of the foot. Using an insole with a metatarsal arch support gives you better balance as it helps the toes splay naturally during motion and weight-bearing. This results in better alignment of foot, ankle and hips. We carry a number of different insoles, so chances are we will be able to find something that works for you.

Leatherman - Raptor folding stainless steel medical shears feature strap and ring cutters, ruler, oxygen tank wrench and a carbide glass breaker.

20% off coupon valid September 1-15th.

Buy a pair of insoles and save 10% off. Coupon valid September 15-30th.

To receive either coupon discount, please bring in a print out of the coupon or show it to us on your phone. Coupon discounts are limited to stock on hand, 1 coupon per customer.