The foot of human being has 26 bones, 33 joints, and near 100 tendons, muscles, and support muscles. With such a complex construction, a lot can cease to function properly. While some foot deformations are inherited, many occur because of injuries. Now mechanical aid, such as orthosis is becoming available from many companies. The orthosis can help neutralize many foot deformations. The orthosis may be needed if foot or leg deformation is severe and worsening.
Ford states: “Most of the people who come in to see me have tried all these things – mats, arch supports, shoes – before. These people just have difficult feet, and they need to take a more sophisticated approach to foot care, such as using orthotic arch supports. ” (Sallis and Massimino 67). Foot orthosis is an important part of the clinical treatment that podiatrists offer for their patients with foot deformations. Although orthosis has been used clinically, there exists little information about “corrective” benefits of this intervention.
As Meadows (2006) explained that although there had been descriptive/observational/anecdotal studies about the benefits (for example, improved balance) of orthosis in treating patients with foot deformations, there was a scantiness of scientific data concerning the effectiveness (115). In an attempt to analyze current scientific information on the affects of orthosis, this paper performs a study on the efficacy of orthosis. This paper argues that orthotic devices are clinically successful podiatric intervention. Methods
This paper analyzes the studies that assess the effects of orthosis that supports and helps keep the foot in a balanced position. A key in orthosis is to limit all unnecessary stresses on the foot. The studies encourage using supportive orthotics to ensure foot stability and lower extremity during weight bearing activities. The studies include podiatric research from the United States and a clinical investigation intended to determine the effectiveness of foot orthoses as initial treatment for foot diseases. Results Results of the studies suggest that orthosis could be very successful in improving the foot function.
Thomas Michaud (1993) in his study evaluated the clinical effectiveness of different types of foot orthoses used to treat various diseases. Fifty patients were randomly chosen to receive either a functional (designed with the intent to improve the function of the joints of the foot and lower extremity during weight bearing activities) or an accommodative orthosis (designed with the intent to alter the deformations of plantar structures of the foot during weight bearing activities). Almost all patients completed the study.
The results showed significant improvements in foot deformations and a significant increase in foot function over the 10-week trial. Another clinical investigation (Rubin and Menz 2005) intended to determine the effectiveness of knee orthoses as initial treatment for knee diseases was undertaken to determine whether orthosis can be used as first-line treatment to reduce pain associated with medial knee osteoarthritis. During a 40-month period, the patients meeting the criteria for diagnosis and treatment of knee osteoarthritis were prescribed orthoses as a first-line treatment if their knee pain.
Seven months after the orthoses were properly fitted, each patient was asked to determine the results of treatment. Before the treatment the average level of pain was 7. 34 and seven months later the average pain level was 2. 46. As a result, average knee-pain reduction was 4. 9. Considering this investigation, there are clear indications that high-quality orthoses offer athletes/patients an effective first-line mode of treatment for knee diseases of moderate to severe degree.
All results of these clinical investigations indicate pain reduction in the patients. By adding an orthosis, the patients also could fix the knee in two positions, fully stretched or in a 90-degree flexed position. In this way, the pain was relieved, the blood supply was returned, and the patients again hade some knee function. A disadvantage is that this is a difficult decision for the patients. The studies provided evidence that using e high-quality orthoses resulted in important benefits of less pain on walking and stair climbing.