Luxury or Rationality?

Insoles. There are many things on earth people take as given naturally and we only become aware of these when we lose them. Seeing, hearing, tasting and walking are among these natural capabilities. We possess them without actually noticing them and panic takes hold of us lacking any. Taking walking on two feet into consideration, we tend to forget about the fact: this ability puts a heavy load on our bodies. Every single day. We put load – a priory our own weight – on our spine, waist and feet (especially bones and muscles of the feet and of soles). Besides, our body is not a mass product, it is a unique piece of art for every individual.

Attention: About the risks involved in wearing individual insole medical devices of Batz, please read the information sheet or ask your physician. Please see user instructions to the individual arch support at this address: https://egyeditalpbetet.batz.hu/en/instructions/ .

Insoles

Can custom-made Bat insoles help to prevent fallen arch or flat foot?

Malformations and syndromes – flatfoot, bunions, hammertoe, heel bone gaff, heel, knee and low back pain – have already been talked over several times and we’ve got many questions. A great number of readers understand one of the most frequent problem,  flat foot and fallen arch – that we haven’t talked over yet –, as they are treated as the very same problem. In order to prevent anomalies, we think it important to make it clear at the very beginning that flat foot and fallen arch are far from being the same (however they are interconnected to each other), only the colloquial language treats them as if they were the same. Fallen Arch or Flatfoot? Let us contemplate the tiger! Flat foot (pes planus) is a symptom where the longitudinal arch of the feet disappears or becomes almost flat, ligaments expand, “become tired”, “get lazy”, the positions of bones become rearranged and the tensile direction of muscles change. Fallen arch is a symptom, where the ankle shifts in a certain direction (pes valgus), e.g. when the calcenus inclines outward or inward or it turns forward and as a consequence, the shift of the ankle follows the same direction: it moves outward, inward or forward. These two deformations can hardly be separated from each other – that is how the common speech mixes them up –, however, it is beyond doubt that flat foot is caused by fallen arch in 80 to 90%, since the calcenus in its abnormal position provokes brutal load for the leg and for the arches of the sole. Of course, the foot with such deformities cannot roll over properly anymore and the joints get extreme loading (which may lead to pains in the knees, waist and back), and the formidable pressure may press down the cross arch of the foot (and the sole), which may cause more severe deformations – bunion, hammer toe –, what is more, the bad posture induces abnormal wear in  all affected joints.

Now, having pointed out the difference between the two deformities, let us consider what we can do in order to prevent them, and what chances we have in the treatment of deformities that have already come about. By no means we want to belittle the knowledge and experience of the Hungarian Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Specialists, but we must declare that in the field of diagnostics, computerized measuring of the soles (not to be mixed up with sole examination by podoscope) has been taking an increasing share from health assessment, which is underscored by the fact that special practices use the method in an ever growing number. The essence of the method is that a platform equipped with hypersensitive sensors maps the pressure picture of the soles of patients, and at the same time, a high-resolution camera films the position of the ankles and legs comparing them to an upright laser beam. Based on this assessment, the optimal insole is designed proper supports and softenings with 3D technology, and on the basis of this design, a precise device working to a thousandths of a millimetre accurateness machines the perfect form from a special shock absorbing foam. Vis-a-vis insoles measured and produced traditionally, the advantages of this production process are variability and the individualizing (made-to-measure) approach. While most insole producers manufacture some more or less proper insoles (arch supports) by following 10 to 12 kinds of moulds or patterns and using about the same number of modules, the number of opportunities after implementing the computerized sole pressure measurements, the machined unique insoles provide virtually endless forms of arch supports or insoles treating fallen arch or flat foot. These made-to-measure insoles can be a great help, first of all in prevention: providing proper supports, they can prevent inclination of the ankle in any direction and help also those who are actually suffering from flat foot. At the same time, of course, we must not disregard exercising on natural soils (sand, lawn, etc.) or the importance of barefoot walking or foot exercising.

Fallen Arch or Flatfoot

Attention: About the risks involved in wearing individual insole medical devices of Batz, please read the information sheet or ask your physician. Please see user instructions to the individual arch support at this address: https://egyeditalpbetet.batz.hu/en/instructions/ .

Flatfoot. An undeservedly neglected endemic of our days is flatfoot, where longitudinal arches of the feet disappear or flatten, feet turn out along their longitudinal axles, ligaments expand, the positions of bones become rearranged, whereby the tensile direction of muscles change and this in turn deteriorates the developed bad foot structure further. Among static deformities of the feet, this is the most frequent orthopaedic disease in the World, but this is not to be mixed up with fallen arch disease.

The good or bad status of our feet accompanies our whole life; therefore, it must be told several times, as loud as possible, how important is it to deal with the issue and to prevent all kinds of deformations. The custom-made insoles of Batz can be a proper way of prevention or even of correction of flat foot. We must emphasize at this point that in severe cases rude hammertoe or bunionevolves, and their treatment offered by specialists cannot be omitted and we suggest the use of insoles as a completion of such medical treatments, meanwhile a proper exercise programme and/or special foot exercises are also important additions to a complex heath programme. The possible consequences of flat foot – e.g. warts on the sole due to arch drop,  hammertoe, arthrosis caused by the position of bones in the foot,  bunion due to the fallen cross arch, low back pain caused by abnormal pelvic angle, scoliosis or fatigue – could be properly preventable by the use of custom-made arch support (insole) if applied in an early phase. Of course, usual physical load and bony structure are individual characteristics, however, the well-known basic exercises are useful additions to the measure-made Batz insoles – like lifting a pencil or a marble with toes. If pain appears during sole exercises, spasms must be always treated immediately. Its easiest and most effective way, if we or a helper strains the foot backwards using the row of toes as a handle; or – as joggers know it well – if a stretching exercise is made in the deep position of a fencer, that can evade the effect that some humourists (namely the Hungarian Géza Hofi) put this way:“my back pain is so harsh that my toes form a balled fist”. The PROPER insole that supports the edge of the foot offers a less expensive solution than surgery, not to mention the costs of rehabilitation, lost wages, etc. Measure-made or custom-made insoles can be manufactured within a couple of days at our numerous sole pressure measuring points found at many settlements within the country, where computerized measuring methods are available. On products supported by the national health insurance system, on their purchasing, about Frequently Asked Questions and on our product range, the web page of Batz gives more information.

Flatfoot

Attention: About the risks involved in wearing individual insole medical devices of Batz, please read the information sheet or ask your physician. Please see user instructions to the individual arch support at this address: https://egyeditalpbetet.batz.hu/en/instructions/ .