Orthotic insoles guide

It's a sad fact that even in the best quality boots on the market, there is still usually massive room for improvement in the footbed area. Most people as they get older and maybe gain that extra bit of weight tend to 'over-pronate' - that is, their arch tends to collapse and the foot elongates more than it should during the weight bearing portion of the step. This in turn can lead to many related problems that are not just restricted to the foot as the body as a whole is thrown out of alignment. We see many people who insist they still take the same size shoes at age 45 as they did at age 18! This will not always be the case and many people prior to visiting us for an expert bootfitting are wearing badly fitting shoes and boots.

We highly recommend investing in a pair of after-market orthotic insoles and are of the opinion that the Superfeet Trim to Fit or the SOLE Softtec Custom Moulded models are the most cost effective for the majority of people who are experiencing moderate levels of discomfort associated with over-pronation. There is a common misconception that soft, spongy insoles can solve most problems but in reality these often only give temporary relief and can in some circumstances make things worse!

Think of your insoles like a mattress. A good mattress is made of firm, supportive materials and a bad mattress is soft and unsupportive. Same thing with insoles. When you stand on a Superfeet or SOLE orthotic insole, you can feel the firmly supportive shape and materials. They're not soft and mushy like other insoles you may have tried because although soft non-supportive insoles feel good when you first put them in your shoes, in the long run your foot problems don't disappear.

Support your foot and properly align your body
Wearing soft insoles is like running in soft, dry sand at the beach. Initially it feels good, but you quickly grow tired, waste energy, and begin to feel the stress on your knees and back. Wearing a high quality orthotic insole is like running on firmer, wet sand. It's still comfortable, but your feet feel more balanced and stable, and it's certainly more productive and enjoyable from a performance point of view.

Although technically, Superfeet Trim to Fit and SOLE Softec Custom Moulded insoles can be bought off the shelf and fitted at home, we feel this is NOT a good idea. The cost of the insole from us includes FREE custom fitting and a chance to properly assess the size and volume of BOTH your feet. All our staff are well trained in this area and can often point out any problem areas that may need looking at in more detail. We also have links to some fantastic local podiatrists and chiropractors who can treat any more serious problems.

Tennant Podiatry
We have lately linked up with local podiatrists, Bob and Paul Tennant of Tennant Podiatry. Their practice is only 200 metres from our shop and they have a special interest in biomechanical analysis which compliments the work we do here. They are very reasonably priced and can treat a variety of problems which might detract from a customer's walking enjoyment.

Davenport House Clinic
We also have a great relationship with Tony Gavin at Davenport House Clinic in Stalybridge where he runs a dedicated podiatry clinic specialising in biomechanics and with a distinct interest in sports injuries. Tony is a runner himself and has worked wonders with several of our customers who have presented with problems beyond our scope. After assessment and often treatment, customers usually revisit our shop to discuss their footwear needs and Tony's findings.

If we refer you into Tony's capable hands then we will give you a voucher entitling you to a half price consultation representing superb value. No excuse for not addressing any problems that we might spot during our basic appraisal of your feet at the shop!

Oldham Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Clinic
Located just over the road from our shop, this excellent practice has an interest in podiatry and they utilise a very sophisticated scanning system that together with their qualified staff can diagnose the more complex problems that we at Mountainfeet are not trained to spot. The results can then be assessed and high quality prescription orthotics provided if necessary. A chiropractic visit could be of great benefit if issues at foot level are referring pain or problems elewhere in the body such as the back or hips.

The clinic has provided a "Health Check Pass" for the bargain price of £15 for those customers we feel would benefit from a qualified medical assessment.

Si has been a successful recipient of their excellent treatment – years of being battered by sport had taken its toll and last November after an accumulation of problems was about to cancel a trip abroad. Morten quickly diagnosed the major problem area and over the course of four weeks, intensive treatment corrected the injury and built strength back. Result!