Because insoles are custom made, they can be made from almost any material. However, there are two more common types which South West Podiatry uses. Functional insoles: These are for the more athletic, weekend worrier amongst us. They have a slight stiffness to them with the aim of controlling the way the foot works and make it function more efficiently. These insoles are designed for people with knee and foot pain in association with issues like flat feet or high arched feet.
Accommodative insoles: These are for offloading specific areas of the foot where there is not a clear ‘biomechanical problem’ identified, such as flat feet. The most common condition for accommodative insoles might be insoles for bunions or for metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain). ‘Functional’ and ‘accommodative’ insoles are broad terms used to describe insoles and there is a crossover between them. At South West Podiatry we often take different features from each category and design a custom insole for your specific foot problem.