Educational Articles

What Is Natural Arch Support?

Posted By Marty Hughes, DC

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The above content is for educational or informational purposes only and is not intended to replace or augment professional medical instruction, diagnosis, or treatment. Read full disclaimer here.

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Comments
April 16, 2015
Pam Wheeler

What type of people (or should I say foot) would benefit from conventional arch orthotics?

April 16, 2015
Natural Footgear

Hi, Pam,

Thank you for your message. And excellent question. I think you’ll appreciate the following video, which answers your question in detail:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17921600-who-should-use-orthotics

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

April 16, 2015
Vincent Brouillet

Does a metatarsal pad for treating my sesamoiditis have a similar effect as an arch support orthotic? (meaning it’s helpful for sesamoiditis but not for building natural arch strength?

I’m at a point where walking barefoot is almost painless with regards to my sesamoiditis. But I tend to walk more on the outside part of my foot by reflex. Should I still use a metatarsal pad? And for how long? And is that counterproductive for building natural arch support?

Also, metatarsal pads in conventional shoes head lead to excess pressure on the tip of my big toe (during big hikes and bike rides), felt back at the joint. What do you think?

April 16, 2015
Natural Footgear

Hello, Vincent,

Thank you for your message. By helping to return the forefoot fat pad to a position that supports and protect the sesamoids, metatarsal pads can be very helpful in promoting natural arch support. Unlike conventional arch orthotics, metatarsal pads are not rigid and do not immobilize the foot in an unnatural position.

The excess pressure you’re feeling in the tip of your big toe may be the result of wearing conventional footwear with a tapering toe box (www.naturalfootgear/blogs/education/17914828-tapering-toe-boxes). With ample room in the toe box, this problem may not occur, and it should allow the metatarsal pads to work as intended, especially if your toes are allowed to splay naturally (www.naturalfootgear.com/pages/foot-anatomy-101).

Here are a couple of articles that you might find very helpful moving forward. The first is on Sesamoiditis, and second is on Natural Arch Support.

Sesamoiditis:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17911740-sesamoiditis

Natural Arch Support:
www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17888744-natural-arch-support

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

January 25, 2018
Kim Calerdine

Can you tell me if custom orthotics would help with the swelling, pain, and/or cause of capsulitis (with swelling of the ball of the foot beneath the big toe and 2nd & 3rd toes)? What do you feel is beneficial for capsulitis? Thank you so much!

January 25, 2018
Natural Footgear

Hi, Kim! Thank you for your comment! In our experience, we’ve found that a natural approach to foot care can be very helpful in addressing capsulitis. First, I recommend checking out this article, which explains the various causes and symptoms of the condition and offers several non-invasive solutions that you might find useful:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17860972-capsulitis

One of the most effective solutions, in our experience, involves using Correct Toes toe spacers (which are, by definition, a type of toe orthotic). For most people, Correct Toes helps eliminate the need for conventional arch orthotics by enabling the main foot arch to support itself. This article, Correct Toes & Orthotics, furthers this discussion and offers a more comprehensive explanation of our natural approach:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/education/17861564-correct-toes-orthotics

I hope you find this information helpful. Please let us know if you have any other questions moving forward!

All best,
Andrew Potter

October 19, 2018
Tracy S

I have worn Correct Toes for over a year on most occasions. I like the stability I get when I wear them, as I have two bunions. My right bunion is worse, and even when I have a shim in the hole of my Correct Toes, my hallux still is not fully corrected. Is this ok? And can I, over time, ever fully correct the bunion?

I now have better toe dexterity than I ever remember, and I have even been told by an orthopedic surgeon to keep wearing the Correct Toes! Thank you so much!

October 19, 2018
Natural Footgear

Greetings, Tracy!

Thank you for your comment. I’m glad to hear that you’ve made some good foot health gains by using Correct Toes to restore proper toe alignment. The cavities in the device are designed to accommodate up to three separate shims, so adding a couple more shims to your device might be helpful (we’ve found that small rectangular pieces of an old shoe insole usually make for the best shims—just FYI).

In our experience, we’ve found that most folks who have a bunion can indeed restore optimal big toe alignment and resolve the bunion over time. This depends on a number of factors, though, including how often the toe spacers are used, the kind of footwear that’s worn on a regular basis, the length of time the bunion has existed, and the responsiveness of an individual’s soft tissues to external forces, among other factors.

I hope this info helps! If you have any other questions, please do let us know.

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Karen

I can testify to the fact that eliminating “support” can strengthen the arches. I started wearing shoes that meet your guidelines for foot health about 18 months ago. Among other brands, I ordered shoes from The Drifter Leather, which involved taking a series of measurements and tracings of my feet. After 9 months, I had to redo the measurements because my shoes had become tight. I discovered that not only had my feet become wider and longer, but they were actually thicker around the arches by about 1/4 inch! By allowing my foot muscles to work as intended, I actually gained muscle mass in my feet.

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Karen,

Thank you for posting your comment! It’s really great to hear about all the progress you’ve made by switching to foot-healthy footwear. Also, that’s an important observation you made, about your foot gaining muscle mass. Like any other muscle group, the foot muscles need to be properly worked in order to become larger and stronger. Keep up the great work and please do report back to us with additional updates down the line!

All the best,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Mary

I have/need to wear a 9 mm lift under my left heel because it is my shorter leg. I started wearing it about 15 years ago to help with a back problem. Currently, I wear the toe socks and the Lems Primal 2 shoes. I had to cut the Correct Toes down so it is one spacer between the big and second toes. I couldn’t walk with them otherwise. Question: My left heel started hurting while wearing Lems and I just stuck a metatarsal pad under the left arch and the heel pain stopped. Am I doing the right thing in supporting the left arch like that? Thank you.

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Mary,

Thank you for your comment. Without being more familiar with your case, and without being able to see and assess you in person, I can’t make any definitive statements about your case. My best recommendation is to schedule a visit with a local foot care provider who can give you more personalized care. We have put together this resource on our site that lists some of the most important questions to ask any prospective foot care practitioner:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/popular-q-a/what-questions-should-i-be-asking-a-prospective-foot-care-provider

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Jon Bullock

In regards to the metatarsal pads, how long would a typical person have to wear these in their shoes? I understand the transverse arch eventually gets corrected through extended use of the metatarsal pads. How does this occur?

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Jon,

Great question! In general, we recommend that most folks simply incorporate the use of metatarsal pads into their long-term approach to foot health and rehabilitation. Though metatarsal pads can be quite helpful in (quickly) addressing ball of foot problems and discomfort, there are many other reasons to continue on with the pads after the acute problem has been dealt with. You can read all about the benefits of metatarsal pads here:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/metatarsal-pad-benefits

The benefits to the transverse foot arch that you asked about mostly revolve around the space that the met pads help open up between the metatarsal heads. This allows more room for the interdigital nerves and blood vessels to pass on their way to and from the toes.

I hope this info helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

February 22, 2021
Joyce

The Correct Toes toe spacers do not stay put. I need to consistently take off my shoes and adjust the Correct Toes on my toes. I am wearing Injinji toe socks and Altra Escalante shoes.

February 22, 2021
Natural Footgear

Hi, Joyce,

Thank you for your comment. And thank you for checking in about your Correct Toes. You might consider using two thin velcro straps looped through the cavities in the device to secure the spacers to your big and little toes. For those who need it, this can be a helpful technique in keeping the device rooted in place. You can see a visual depiction of this technique here:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0735/7693/files/DSC0634.JPG?9572842378345176190

Alternatively, you might consider trimming down the “nubs” that project toward the foot on the device’s 1st and 4th pillars. Please see this video for a demonstration of this customization:

www.naturalfootgear.com/blogs/educational-articles/how-to-customize-correct-toes

One final option: You might also consider using your Correct Toes underneath a conventional sock.

I hope this info helps!

Kind regards,
Marty Hughes, DC

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