Killer footbeds

[kingslug]

If this could be left in this section (more traffic) that would be great. When my wife got her new boots they threw in some footbeds, off the shelf variety. Well it has turned into a nightmare for her. She has somewhat flat feet and these things caused some of the muscle near her heel to pull away. She started having some pain in her arch and went to a podiatrist, who found nothing. Then it got a lot worse. Different doctor, lots of X-rays and the conclusion that these things did the damage. 4 very painfull 3 inch needles, Cortisone and steriods where the prescription. She said the pain was unreal. Only upside is custom footbeds that insurance will pay for to the tune of $900.00. I guess just throwing these things inside our boots can be a bad idea, though it seems to be the thing to do. I guess there is nothing like a real professional bootfitting, which she did not get. I would be careful about these things in the future.

 

[RISkier]

I'm a bit surprised they would do that much damage, especially for someone with flat feet. I under pronate a lot and many of the off the shelf footbeds exacerbate that problem. My wife bought new boots last year and didn't want to spend the money on custom footbeds. She was having some continuing foot pain (not injury) and the boot fitter decided it was being exacerbated by the footbeds. So, she bit the bullet and had custom foot beds made. Pain gone. I'd love to hear Jeff Bokom's comments on this topic.

 

[cbcbd]

Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, go see a doctor

Most off the shelf variety footbeds I've seen are pretty arch aggressive, and like RISkier mentioned, don't really "help" as much if you are neutral or supinate (foot rolls to the outside after striking). Having flat feet doesn't really mean that she pronates (foot rolls to the inside after striking ground), although many flatfooters do, but she probably didn't need the aggressive arch support from an after-market insole. Even for folks that do need the arch support, going to wearing something with arch support is not a quick thing - it will hurt at first if you wear it a lot during the first time. You have to slowly build up to wearing them all the time.
And... if you plan on wearing footwear with arch support, then all your footwear should have the same arch support - just throwing some aggressive footbeds in your ski boots and then wearing flat insoles in your sneakers day after day will only hurt your feet when you go into your boots.

I pronate, have had plantar fasciitis, have gone to dr, have done PT, have off the shelf insoles now and I switch them into everything I wear.

 

[kingslug]

She's a bartender and stands about 10 to 12 hours a day. Definitely needs something to help her out. Hope this works.

 

[Brn4353]

That's some insurance!

Only upside is custom footbeds that insurance will pay for to the tune of $900.00. I guess there is nothing like a real professional bootfitting, which she did not get. I would be careful about these things in the future.

I would be quite suprised if insurance would pay for a custom footbed for a ski boot as many insurance companies will not pay, or only partially pay, for a daily wear orthotic.

 

[kingslug]

I would be quite suprised if insurance would pay for a custom footbed for a ski boot as many insurance companies will not pay, or only partially pay, for a daily wear orthotic.

They will be for any shoe or ski boot she wears. And they have already agreed to pay. She will just transfer them to whatever she is wearing at the time.

 

[Rick Kane]

I got a new pair of boots this winter and went with surefoot. the custom orthotics were amazing, well worth the extra cash i shelled out. I have a callapsed arch and after two days in my old boots my back hurt to the point where i couldnt even think about skiing, if forced me home early from a colorado trip. Since i got the new boots my back hasnt bothered me at all. I figured at 22 a few extra dollars was worth not having back problems start about twenty years early

 

[Bandit2941]

Talk to Keith @ The Pro Ski and Ride in Hunter. He'll set you up with awesome orthotics for ski boots or daily wear.