Proprioceptive Insoles

How Proprioception Therapy Works

The key to an individual’s posture is what is known as proprioception. This is the sense that is used by the body to determine the position of the other related parts of the body. Muscles maintaining posture are involuntary and regulated by the stimulation of the sensory nerve cells called proprioceptors. The proprioceptors constantly send signals to the central nervous system to maintain balance and posture, through all types of daily activities. They are found in various parts of the body; such as the inner ear, palms of the hand or the soles of the feet.

During your consultation, LOC’s clinician will have identified what kind of postural problem you have. Proprioception Therapy will correct the problem by subtly changing the stimulation of the proprioception nerve cells in the soles of your feet.

The proprioception nerve cells are stimulated by specifically designed pads placed under the soles of the feet. The pads are designed to change the tension in the muscle on the soles of the feet, which, in turn, sends signals via the proprioception nerve cells to the cerebellum. The cerebellum then alters muscular tension throughout the body, thus causing a change in posture.

Wearing Proprioceptive insoles will have the following effects:

  • alleviation of posture-related pain
  • reduction in muscular tension
  • prevention of chronic postural damage
  • improvements in posture

While wearing the insoles, you should experience an immediate improvement in your back pain and posture. Unlike conventional insoles, the proprioception insoles stimulate your body’s own musculature to improve its alignment and posture, therefore preventing weakness from occurring due to being reliant on support.

Benefits of proprioceptive insoles over conventional insoles:

  • stimulate the body to correct itself
  • promote postural muscle chains to function correctly
  • more holistic treatment
  • thinner and easy to fit into footwear
  • easily transferable between footwear

 

GALLERY

TREATMENT

The assessment and spinal scan are designed to categorise your posture type and highlight any postural asymmetry. With this information, a prescription can be made and the correct proprioceptors for your individual posture type chosen. There are numerous possible combinations and each prescription is tailored to an individual’s requirements, and therefore, genuinely unique.

The proprioceptors are then positioned under the sole of your feet while you stand on a foot scanner. Constant feedback from the scanner throughout the positioning process ensures an optimum result, and you can feel an immediate effect.

The positioning is then accurately captured using the foot scanner and processed by 3D modelling software. The insoles are then manufactured by a computer-controlled milling machine, ensuring that the proprioceptors are positioned exactly on the insole as they were during the assessment.

Proprioceptive Insoles

Posture/Back Pain Assessment £270
Posture/Back Pain Review Appointment £96
First Pair Neuromuscular Proprioceptive Insoles £230
Repeat Pair Neuromuscular Proprioceptive Insoles £175
Diers 3D Posture Spinal Scan £100
Reviews (6 week review) FREE
Additional Reviews £96

FAQS:

We have the following facilities and amenities at our Kingston Upon Thames location:

  • Free parking
  • Wheelchair ramp
  • Disabled toilet
  • Baby changing facilities

We also have the Gait Laboratory for orthotics patients and Onsite Manufacturing for speedy turnarounds and adjustments whilst you wait.

An insole is a contoured orthotic device which alters the characteristics and biomechanics of the foot and ankle area. Biomechanics are concerned with mechanical laws and how they affect the living body, especially the musculoskeletal system.

They are removable devices, often made from plastic, that are designed to fit inside a shoe to provide additional support for your feet. As well as offering shock absorption, an insole can help distribute the weight of your body more effectively across the foot and can be made bespoke to cover a range of biomechanical conditions.

If you have symptoms in your feet, ankles, hips or your lower back that are intermittent or were not there to start with in early life, and have started to cause you pain over a period of time, bespoke orthotic insoles could be an excellent option.

If you have already tried rest, icing, compression and elevation and your feet have not recovered, we recommend a biomechanical assessment to consider the possibility of insoles. They are a non-invasive approach to treatment and in many cases, are a great option for symptoms that are not severe enough to warrant surgical intervention. Alternatively, they can be considered as an option prior to surgery.

We will send patients away when an insole is not appropriate, if a patient is suffering with iliotibial band syndrome for example, the problem can be helped with physiotherapy and a stretching programme. That’s what our biomechanical assessment is all about; determining whether there would be any benefit from altering the alignment of your feet.

Clothing worn is dependent on which clinic you are attending. You will be sent a letter detailing what clothing to wear along with all other details prior to any appointment at the clinic.

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