Durability

A shoe wedge is a device constructed of a firm material placed under the outer sole or heel of a shoe. They are designed to shift or transfer weight upon standing or ambulation from one side of the foot to the other for stability, equalization of weight distribution, or to prevent excessive pressure on tender areas such as calluses or metatarsal heads.

In a study by Shimada and Tsukimura (2006), they evaluated the effects of lateral wedged insoles on knee kinematics and kinetics during walking in a sample of 23 patients with medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). They used Kellgren and Lawrence grading to determine the severity of the OA. Peak external adduction moment was measured during the stance phase of walking in both the experimental and control groups. They found that the lateral wedged insoles decreased the peak external adduction moment by about 30 %.

A foot orthotic is a semi-rigid device fabricated from a plaster mold of the patient’s feet or electronic imaging in a non-weight bearing position, and it is designed to provide a controlled and stable platform to assist with correcting gait abnormalities and reducing pathological forces. They are categorized into two types: accommodative or functional. Accommodative devices are custom or non-custom inlays that have a cushioning surface to reduce painful pressure points, such as calluses, ulcers and bony prominences.

Flexibility

Functional Hallux Limitus is a foot posture condition characterized by a lack of first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexion during weightbearing activity. This can be due to excessive pronation causing a plantarflexion moment on the proximal phalanx of the hallux or to an insufficient peroneus longus muscle. Dananberg developed an orthotic adaptation which included a cut out under the first metatarsal head which allows for better plantarflexion. The study looked at the effect of this on first metatarsophalangeal joint movement in three different settings: barefoot, shoe intervention (Vasyli Howard Dananberg orthoses without the kinetic wedge) and kinetic wedge.