The local favorites, the Buckeyes have begun their spring training for the upcoming fall’s football season. Many people would have expected the Buckeye’s to be spending a little more time sulking, worrying and dealing with the controversy surrounding some of the players that has resulted in their suspension. However, it seems that the ordeal has motivated the team to work together and show everyone what they are made of this upcoming season. To start preparations, players have been working to be at their peak level of health and fitness. One example of this, has been with an offensive tackle for the Ohio State University Buckeyes. After suffering from foot pain for a good part of last season, the unnamed, OSU offensive tackle is utilizing specialized foot orthotics to keep him pain-free and on his feet this year.

While the Unnamed Ohio State Football player was not especially clear on exactly what was causing his pain, it is clear that the orthotics he was trying out last season to initially combat the pain were not as effective as he had hoped and continued to suffer for an extended number of games. While it is possible that he simply needed time off to recover from his foot injury, it is also possible that he may not have been able to get a custom foot orthotic quickly enough and was forced to use an over the counter version. While an over the counter foot orthotic may be adequate for a minor issue with mild symptoms, in many cases they do not adequately adjust the foot to fix the specific issue in the patient. There are generally two basic types of custom orthotics called accommodative and functional. An accommodative orthotic adjusts the patient’s body weight so that it is no longer distributed over a painful area and is usually made of a softer material. Accommodative orthotics are commonly used in diabetic foot care to adjust the patient’s body weight away from an area of increased friction in order to prevent development of an ulcer. Functional orthotics place the foot in a corrected position to prevent the development of pain and deformities that result from walking with an abnormal foot position. These are typically made of rigid or semi-rigid materials, depending on whether they are intended for everyday walking use, or for athletic activities. Functional orthotics are also known as “arch supports” because they frequently are used in people with flat feet who require an orthotic to create an arch and prevent their feet from pronating, or rolling inwards. The unnamed Buckeye would have greatly benefitted from a custom orthotic that had properties of both accommodative and functional orthotics last season in order to avoid pain by adjusting his body weight away from his injury, while also correcting the abnormality in foot structure that may have caused the injury in the first place.

Orthotics offer a non-invasive treatment option for many ailments including bunions, plantar fasciitis, and arthritis. When specially casted or designed to treat a patient’s specific foot problem, they can have significant pain relief and prevent future injuries and pains. Hopefully the unnamed, offensive tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes has seen his podiatrist to get the custom foot orthotics that will allow him to help the Buckeyes football team to many victories in the Fall 2011 season!!

Please visit www.ColumbusFoot.com for more information or call 614-885 FEET (3338) to schedule an appointment with a podiatrist in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus Podiatry & Surgery is located on the North side of Columbus, Ohio near Worthington.