25 Nov Improving Your Walking & Comfort With Shoe Alterations

The Rocker Sole

Masterton Foot Clinic is one of the only podiatry clinics in the region to make adjustments and modifications to our patient’s footwear. Much of this work is fully funded under ACC, too. 

Two modifications that regularly make life-changing improvements to the way our patients walk and feel are the rocker-bottom sole, and the heel raise. Of course, we only perform these modifications when we know that they can be of immense benefit to you and they are clinically indicated. 

If you have any questions about these or any of the other various ways that we can modify your shoes, please don’t hesitate to ask. Most often, if there’s a will, there’s a way we can make it happen!

The Rocker Sole

The rocker sole technique translates into very much what it sounds like – encouraging the sole to rock through your step, instead of having your foot and leg do all the hard work.

Examples of patients that we see that get a great benefit and improvement from this modification include those:

• With ankle joint fusions (fusing the bones at and around the ankle)
• That have had accidents resulting in short legs
• With injuries that alter the way the heel comes into contact with the ground during walking and the way the foot is positioned during standing and walking

There are many different types of rocker soles, and they change depending on where the rocking mechanism is placed on the bottom of the shoe. While some people will move much better with the rocking activated from the moment their heel comes in contact with the ground, others may respond better when the heel makes ground contact normally and then they get a rocking boost through the midfoot or the forefoot only.

Patient one: Joint fusion

In this example, we’ve added a rocker for a patient that had both their ankle joint, and the joint below their ankle joint, fused (first photo). We’ve also modified the top of the boot to open it up so they can get their shoe off and on much more easily, given they don’t have that same flexibility and ability to move their foot up and down like they used to.

Patient two: Car accident

In this example, due to a motor vehicle accident, this patient’s foot is now permanently positioned with the toes angled downwards, unable to straighten or move the foot like they used to. This means they are constantly walking around with a long leg on this side.

For this patient, we have raised the shoe to match and support their foot alignment (which isn’t going to change), and have also raised the other shoe to match the height so their hips and knees can stay at a balanced alignment and they don’t have to suffer from the damaging and painful effects of a leg length difference.

What shoe modifications can help you? 

The best kind of shoe modifications, and the techniques for these alterations, must be determined by a podiatrist that specialises and is experienced in shoe modifications. If you’re in the Wairarapa – then that’s us.

We’re always here to help and discuss your needs – just give us a call on 06 370 4057 or book your appointment online here.