So many people walk with arch pain as a result of too flat an arch or too high an arch. As we get older, the bones and ligaments that support the arch can reduce with gravity or become aggravated by overuse. Arch abnormalities can also cause heel or ball of the foot pain due to a shift in body weight. To make matters worse, the aging process causes a general thinning of the fat in the foot (especially in the ball of the foot) which is our body's natural cushion.
In most cases a foot device called an orthotic (prescription or non-prescription) can be placed in the shoe which can provide support and place the foot in a better functioning position. Cast-made (prescription) orthotics are very often the answer for difficult foot problems. Because an impression or a cast of the feet is taken they can correct each foot differently and are therefore a more specific prescription device than orthotics made without a cast. The down side is they are often bulky and expensive and take about 1 month to produce.
The upside is not everyone needs orthotics made from a cast of their feet. Sometimes all the control you need is in a non-prescription orthotic which is duped according to the shoe size and are not made from a cast of your feet. Non-prescription devices that I sell through my office are feather light, wafer thin and go in all shoes (even sandals and heels) and are not expensive--about $125 compared to $450-$850 for cast-made orthotics.
