the foot and ankle and affect the movement and motion
control of the entire lower extremity. They are very
commonly worn by elite-level tennis players and other
athletes to both prevent and treat injuries as well as to
enhance performance. The purpose of this article is to
provide information on orthotics to better understand
their function and potential benefit for elite tennis players.
who have either a very high arch (supinated) or very
low or flat arch (pronated) foot type. To simplify foot
types, there are essentially three main categories of
foot types.
when individuals stand on the ground with a very high
arch and during walking and running have very little
inward motion of the foot (this inward motion is called
pronation). A
are more likely to have injuries such as stress fractures
and other types of impact injuries as this type of foot
does not absorb shock as well as either a more neutral
or pronated foot type.
A
and running. Often times when the foot is held off
the ground, there can be a modest or moderate arch
present, but upon weightbearing that arch disappears
as the foot flattens under duress and pronates. Players
with very flat pronated feet are more likely to have
shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and knee pain due to the
excessive motion and flattening of the foot that occurs
during their walking and running cycle. A
supinated and pronated foot type. There is a medium
size arch and very neutral or straight alignment of the
foot and ankle relative to the lower leg.
physical therapist or athletic trainer is the best way to
determine both your foot type and need for an orthotic.
important for considering whether an orthotic would be
necessary and to identify injury risk.
immerse the player's foot in a pool or bathtub and then
have the player walk with wet feet on the pool deck
or concrete floor. If the imprint of the foot produces
nothing more than a circular heel print and 5 toes marks,
the player has a supinated or high arch rigid type of foot.
If you see the entire imprint of a very wide foot from
the heel to the toes with a continuous band of imprint
between them, the player likely has a pronated foot type.
train and compete without injuries from the excessive
repetitive loading that tennis produces. However, we
see many players who have alignment issues (such as
either a very supinated or pronated foot type) as well
as bowing of the tibia (lower leg) and stand either very
bow legged or have knock knees, and benefit greatly
from an orthotic to control lower body motion. The
decision made by a medical professional and coach
as to whether an orthotic should be used by a player is
not always obvious and as mentioned above requires
careful evaluation and knowledge of the players injury
history and tolerance to repetitive training. Many elite
players do use orthotics and they can be a tremendous
benefit to the player for both performance enhancement
and injury prevention and treatment.
last very long and are often not customized. They
include over-the-counter devices you can purchase at
a sporting goods store or pharmacy and do provide
some cushioning as well as arch support. Often pieces
of material to support the foot (called posting or arch
fill or arch cookies) can be applied to make a soft
non-custom over the counter orthotic device more
specific or individualized to the needs of a player. This
can be a cost-effective first step if a player is trying to
determine whether an orthotic device would be helpful
to them prior to actually being fit for a more expensive
customized device. The
structurally sound material.