Santa is almost guaranteed to show up at the Christmas Parade in downtown Lancaster on December 12 at 6:00 PM. Get your camera and your kids and come out for a face-to-face with the jolly old elf. Since the big guy is carrying a bit of extra weight, wonder if his feet will hurt after walking around the parade route? Maybe he’ll have to stop by Carolina Podiatry Group for a gait analysis and a pair of custom orthotics!

While the science may still not be there to explain exactly how orthotics work to benefit your feet, we can tell you that many of our patients can now walk around and play sports without the pain that had been plaguing them before. Over-the-counter shoe inserts can do more harm than good, because you really need a professional diagnosis to see what is happening with your particular feet. Although you could stand on a machine in the store and have it magically tell you which of several pre-made styles and sizes is “just right” for you, it definitely is not the same.

As podiatrists, we are trained to see how the various bones, tendons and muscles of the feet work together. When we do a gait analysis, we can determine where your foot structure may be throwing your alignment off kilter during your stride. This can cause various parts of the foot and leg to be overstretched, traumatized, or damaged, and that can lead to foot pain.

Taking digital images during your stride allows us to design an orthotic that supports your feet in just the right places as you walk. This helps to stabilize your alignment and allows your muscles, tendons, and bones to function more efficiently and without pain.

Maybe it’s time to add custom orthotics to your wish list for the holidays. Or, if you don’t want to wait for Santa to deliver, just call Carolina Podiatry Group at (803) 548-FEET (3338) in Indian Land, or (803) 285-1411 in Lancaster, SC and set up an appointment to determine what is causing your discomfort. Once you start wearing them and your foot pain goes away, you might even be tempted to say “Ho! Ho! Ho!”