If you or your child are suffering muscle weakness and impaired movement due to to cerebral palsy, wearing OrthoSole insoles inside your regular footwear alongside other treatment methods can help to improve your stability, strengthen your ankle joints and minimise the amount of stress placed on your feet.
Read on for more information on cerebral palsy, what you can do to manage the condition, and how our OrthoSole orthotics can play a part in improving your mobility, supporting your independence and ensuring you can live the fullest life possible!
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a condition that typically affects a person’s movement, motor skills and muscle tone. It can also affect other functions, like breathing, eating and talking.
What causes the condition?
CP is caused by damage to the brain while a child is still developing, either before delivery, during the birth or in their early years. Damage can occur as a result of:
- An infection
- A stroke
- Bacterial meningitis
- A lack of blood flow to the brain
- Trauma, such as being in an accident or being shaken as a small child
- Being born prematurely
- Medical problems in the mother
- A range of genetic disorders
Doctors can diagnose cerebral palsy in infants by watching out for unusual or uncoordinated movements and identifying developmental problems.
How can orthotics help?
CP sufferers often choose to wear leg braces, ankle braces or other kinds of orthotics in the lower limbs to help stabilise their movement and keep them mobile with minimum discomfort.
Orthotic insoles – such as the ones available from OrthoSole – offer enhanced support in this scenario. These products are designed to provide extra cushioning to the metatarsal bones that run underneath the foot. In doing so, they improve weight distribution, relieve pressure points in the feet and work to control overpronation or supination, resulting in better alignment in the feet, the ankles, and the body as a whole. All these factors also contribute to a better posture and more efficient movement.
Which insoles are best for wearers with cerebral palsy?
Every individual is different, and the great thing about our products is they are self-customisable and can be adjusted according to the level of support the wearer needs.
Any one of our insoles will help to improve posture, balance, and overall mobility in people with cerebral palsy. Our Max Cushion insoles are perfect for trainers, walking boots and everyday shoes; our Thin Style insoles are just as supportive, but can be worked into tight-fitting footwear with ease.
You can learn more about the differences between our insoles here.
For the best results, we would suggest wearing our insoles with the firmest arch and metatarsal piece possible. However, if you find these to be too uncomfortable or intrusive, you can try experimenting with the Light and Medium pieces instead to find the combination that works perfectly for you.
