There was no mention in the article as to whether prefabricated or custom orthotics worked best. Will Custom Orthotics or Prefabricated Orthotics Work Best to Strengthen the Arch? In other words, when wearing the orthotics the muscles were able to fire in a more normal position and thus ended up functioning better and stronger. Without the orthotics these muscles lost the mechanical advantage to support the foot.

Orthotics appear to help strengthen the arch due to the fact that when using orthotics the muscles of the arch were in a better position to fire normally. This study found that in persons with flat feet, the use of orthotics in combination with arch strengthening exercises resulted in stronger feet than the when using the exercises alone. Can Orthotics Help Strengthen the Arch?Ī study in 2011 also looked at how the use of orthotics affected arch strength. Goal is to work up to 5- 10 minutes per foot.Use the device every other day, trying to increase your time to fatigue each time.Keep track of how long it takes to fatigue the arch.Use on one foot until your arch becomes fatigued.While sitting, use the Archexerciser as shown in the video.Video 3: Toe Curl Exercise – Recommended and more convenient version We do still recommend the Short Foot Exercise to high level athletes.

Because this is an easier and more convenient way to strengthen the arch, we recommend it to many of our patients. It is simply easier to do (especially when you follow the instructions in Video #3 below).Īn easier version of the Toe Curl Exercise using an arch strengthening tool that can be found on Amazon can be seen in the 3rd video. 2Īlthough the Short Foot Exercise is a bit more effective, we tend to recommend a version of the Toe Curl Exercise the most. This study suggested that while both the “ Short Foot Exercise” (see video 1 below) and the “ Toe Curl Exercise” (see video 2 below) were effective, the Short Foot Exercise was the better of the two.

Which Exercises are Most Effective at Strengthening the ArchĪ study in 2011 compared the two most common arch strengthening exercises. These problems would include plantar fasciitis, shin splints and even some causes of knee pain. 1 This article suggested that strengthening and thus improving the endurance of these intrinsic foot muscles may reduce over-pronation, and the subsequent problems that are associated with it. This post will present the two most effective methods to strengthen the arch.Ī 2008 study of the function of the arch muscles showed that the abductor hallucis muscle (small muscle on the bottom inside portion of the arch) contracts to support the arch and control pronation while standing. Several recent studies have shown that strengthening the arch of the feet can help support the arch and decrease foot fatigue. Guide to Strengthening Your Arch Why Should You Strengthen Your Arch?

Foot exercises for arch pain