Start with an insole and a good shoe!
A shoe is the base for the insole and shoe selection to get a good foundation is important. Selecting an insole becomes very important if any of the following conditions are present to support good foot health. Even if you do not have any of the conditions listed below, the Cluffy Lux Step insole is going to provide an ideal system to make sure your foot is working well for you. If any of these problems run in your family, you may want to take some extra precautions, so your feet don’t look like “grandmas” when you get older.
Shoes are usually selected for a specific activity and have features that help support your activity, such as water resistance, flexibility, tread design, durability, and appearance. When buying a shoe, it is rare that the shoe will contain a shoe liner that works well for your foot to achieve the ideal motion and support of the foot properly for foot pain elimination. Most companies put an inexpensive foam liner in the shoe to stay price competitive. This liner is usually flat however, can have a small arch on the inside of your foot. This is usually not ideal for the foot. The foot has three arches that need support, and for the foot to work well, some of the more advanced insole designs also have features that will allow improved movement and stability of the foot structure.
The foot is your foundation and when the foot is working well, this supports better function of the ankle, knee, hip, and low back. It is all interconnected and your foot will have an impact on everything else. It pays to spend the time and money to optimize what you wear on your feet, and your feet will thank you for many years for making wise choices today.
Use this blog as a guideline, but a qualified healthcare provider may be needed to help you make a diagnosis. This information is not intended to provide you with a diagnosis. It is intended to make you more informed, and knowledgeable so that you can seek resolution of your condition from the right approach.
How do I know if I need an insole?
1. You have foot pain & your feet hurt
If your feet hurt, then you may benefit from insoles. Our insoles are helping about 88% of people with common foot pain within 6 weeks. Common foot pain includes plantar fasciitis, ball of foot pain, metatarsalgia, arch pain, Achilles’ tendonitis. When your feet are complaining, something is wrong; foot pain is not normal. When your feet hurt, you hurt all over! Don’t spend a fortune trying to find the right shoe in this situation. You are better to get a shoe we recommend based on our selection criteria and put a good insole in the shoe. This is more likely to give you the results you are looking for.
2. You are developing a foot deformity
Foot deformity is the ultimate indicator that something is not right with how your feet are working. Bunions, hammertoes, and various bumps on the feet that are not supposed to be there are a sure indicator of a problem. These problems progress over a lifetime and can become quite disabling in older individuals. Insoles can correct a key problem causing many of these deformities. If you have a family history of foot problems, you may also want to consider an insole.
3. Your shoes are wearing down unevenly on the heel
Not all abnormal shoe wear is related to how the foot is working, so this is not a great indicator of foot trouble by itself. Some abnormal wear can be caused by rotation at the hip or lower leg, muscle imbalances, or postural problems with the leg and /or knee. Sometimes, the wear pattern on the heel can signal a foot problem and, in this case, an insole is very helpful.
4. Your feet are getting longer after you are done growing
This is a sure sign of arch collapse. Arch collapse can occur when the movement of the foot is not what it should be, and the bone structure of the foot becomes unstable. In this situation gravity will cause the foot to flatten out over time. This is not a good thing and generally leads to other foot problems, and pain. If your shoes seem to be getting smaller, it may mean that your feet are getting longer. It is always a good idea to have your feet measured periodically to check your shoe size.
5. You have corns or calluses on your feet or toes
Calluses can be anywhere on the bottom of the foot but are usually behind the toes. Occasionally a callus can also form on the inside of the big toe. When calluses are present, this indicates that the pressures on the ball of the foot are not correct. One bone is accepting too much force in relation to the others, and this will cause a callus to develop. Abnormal weight distribution like this is often an indication that the motion of the foot is not normal. When the foot is normally moving these problems rarely develop. You may think that your foot is working well, but the callus is the real “tell-tale” sign that things probably are not working well. The Cluffy Lux Step insole can correct this imbalance and reverse the build-up of skin over time.
A corn is usually found on a toe. If you are getting corns on your toes, make sure you are wearing the correct size shoe, and buy a shoe according to our shoe selection criteria. ( i.e. buy shoes at the end of the day, when your feet are the largest). The shape of the shoe should match the shape of your foot.
Are your toes starting to get crooked? 
If so, toes that are crooked can allow the toes to rub on the shoe causing a pressure point and then a corn. Our insole is designed specifically to allow the toes to work normally and reduce the tendency for them to get crooked. If the deformity is too advanced, you may have to consider surgical straightening of the toes, if this irritation persists.
6. You have ankle, knee, hip, or low back pain
Not all these pains are related to foot function. If an injury has taken place, there is a need to get this specifically addressed by a qualified physician. There are, however, those nagging pains that do not seem to be injury related, those pains that are just associated with normal regular exercise and activities of everyday living. As we have said before, the posture and movement of the foot can have an impact on these other areas, and it is certainly worth considering an insole instead of living with this pain.
We hope this information has been helpful and that it enables you to identify any problems early on and address them to avoid more significant issues as you get older. You only have two feet, so be careful with them and take good care of them today.
About the Author
James Clough, DPM is a Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeon with over 37 years of experience in clinical practice. In his pursuit to help more of his patients with common foot pains, he developed the Cluffy Wedge, which has been successful in the marketplace. His customers then wanted an insole with the Cluffy Wedge in place and after many years, trying to create a best-in-class product, he developed the Cluffy Lux Step Insole. This was introduced to the market in 2019. This insole is uniquely different from the other common brands of insoles sold on the market today. The need for an over the counter, affordable and simple solution was clear to him. His research indicates that the Lux Step is successful for most common foot pain problems, as the root cause of many of these issues has not been readily understood.
It is his goal to empower the consumer with an insole that is highly effective and inexpensive to deal with the root cause of most foot pains. This a powerful tool to let you return to your life without foot pain. Dr. Clough continues to see patients in Polson, Montana.