Postural Insoles: A Novel Method for Improving Balance

Abstract: The control of body posture is related to the position and alignment of different parts of the body in relation to the surrounding environment. The maintenance of postural control in a variety of environmental situations requires a multisensory process involving the close integration of the somatosensory, visual, vestibular, and cerebral systems. There is a need to correct anomalies and instabilities in foot posture to gain better control of postural tone. The aim of insoles with a textured surface or corrective elements (bars, wedges, and shims) that influence posture is to improve distribution of body weight on the soles of the feet, thereby correcting the alignment of the knees, hips, pelvis, and spinal column. This type of orthotic device plays a proprioceptive role through sensitive afference in the soles of the feet and drives the body to react to establish better posture. The postural normalization evidenced by the clinical evaluation based on reference points may be related to this biomechanical rearrangement. Such effects occur because postural insoles are able to reorganize the tone of muscle chains, thereby exerting an influence on posture correction reflexes. The use of postural insoles with a textured surface or corrective elements can be beneficial to balance and muscle tone.

Keywords: foot orthoses, postural balance, Proprioception