Do not go for a long run or hike before you have got used to the insoles!
OrtoMalli insoles are usually not painful. They feel comfortable and can be worn right away without special training. If the bone anatomy of the foot (bone posture) has changed dramatically, you can feel pressure on the longitudinal arch area when you start wearing insoles. In this case you need to increase the elasticity of the foot. The feeling of pressure guides foot movements into the right direction.
If an insole is bone-anatomically correct but causes foot pain, people think that the insole does not fit and throw it away or modify it unnecessarily.
OrtoMalli insoles are bone-anatomically correct. If you do feel pain or soreness, however, you need to exercise your foot to adapt it to the insole and the right shape. The pain stops when foot tissues re-adapt to correct way of moving. Joint capsules and ligaments have a genetic memory, so stretching and exercising increase the elasticity of the foot and bring it back to the optimal posture.
An important element in exercising is to stretch the joints of the foot so that you can bend your foot better towards the floor. For example rolling a tennis ball on the floor with your foot is a good stretching exercise for connective tissues of the ligaments. Another way to stretch your foot is to place it on a plastic bottle. Do that for a few minutes daily, for example when you are watching TV. You can also bend your foot towards the sole with your hands.
A good way to adapt the foot is to use insoles for short periods several times a day.
Another key element of exercising is to strengthen the muscles of the feet. Walk on the balls of your feet several times a day, either in normal posture or knees bent and pelvis lowered. You can also walk on the balls of your feet when climbing stairs. Walking on the balls of your feet, feet wide apart, and cross stepping are suitable for everyone. Squatting slowly when keeping weight on the balls of your feet or on your heels is an excellent exercise to improve balance, coordination and strength. Rope jumping is inexpensive and very effective. You can walk barefoot on the floor with your toes strongly extended upwards. If possible, alternate stepping only on the balls of your feet in this position with walking your knees bent.
Walking on your heels is another good exercise you can do, for example, when walking down the stairs and holding on to the handrail. Remember to be careful.
These exercises will lead to good results. They are free and easy to incorporate into your daily routines. Start carefully but exercise every day for at least 3 months to see results. You can find a lot of different exercises and stretching techniques on the Internet. If the arch has lowered considerably, itcan take from 3 to 6 months for the foot to adapt. You are still likely to feel pressure on the arch area but sharp, strong pain in the ankles or knees disappears.