Things that you can put in shoes

Although very few people do anything to change or amend their shoes, there are quite a few items of extras that you can put into a shoe. Each has a different purpose and will offer varying properties and this post is about these items, known as inserts.

To start with inserts come in two main forms. The obvious one is medical and the other one is more about comfort or some other gain.

Medical inserts are called orthotics (or orthotic inserts) and their job is the help the foot to do its job better. Reasons for wearing an orthotic in a shoe can vary, here are some examples.

If a foot is injured, damaged, misshapen or deformed, a normal shoe will not support the feet correctly. Special orthotics (often custom made) re-shape the inside of the shoe and the insole to enable it to work better. These orthotics can be simple or very complex depending upon the foot or feet in question.

Another increasingly popular reason for adding an orthotic to a shoe is to make it more comfortable and better able to absorb the shocks and impacts of walking and running. Gel and memory foam insole inserts can do this and they simply make the shoe more comfortable. With cool feel and good ventilation, these inserts are used in many sports hoes.

Yet another reason for choosing an orthotic insert is to replace an old or failing insole in an otherwise well maintained pair of shoes. This extends the shoe’s life and may even make the shoe more comfortable than it was previously.

Moving away from orthotic inserts, most of which have an orthopedic shoe benefit, there are some other inserts that do a different job.

One example is the elevator, riser or height increasing/enhancing insert. The object of this kind of insert is to add some additional inches in height to the person wearing them in their shoes. These inserts can make someone look taller without the need for visibly high heels or platform soles. The inserts slip inside the shoe and they are not distinguishable to anyone who is unaware of them. Inserts like these are used by many famous people ranging form Hollywood stars to TV personalities and they can be very effective and they increase confidence.
To find out more about the numerous insert types that fit in shoes do some searches on "orthotics".

The alternative to height increasing inserts is height increasing shoes where the inserts are designed into the construction of the shoe or boot and assembled as a complete shoe.