Foot supports are a frequently used treatment for a wide range of foot and lower leg dysfunctional problems. They are developed and helpful to fix structural and biomechanical issues. All of the scientific evidence is they are usually very effective and the patient satisfaction type evidence demonstrates that they are well accepted by those that rely on them. That doesn't imply that they don't have issues. They actually do have issues. They can only be used in footwear that has the room for the orthotics to fit into. This implies that they can not be used in certain types of sports shoes plus some footwear found in specific occupations. Also, in some climates closed in footwear is not too common due to the temperatures. Some people just have a philosophical objection to foot supports because they see them as being unnatural and as crutches that ought to not be used.
Whilst foot orthotics are pretty straight forward and can quickly be made to work in the short to medium term there are solutions if users would like to pursue that choice. Exercise therapy is one choice and muscle strength may be improved and used as an alternative. On the other hand, this may take a few months to work and it will be a wise decision to make use of foot orthotics at first as they are able help get some improvement almost right away. If footwear is the issue and it is not possible for financial, work-related, sporting or lifestyle reasons to change the footwear, there are options such as the Archie Flip Flops which come from Australia and have a reasonable level of arch support built in. There are other kinds of footwear such as these which do have support built in, however the amount can be quite smaller compared to the Archies and may not be as helpful. As always it is best to talk to your health professional about what they believe is the best decision for you.