When to Change Your Protalus Insoles

Like most other things we wear, Protalus insoles need to be replaced once in a while. It might be obvious when it's time to get a new pair of shoes but understanding when to change your insoles can feel a bit trickier. Don’t worry, today we’ll discuss how to know when to replace those insoles and soon you’ll be able to easily tell when it’s time for a new pair.

 

They have to be replaced?

Every brand of shoe insoles has a lifespan and here’s a hint: none of them are “forever”. Shoe insoles are exposed to a lot of elements that cause deterioration: heat from being in your shoes, the friction of your foot and your shoe rubbing against them, and the pressure of you walking on them, to name a few. The materials that make up the insoles are affected by these things and, over time, it wears them out. Because it happens gradually over time it can be hard to feel a big difference. Sometimes people report that they’ve been wearing the same insoles for two years and they “feel okay”. While it may be true that they haven’t noticed a difference, they are not getting the full benefits of the insole design because the structure of the insole has likely changed over time. In fact, if they swapped them out for new insoles, they would likely feel a big difference. This isn’t ideal because you don’t want to take the time to correct the alignment of your foot then let it go back to the way it was only to start over again. In the best case scenario you change your insoles right as they wear out so that you maintain the positive benefits of wearing insoles.

 

Ok, so how do you know when to replace them?

It would be nice if there was a magic number of days for every insole but that’s just not how it works. If one person has a fresh pair of insoles and puts them in their work boots that they wear on a cement floor for ten hours a day, every day, and another person takes their new pair of insoles and puts them in their running shoes that they use once every week for an hour run, the two different pairs of insoles will be exposed to very different levels of stress. The best way to know when to replace Protalus insoles is to understand how they should look and feel.

When you first get Protalus M or T series insoles, you will see that the blue cushion on the bottom is full and even looking. Over time this blue cushion will become flatter and more compressed. If you wear the insoles every day, this will happen faster than if you have them in shoes you only wear occasionally. Typically it takes between four and six months for Protalus insoles to wear out. However, if you aren’t wearing a particular pair every day, it may take longer.

Along with the blue cushion, it is important to pay attention to how your feet feel. When you first begin to wear your Protalus insoles, you might notice some discomfort as your feet adjust because the shape of the insoles affect your alignment. Once you pass this break-in period you will begin to feel the relief the insoles provide. As your insoles wear in, the shape of the insoles may change and provide less support than they did when they were brand new. If your feet don’t feel as good as they used to, it's time for a new pair. If you have two pairs of insoles and one is used less, you can also compare them with each other and see if your older pair have changed shape significantly.

 

Isn’t it expensive to replace them all the time?

At Protalus we hear stories from our customers about their experiences with our insoles. Some people are able to go six months before replacing them, and some who have heavy use replace them every four months. The most important thing is that you find the relief you need. We decided to make replacement simple by offering our very best price with a subscription program. You can choose to receive insoles when you need them, every six months or more frequently. At the time of this publication, insoles purchased through our subscription plan are only $39.95 a pair; the best price available. Once you feel the difference proper alignment can make, you don’t want to lose that benefit by forgetting to replace your insoles when needed.