Foot supports are a widely used intervention for a wide range of foot and lower leg dysfunctional problems. They are designed and used to fix structural and biomechanical issues. All the scientific data is they are usually very effective and the patient satisfaction type research shows that they are well received by those who have them. That doesn't imply that they do not have issues. They do have issues. They can only be used in footwear that has the space for the orthotics to fit into. This means that they are unable to be used in some types of sports footwear plus some shoes used in particular jobs. Also, in some climates closed in shoes are not very popular because of the temperatures. Some individuals just have a philosophical opposition to foot orthotics since they look at them as being unnatural and as crutches which should not be used.
Even though foot orthotics are pretty straight forward and will very easily be designed to work in the short to medium term you can find alternatives if users would like to pursue that alternative. Exercise treatments are one option and muscle strength could be increased and used as an alternative. However, this will take a few months to work and it may be a good idea to make use of foot supports initially as they are able help get some good improvement practically right away. If shoes are the problem and it is not possible for monetary, occupational, sporting or lifestyle reasons to change the shoes, there are solutions such as the Archie Flip Flops that come from Australia and have a reasonable level of arch support constructed in. There are other kinds of footwear like these that do have arch support integrated, though the amount is rather small compared to the Archies and may not be as helpful. As always you should always talk to your health professional about what they think is the best decision for you.