As you can see from the image above, the Arch is constructed w/ the Tarsal joint and filled w/ soft tissues (ligaments, muscles, & fascia) as the major cushioning system for its weight-bearing function as each step we make our entire body weight has to pass through the Tarsal joint. This design makes the arch to handle about 75% of the weight that falls to the bottom of the foot. Under the heel and the ball of the foot areas are fatty tissues for minor cushioning system that are together designed to handle about 25% of the weight that falls to the bottom of the foot.
In order to utilize the arch for 75% of the weight-bearing while keeping the Tarsal Joint in alignment, we need to use orthotics that align both anklebones at the same height, & the Anklebone Alignment test can prove if the orthotics are aligning the anklebones.
When we don’t use proper orthotics, the Tarsal Joint inevitably falls with each step and throws the entire foot bones out of alignment including the anklebone where the leg bone stands. This systematically throws the entire body structure out of alignment causing complicated problems throughout the body, especially, the joint problems in the foot and major joint above the anklebones.