Custom-Made Orthotics

Your feet have direct impacts on the rest of your body. When a minor problem develops in your feet, such as a subtle change in the way your walk can affect your posture and walking mechanics. At the same time, it will add stresses on other joints in your body, which can often lead to additional serious problems.

What Are Custom-Made Orthotics?

An orthotics is an apparatus that supports, aligns, prevents or corrects deformities, or improves function for a section of the body. Foot orthotics, made from casts of a patient’s feet, fit in footwear and interface between the shape of the foot and the shape of a shoe. Orthotics are meant to support the foot and correct for imbalances and deficiencies in gait. Our custom orthotics made in our cooperation lab address the biomechanical deficiencies of the feet. Feet are cast in a non-weight bearing, neutral position. The orthotics are built from appropriate materials, depending on the pathology and needs of the patient. We are able to build them aggressively and make the adjustments and modifications as needed.

How Can Custom Orthotics Help?

Custom orthotics are molded to support the specific requirements of your feet. They help restore balance and alignment in your body by addressing the root cause of your discomfort: foot function. By gently correcting foot abnormalities, custom orthotics help reduce problems associated with pressure points, muscle strain, and discomfort in the ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Over time, as custom orthotics correct the biomechanics of your feet, they relieve you of pain and fatigue, allowing you to enjoy your daily activities in full comfort. Custom orthotics may also be used to complement other physical therapies. our multidisciplinary approach to healthcare makes it easy for us to combine and integrate different treatment options. When custom orthotics are incorporated into an overall treatment program, recovery time may be reduced and long-term prevention maximized.

What to Expect at the Your Visits?

You expect three visits to our office to complete your custom-made orthotics. On a first visit, a full biomechanical evaluation will be provided. Your feet will be cast for the building of orthotics. Treatments and stretches may be given for specific foot problems. Shoe fitting concerns will also be addressed. Any time from two days to one week after casting, orthotics will be dispensed and fitted to shoes. Two to three different pairs of shoes that are often worn should be brought in at this time. Shoes with extra depth or that have removable insoles work best. We will make adjustments if necessary and give proper break-in instructions. A re-check appointment will be set up for two weeks after receiving the orthotics. We will re-evaluate the orthotics and make any adjustments and changes that are required. These three office visits are included in the first cost of the orthotics. Subsequent office visits will cost from $60 – $70, depending on the time and materials used.

Casting

Feet will be cast for the building of orthotics. There are a few different casting options, depending on the pathology of the patient, all of which have their advantages, such as slipper casting, synthetic slipper casting socks and impression foam casting.

What happens after casting?

Once the casts are made, they are shipped to an orthotic laboratory with the podiatrist’s prescription. It then goes through 27 different steps over the course of approximately two weeks, finally resulting in custom foot orthotics made just for you.

Dispense

One to two weeks after casting, the orthotics will be dispensed and fitted to the individual’s shoes.

Two or three different pairs of shoes that are frequently worn should be brought in at this time. Shoes with extra depth or with removable insoles work the best. We will make adjustments to the orthotics if necessary and give proper break-in instructions.

Shoe Fit

After the custom-made orthotics come back to our clinic, Shoe-fitting concerns will be addressed.

Shoes hold the orthosis in the proper place on the foot, so shoes can maximize the value of an orthosis or limit it. Because an orthosis can take up room that would otherwise be available for the foot, not all shoe types are suitable for an orthosis. Many shoes nowadays are manufactured with a removable insole, which is the “bed” that the foot rests on in a shoe. When the insole is removed, there may be sufficient space to replace it with an orthosis.

Treatments and stretches may be given for specific foot problems.

Recheck

A recheck appointment will be set up for two weeks after the dispense. We will recheck the patient’s condition using wear patterns on the orthotics, verbal feedback from the patient, and any changes in gait. We will then make any adjustments or changes to the orthotics that are needed.