WHAT IS AN ORTHOTIC?
An orthotic is an in-the-shoe device made from a highly-sensitive digital scan of the foot and is form fitted to the individual patient. Feet are like fingerprints. There are no two alike. Orthotics come as a pair in order to balance the feet and body even if one side doesn’t have symptoms. They are worn comfortably in most kinds of shoes. Their purpose is to prevent abnormal motion while allowing normal motion of the feet. An Orthotic is designed to control the mechanics of the foot to a precise degree: from the heel contact phase of walking/running through mid-stance and toe-off phases. Orthotics are to feet what eyeglasses are to eyes.
WHO SHOULD USE ORTHOTICS?
Custom-made prescription orthotics are used as part of your treatment to relieve lower back pain, foot pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, and much more! As with any architectural structure, if the foundation is not stable then the structure above can suffer. Imbalances of the bones of the feet can result in abnormal foot motion that causes foot pain, injuries, and deformities. It also results in excessive internal rotation of the leg that can cause knee pain, hip pain, low back pain, shoulder and neck pain, and headaches. Custom orthotics will stabilize the entire kinetic chain from your feet to your spine, which reduces symptoms and aids in the healing process.
We don’t recommend buying inserts off the shelf. Over-the-counter insoles are not custom built to your body and therefore will never fit properly. In some cases, they will over correct your arches and cause your condition to worsen or even create new problems throughout the body. Buying an over-the-counter orthotic is like buying your eyeglasses off the shelf – There’s virtually no way you’ll get a proper fit. Orthotics should only be prescribed by a trained medical professional.
Yes. Unlike rigid orthotics, ours are softer, bend with your feet and provide rigidity only where needed. Like a new pair of shoes, it can take some time for a new pair of orthotics to conform to your feet. If you haven’t worn orthotics in the past, your feet need to adapt to the corrections placed to maintain the integrity of your plantar vault—the three arches in your feet that help keep your body in balance. A 45-day break-in period is necessary to ensure the proper fit.
Under normal conditions, custom orthotics will last around 2 years. However, some people may get more life depending on their activity level. Also, those who are very active may get less. If you’re not sure about your orthotics, bring them into our office and we’ll give you an honest estimate on the life of your inserts.
Based on cutting-edge technology, our highly precise and accurate 3D imaging unit is designed with the ultimate goal of creating the perfect orthotic—which in turn helps bring about peak performance and health.
Sensitive to a quarter-width of a human hair, our system identifies asymmetries in the feet and illustrates how the feet impact the entire kinetic chain.
Yes! Over the years, many studies have been performed which prove the effectiveness of custom orthotics.
Here’s a few:
Orthotics for a Standing Work Environment