Orthotics
Orthotics are supportive insoles placed inside shoes, which can positively alter your Foot & Ankle’s movement pattern.
Orthotics (orthoses) are prescribed when a particular problem exists with either the bones or soft tissue structures such as tendons, ligaments or fascia. These problems can arise in the foot, ankle or lower leg and are often called musculoskeletal pathology. Orthotics aim to alter the forces placed on the Foot and Ankle, subsequently reducing stress & strain caused by the additional load. They can even be quite effective in reducing the rate of corn (hard skin) formation under joints.
There are many treatment options for pain and injury. Your consultation will include a detailed history, biomechanical assessment, provisional diagnoses, education and identification of your goals. Paul will provide you with education about your problem and you can together develop a course of action that is appropriate.
It is common practice that the following modalities are tried first, such as, strapping, padding, braces, footwear changes and exercise rehabilitation. If your foot posture and function is thought to be contributing to your problem, then orthotics can be considered a useful component to your treatment plan, particularly to provide longer term preventative benefits.
Types of Orthotics
Customised Orthotics
The process starts with an impression of your feet. An individualised prescription is created, which is the recipe to ensure the orthotics include the necessary features to control your foot mechanics and support the painful injured structures, which were identified during your assessment. Orthotics are made to be supportive, but flexible too, which enables your feet to still function naturally and can be made of various materials.
In many cases, a somewhat artistic approach is utilised on-site, to manufacture additional customised features. This benefits our clients as deflective padding and posting can be made on the spot, giving you the opportunity to try features and have them fine-tuned straight away.
Click here for more Commonly Asked Questions.
Prefabricated Orthotics
Paul has spent many years trying various models and manufacturers of prefabricated orthotics. This type of device is mass produced, hence the name prefabricated or prefab, for short. However, some are more appropriate than others depending on your foot type and problem. Paul sources and stocks models that he feels have worked well for his clients over the years.
“Throwing prefabricated orthotics into shoes” is not Paul’s style! Paul’s on-site equipment allows him to adjust the devices, to try and provide the closest match to your foot posture and best fit within your shoe. Furthermore, the appropriate additions to specifically address your problem can be manufactured, then a premium covering material applied. Your prefab orthotic could be regarded then as semi-customised, but for insurance purposes still falls into the prefabricated/template model.
Click here for Pro’s and Con’s of Prefabricated Orthotics.
