Custom Orthotics for Foot Support and Pain Relief

What Can Custom Orthotics Treat?

Custom orthotics can be particularly effective in providing comfort and pain relief from problems stemming from an abnormality in foot structure.

When the shape of the foot is misaligned, it may be less efficient at distributing weight across the foot, or absorbing impact forces. This, in turn, can lead to excess stress and strain against certain areas of the foot and/or ankle, causing pain. Orthotics work to address these issues by helping redistribute excess pressure away from trouble areas and more evenly against the foot, reducing and eliminating pain.

Custom orthotics can help relieve pain from and/or slow the progression of many conditions, including:

• Plantar Fasciitis and other forms of heel pain
• Flat Feet
• High Arches
• Bunions
• Hammertoes
• Arthritis

They can also help diabetic patients prevent “hot spots” on the feet that are more prone to developing sores and injuries.

In addition to custom orthotics, we also provide other conservative treatments that include similar medical devices, such as boots, splints, and braces.

What About Prefabricated Orthotics?

For some conditions, often those that are mild in nature, we may recommend medical grade prefabricated orthotics directly through our office. 

These orthotics come from brands that we trust, and we can properly adjust and fit them to your feet in ways that inserts bought off the shelf of your local pharmacy can’t provide. Even prefabricated orthotics should fit the shape and needs of a patient’s feet as closely as possible, and attempting to use more “one size fits all” varieties from a store can often prove disappointing and wasteful.

What to Expect with Custom Orthotics

Once a set of custom orthotics is properly fitted, you can expect a short “break-in” period for your feet to adjust to using them. We’ll check in with you again after a brief period for an important follow-up appointment, as it’s not unusual for a few minor adjustments to be made once we have a better indication of how your orthotics are influencing your feet.

Custom orthotics are designed for durability, and should last much longer than store-bought versions. With proper care and maintenance, your orthotics should last several years.

The day-to-day wear of orthotics can cause their effectiveness to change over time. Also, changes in a patient’s life (e.g. new work, changes in physical activity, changes in weight) can affect what they need from their orthotics. We recommend check-ups at least annually to make sure your custom orthotics are still working optimally for you.

Custom orthotics are also a long-term form of treatment. While they help the foot achieve proper alignment, they do not provide a permanent fix. You must keep wearing them to receive the benefit. However, for most patients this is still a strongly preferred alternative to surgery!