Foot orthotics
What is a foot orthotic and what does it do?
Foot orthotics are specialised inserts which sit in your shoes, under your feet, to support, correct and align all bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and plantar fascia in each of your feet. They are used to improve foot function, support the foot as the foundation for the body and to redistribute weight through the foot and lower limb.
What are prescription foot orthotics?
A podiatrist will only prescribe foot orthotics after a comprehensive biomechanical assessment.
Prescription foot orthotics are custom made to accurately fit your foot and treat your foot or lower limb condition using digital CAD/CAM technology. At The Foot Group we use a laser to scan the foot. The image generated is used to manufacture the prescription foot orthotics to create the perfect shape for your foot, maximising comfort and functionality. At The Foot Group, we use two types of foot orthotics: soft and semi-flexible/firm.
The Foot Group has a reputation amongst health professionals as being the experts in biomechanical assessment and orthotic prescription, taking the following factors into account:
- Site of injury or problem
- Type of injury or problem
- Degree of correction needed
- Activity level
- Type of activity
- Body weight
- Footwear
- Patient convenience and timeframes
We manufacture our own foot orthotics
Customised orthotics are prescription foot inserts made out of EVA foam onsite at our clinic. Using the information from a biomechanical assessment and a 3D laser scan of your feet, the podiatrist designs the orthotic completely tailored to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.
Orthotics are much more than just “arch supports”
The foot is an engineering marvel that requires more expertise than basic arch supports to address complex biomechanical problems.
Foot orthotics support the entire foot, whereas “arch supports” only pack the area under the arch. While this can feel comfortable in the short term, long-term use of arch supports may weaken the arch of the foot and can lead to other biomechanical problems in the feet, ankles, knees, hips or lower back.
Foot orthotics do not directly support the arch but rather improve the overall foot function, enabling the body’s own support mechanisms to function efficiently. This leads to stronger, healthier feet and, in most cases, relief of symptoms.
