Active Foot and Ankle only uses the highest quality custom made orthotics. We do not believe in a generic once size fits all orthotic. Each foot is different and has different needs to make it operate in a proper and efficient manner. Take in mind the average person takes about 7500 steps a day that’s 200 million steps in a lifetime. That is why we use the same orthotics used by the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Bulls, and the Chicago Bears.
Custom-made orthotics are an individualized pair of shoe inserts, made from an image of each foot with specific added corrections. The system can be based on either a weight-bearing, semi-weight-bearing or even non-weight-bearing “subtalar-neutral” foot image. As long as the end result is individualized and not determined by foot size, the insert is “custom-fitted.” The orthotics can be manufactured in a doctor’s office, but are usually made by an orthotic laboratory. A wide range of materials is used in custom-fitted orthotics, from leather and cork to high-tech viscoelastic materials, carbon fiber, polypropylene and rigid plastics. The orthotics can be further customized to fit in specific shoes, including dress shoes, loafers, flats, high heels, sport shoes, boots, and even ice skates and ski boots. An especially advanced lab can even create a combination shoe-and-custom-orthotic, or a sandal-and-custom-orthotic.
The main advantages of custom-made orthotics are the excellent, personalized fit and the individualized correction of biomechanical faults. These factors help ensure rapid adaptation and relief of underlying and associated musculoskeletal complaints.5 Especially when dealing with poor support for the pelvis and spine, a custom fit provides a more predictable response and longer-term symptom relief. The materials and in-shoe fit can be selected to work well in the specific patient’s usual shoes. Activity levels and body mass can also be taken into account when ordering custom orthotics. Specific corrections, asymmetrical posting and lifting, and support for unusual and anomalous anatomy can also be requested. This becomes important when it is recognized that abnormality and asymmetry are common.6 A heel spur correction built into a custom orthotic will often provide immediate relief. Any necessary modifications and further customizing are usually included in the laboratory’s fee arrangements.
Patients whose feet are not a classical form or size, or who have left/right asymmetry, will need customization for a proper fit. If there are biomechanical dysfunctions or structural imbalances, specific corrective support is definitely necessary. If the purpose is to decrease excessive pronation or improve support for the spine and pelvis, custom-fitted orthotics will be more effective in the long term. The time investment and higher cost of these is usually recovered quickly by decreases in recurring symptoms and fewer office visits. The significance of improved function in daily and recreational activities is obvious to most patients, who will accept the somewhat higher costs in exchange for the long-term health and wellness benefits.
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