Your Ultimate Guide to Custom Orthotics
Custom Orthotics
Orthotics have been successfully transforming the way people stand, walk, hike, and run for many years now.
If you experience foot, knee or leg pain in your daily activities then a professionally fitted custom orthotic could be the answer to your problems.
Custom orthotics can correct a wide range of problems and issues connected with your feet and legs.
This comprehensive guide will tell you all you need to know about the benefits of custom orthotics.
What Are Orthotics?
Orthotics are custom moulded devices that sit inside your shoes and provide essential correction and support for your feet.
Orthotics are commonly used in the rehabilitation process after injuries or to prevent chronic foot and lower leg conditions from worsening.
Your expert podiatrist uses careful measurements and precision tools to create your custom shaped orthotic.
The orthotic will prevent excessive movement in the foot, knee and leg and promote optimal joint movement, muscle and tendon function, and natural balance.
You can expect your custom orthotic to redistribute pressure in a more balanced way.
This reduces the impact on damaged musculoskeletal structures, prevents injury, and encourages regeneration and healing.
What Painful Conditions Can Orthotics Help With?
Custom orthotics can provide real relief for a wide range of conditions that affect the feet, legs, knees, hips and lower back including:
- Flat Feet & Arch pain
- Plantar Fasciitis or Heel Pain
- Shin Splints & lower leg Stress Fractures
- Bunions & Corns
- Sever’s Disease and Growing Pains in Children
- Lower Back, Hip & Knee Pain
Orthotics for Flat Feet & Arch Pain
A number of bio-mechanical problems can cause flat feet and arch pain including differing leg lengths or bones, muscles, and tendons in the feet simply not working the way they should.
Orthotics can correct these issues giving your feet the support they need to function correctly.
Shin Splints
Shin splints can be very painful and are often the result of over-training, running on hard surfaces, and poor foot and leg mechanics such as over-pronation.
Custom orthotics help correct the mechanical imbalances that trigger the stress in the medial tibia.
Knee Pain
If your feet aren’t functioning correctly, the mechanical stress and muscle imbalances can trigger knee pain. Orthotics help to create better alignment and more efficient function from your feet to the knees, hips and lower back.
Bunions
Bunions are large bony lumps that form on the inside of the foot causing pain and may eventually make walking extremely difficult.
Orthotics promote better foot function and a more balanced transfer of weight that will provide relief and help prevent bunions from forming or worsening (if you are unfortunate and have a bunion).
Why See A Podiatrist for Orthotics?
It’s easy to forget the amazing job your feet do everyday—until things go wrong.
Just as you choose an expert engineer to fix your car, likewise, your feet need and deserve the expert attention of a qualified podiatrist.
The team of podiatrists at Erica Dash Podiatry are specialists are specialists in foot and lower leg mechanics. And we have the specialist knowledge and tools to diagnose and treat problems affecting the feet and the structures they support.
Podiatrists are university trained and a national agency, The Podiatry Board of Australia, oversees and regulates our qualifications and training.
So, when you come to one of the qualified podiatrists at Erica Dash Podiatry, you know that you’re in the capable hands of an expert.
Orthotic Friendly Shoes
Your shoes can make an enormous difference to your foot and leg health. So, it’s important to choose the best shoes for orthotics that provide support and comfort.
A stable platform base, supportive uppers, and firm fixings such as laces or Velcro help to ensure you get the best out of your orthotics.
We stock a wide variety of shoes (fashion, running, walking with extra depth and comfort) and sandals to help you love the activities you enjoy.
Shoes for Difficult to Fit Feet
Our extra depth and width Anodyne shoes provide support and relief for even the most difficult to fit feet. Erica Dash Podiatry also stock the full range of Dr Comfort shoes. There are certain shoes in the Dr Comfort range available in split sizes and widths.
Our entire reception team are trained fitters and are able to specially measure the length and width of your feet and order shoes to fit. Our specially ordered footwear usually arrives within the week.
Walking
The Dr Comfort range includes a variety of men’s and women’s shoes that will make walking an absolute dream.
Comfort, support, orthotic compatible, and exceptional shock absorbing qualities make the range of shoes at Erica Dash Podiatry the ideal choice for all-day comfort.
Non-Custom Prefabricated Orthotics
Prefabricated orthotics offer really solid support for those on a budget.
Range of Styles
We offer three styles in our off the shelf orthotics range: Low, Medium or High arch.
This means you can choose the best fit for you. You can also choose prefabricated orthotics specifically designed for your favourite activities including:
- Slim – for the corporate business shoe
- Outdoor – for hiking and extended walking
- Active – for active sports, runners & gym users
Wide size range
All our prefabricated orthotics are available in shoe sizes as follows:
- US 3-4 (XS)
- US 5-6 (S)
- US 7-8 (M)
- US 9-10 (L)
- US 11-12 (XL)
- US 13-14 (XXL)
Custom Foot Orthotic FAQ’s
How long will my orthotics last?
This depends on a range of factors including your body weight, duration of use, type of activity, model of orthotic, and how well you look after them.
Custom orthotics are pretty tough and should last up to 7 years. You may have to replace the top cover after a couple of years due to normal wear and tear.
Pre-fabricated orthotic usually have a much shorter lifespan of up to 18 months depending on how you use them.
How should I look after them?
Keep orthotics clean and dry. The top cover may deteriorate more rapidly if exposed to moisture for lengthy periods.
How long does it take?
Erica Dash Podiatry provides a one-hour/ same day service for assessing and creating your new custom orthotics.
Does my Health Insurance cover the cost?
They may well do but this varies from provider to provider and across different policy types.
How can I pay?
We offer a truly convenient and secure shopping experience with a range of ways to pay including; ZipMoney, PayPal, most Credit cards, and Direct transfer.
Why are Sidas orthotics so good?
We use Podiatech Sidas orthotics for our base orthotic. Sidas are world leaders in the manufacture of orthotics because extensive research informs all their product development.
How Can Orthotics Help Your Feet?
Your feet cope with an enormous amount of constantly changing weights and pressures as you move through each day. The fact that your feet can do this is a testament to the extraordinary engineering of the human body.
But sometimes things go wrong. Pronation (when the foot rolls slightly and flattens as you move from heel to toe) is a normal part of healthy foot function and provides essential shock absorption.
But when the foot rolls too much or doesn’t provide the necessary support it can cause painful problems. Poor foot function can also trigger painful problems due to misalignment through the ankles, knees and hips.
Properly fitted custom orthotics help restore normal healthy function to your feet by doing the following:
- Support the arches
- Correct against over-pronation
- Adjust for leg length discrepancies
- Align ankles, knees and hips
Our Orthotics Assessment by a Podiatrist
We realise that custom orthotics can be expensive.
That’s why we will only recommend them after thoroughly assessing your medical history and completing an in-depth bio-mechanical and gait analysis.
Bio-Mechanical Assessment
- We complete a detailed bio-mechanical assessment of your feet, gait and posture.
- We use industry-leading 3D scanning tools such as the Podiatech Podoscope and Posturescope to provide precise measurements of pressure points, structural alignment and postural issues, and faulty motion and support functions.
- We use weight-bearing casts to create an accurate imprint of how your feet respond to pressure when standing.
- Many podiatrists still use non-weight bearing casts but the foot tissue changes shape significantly under pressure and non-weight bearing casts are simply not accurate enough.
Recommend Orthotic Type
- If our assessment indicates that you would benefit from using orthotics we will recommend an orthotic that is appropriate for your specific foot / gait problems.
- We’ll also take into account the kinds of activities you do.
- We have a wide range of orthotics to choose from and can create a solution to suit your needs and your budget.
- We offer custom orthotics as well as prefabricated orthotics but you are under no obligation to purchase any specific orthotic.
Orthotics Fitting Session
- Fitting your orthotics to you and your footwear is an essential part of the process.
- This is where we can make any necessary minor adjustments and ensure the orthotics sit correctly in your shoes.
- Orthotics can make an enormous difference to the way you move and often an adjustment period is essential.
- Your podiatrist will advise you so that can adjust to your orthotics gradually and comfortably.
Orthotics Review Consultation
- After a couple of weeks, your Erica Dash podiatrist will follow up with you to check on your progress.
- This is an opportunity to review how your body is adapting to the changes and make any necessary adjustments for optimal function.
- This is also an opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have.
- You can bring your orthotics in for modification as many times as you need throughout the first month with no extra charge.
Same Day Custom Orthotic Service
Erica Dash Podiatry offers same day orthotics solutions for your feet problems. We carefully craft your orthotics on the premises, which means they can be ready within the hour.
You enjoy a coffee or shop for shoes in our store while you wait or you can come back and pick them up later that day, whatever suits you.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave is a great alternative to treatments such as dry needling if you’re needle phobic and not keen on dry needling. We also have effective treatment offers for kids.
Laser for Fungal
The team at Erica Dash Podiatry choose ‘Pinpointe Laser” to treat your fungal nails. Laser therapy is a safe, non-invasive, painfree and effective treatment option for nail fungus.
Dry Needling
Dry needle therapy can be very effective in treating a range of conditions including chronic muscle pain, neuromuscular problems, and sports injuries.
Schedule Your Appointment
Erica Dash Podiatry is family friendly treating a wide range of foot and leg complaints of patients of any age or stage of life - See All Podiatrists
Call us at 02 4367 0177 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your podiatry appointment today!