Could I benefit from a Custom-Made Orthotic?
Persistent lower limb injuries? Chronic foot pain? Are you on your feet for a significant part of the day? You may benefit from a custom-made orthotic.
Custom-made orthotics also offer huge benefits for patients with diabetes or inflammatory arthritis and for the correction of musculo-skeletal misalignments.
How do they help?
Here at Wilson Podiatry we design our orthotics to minimise stress to the soft tissues in the foot and lower limb. Improvement of the foot’s structure can reduce muscular fatigue and improve performance.
An analogy can be drawn between orthotic therapy for the lower limb and glasses for your eyes. Spectacles are designed to reduce fatigue and correct for weaknesses in our eyes, Similarly, a pair of orthotics (designed specifically for your unique lower limb structure) can reduce strain in your feet and help keep you mobile and injury free.
How are they Custom-Made?
Orthotics should only be prescribed by a lower limb specialist such as a podiatrist. A biomechanical assessment will be undertaken by your clinician to establish whether you might benefit from orthotic therapy. This will identify any structural abnormalities, assess restrictions in the motion of the foot and evaluate any soft tissue damage in the foot and surrounding structures.
If our assessment finds that orthotic therapy is an appropriate treatment modality, an accurate impression of your feet must be taken. At Wilson Podiatry this is achieved by taking a 3D Scan of the foot with a state of the art dual-laser scanner. This scan is essential to the success of orthotic therapy and allows us to create a device that exactly conforms to your unique foot structure.
A non-weight bearing impression is taken of the foot, this gives an exact image of your foot in a neutral position. An orthotic made from a weight bearing position, such as those captured from a foam box or by pressure pad analysis can only capture your foot in a flat, deformed position. This leads to guess work in the manufacturing process and a device that often fails to achieve the intended goals of the therapy.
In many cases, an orthotic not manufactured specifically for your needs can result in pain or injury by overstressing your muscles, bones, and joints.
How Much Do They Cost?
Initial Biomechanical Assessment: £55
Orthotic Cost: £339
We hope that this information is helpful to you. If you live in Woking or the surrounding areas, you might benefit from a biomechanical assessment with us. Alternatively, feel free to Contact Us. We’re happy to provide free advice via email.