Custom Orthotics: Are They Right for You?
Find out if custom orthotics could help with your foot, knee, or back pain, and learn what makes them different from store-bought insoles.
Understanding Custom Orthotics
Walk into any pharmacy and you will find a wall of insoles promising to solve your foot problems. So why would anyone spend more on custom orthotics? The answer lies in what makes these devices fundamentally different. Custom orthotics are prescription medical devices designed specifically for your feet, crafted based on a detailed assessment of your foot structure, the way you walk, and your specific concerns. They are not a one-size-fits-all solution, and that is precisely the point.
How Custom Orthotics Help
Your feet are the foundation of your body. When that foundation has mechanical problems, the effects can ripple upward through your entire kinetic chain. Custom orthotics address these biomechanical issues in several important ways.
They support proper foot alignment, ensuring that your foot strikes the ground and rolls through the gait cycle as it should. By distributing pressure evenly across your foot, orthotics relieve the concentrated stress that causes pain in specific areas. If your gait has developed abnormalities, whether from injury, structural issues, or years of compensation, orthotics help correct those patterns. This reduces strain on muscles and joints throughout your legs and even your lower back. For those with conditions that cause impact sensitivity, the cushioning and shock absorption can make walking comfortable again.
Conditions That May Benefit
Many of our patients come to us with plantar fasciitis, that stabbing heel pain that makes those first morning steps excruciating. Custom orthotics can provide the arch support and pressure redistribution needed to let that inflamed tissue heal.
If you have flat feet, the lack of natural arch support can cause pain and fatigue that worsens with activity. Conversely, high arches concentrate pressure on your heels and the balls of your feet, creating different but equally frustrating problems. Both conditions respond well to properly designed orthotics.
You might be surprised to learn that knee pain is often related to foot mechanics. When your feet roll inward or outward excessively, it affects the alignment of your entire leg. Lower back pain can similarly be linked to gait and alignment issues that originate at your feet. Progressive foot deformities like bunions and hammertoes may be slowed with appropriate support. Runners and athletes dealing with shin splints often find that correcting their foot mechanics makes a significant difference.
Custom vs. Over-the-Counter
The insoles you buy at the store are designed for the average foot, but your feet are uniquely yours. Store-bought insoles come in generic sizes and offer general support that may or may not match what you actually need. They typically last six to twelve months and are made from consumer-grade materials.
Custom orthotics, by contrast, are made specifically for your feet after a professional evaluation. They are crafted from medical-grade materials designed to last two to five years with proper care. Most importantly, they address your specific issues rather than providing generic support that might be wrong for your particular biomechanics.
The Assessment Process
Getting custom orthotics involves more than having your feet measured. The process begins with a comprehensive evaluation where we assess not just your feet but also your ankles, legs, and hips to understand how everything works together. Gait analysis lets us observe exactly how you walk and run, identifying patterns that might not be obvious when you are standing still.
We then create a precise model of your feet through casting or digital scanning. This information goes to the lab where your orthotics are fabricated to your exact specifications. When they arrive, we ensure proper fit and function, making any necessary adjustments so they work optimally for you.
Signs You Might Need Orthotics
Consider an assessment if you experience foot pain that worsens with activity, if you notice uneven wear patterns on your shoes, or if you have pain in your knees, hips, or lower back that does not seem to respond to other treatments. Difficulty standing for extended periods without foot fatigue can also indicate that better support might help.
Get Assessed
Not everyone needs custom orthotics. Sometimes the problem is elsewhere, or store-bought options might be sufficient. For some conditions, off-the-shelf insoles may be a reasonable first step, and results vary between individuals. Book a biomechanical assessment to find out whether orthotics are the right solution for your specific concerns and get expert guidance on the best path forward for your feet.