What are Custom Orthotics?

Custom orthotics are specialized devices that are made to specifically help correct a number of common foot and lower limb problems to relieve pain and improve your quality of life. Our Specialist can determine which product is right for you, based on your condition, history and a thorough examination. You can design your own orthotics from scratch by choosing a module, accomodations, top covers and bottom reinforcements.

If required, all ages can benefit from a foot orthotic. From discomfort in the foot to severe problems such as diabetic foot ulcers, a foot orthotic can help a wide range of patients. A detailed assessment from a footwear and orthotic expert can confirm if custom orthotics will assist a patient. 

Our orthotics are made in the worlds largest and most technologically advanced lab. This lab produces and globally markets high quality products including top-of-the-line custom orthotics. With their Metascan systems and proprietary software provides detailed information, which enable clinicians to further evaluate patients for certain balance, knee, hip, lower back, and biomechanical problems. Al our orthotics are handcrafted for people who requiere better foot function in everyday activities. Our Custom Orthotics Specialist use their technology to assess, diagnose and treat a variety of patient problems. This diagnostics can uncover, confirm and track the progress or treatment regimes of many conditions. 

Many plans do cover a portion or all the fee. Each plan is highly variable and it is the patient's responsibility to check with their provider prior to purchasing.

Starting from $400 (No GST added). 

Custom orthotics for patients under the age of 5 are not as common, due to the fact that many of the skeletal or soft tissue injuries that require treatment with custom made orthotics do not present until a person is older, but when they do require early treatment a prescription by a medical doctor, or Pediatric specialist who is regulated in providing global diagnosis of the patient may be indicated. 

The type of orthotics depends on many factors, including: the patient’s lifestyle, athletic activities, foot type, and the problems the patient is encountering.

Depending on its purpose, the size of a custom orthotics may vary significantly from the full length of the foot to a short device that ends behind the metatarsal heads (ball of the foot). Smaller devices are usually designed to fit in shoes that do not have a removable inlay, such as dress shoes.

A custom orthotic can be made from materials ranging from soft foam to hard plastic, depending on a patient’s needs.

The effectiveness of a custom foot orthotic is maximized in footwear that fits properly and is appropriate to the individual and their lifestyle. A shoe acts as a foundation for the foot and provides a stable base for the custom orthotic. 

Wearing appropriate footwear is imperative, as the footwear itself is an important treatment method. A custom orthotic can be rendered less effective if it is placed in inferior footwear as the shoe may work against the features of the orthotic. The custom orthotics are only as good as the shoe it goes into. 

The term “orthotics” is often used to refer to many different devices including insoles, arch supports and various generic products that you’ve probably seen the stand-on-the-box systems or other systems that have you walk across a special mat to measure pressure. These are not custom orthotics and they don’t capture the unique, 3-dimensional shape of your foot.

If you are looking for individualized orthotics in Calgary, you will need a comprehensive biomechanical assessment and precise impressions of your feet.

Custom foot orthotics are also to treat and prevent injury-causing motions such as excessive supination (when the foot rolls outward) and pronation (inward roll of the foot). Standing, walking, and running are more comfortable and effective with orthotics. They can also be designed to redistribute pressure on the soles of the feet, decreasing pain from calluses, corns, bunions, and bone problems. 

The lifespan of custom orthotics varies from patient to patient. The materials used, the patient’s foot structure, levels of activity, age and physical condition all impact the orthotics lifespan. The lifespan of a custom orthotic should not be measured by when the cover material wears out but by how long the orthotic meets the foot’s changing needs for support, correction and pressure redistribution. 

If your symptoms begin to return, it is a good idea to have your orthotic reassessed to determine if modifications or a new device are necessary. 

They are the same. “Orthosis” is the clinical term that physicians and healthcare providers frequently use and “orthotics” is the more commonly used term by the general public.