What is an orthotic? Maybe you have been to your doctor and they have prescribed an orthotic or maybe you are experiencing pain in your feet, knees, and lower limbs and you are looking for relief. If you have recently heard about Custom Foot Orthotics and wondered if they might be a solution that fits your needs, you are not alone. Many of our new clients have questions about what exactly an orthotic is and whether it can help them with the problem they are having with their feet. Here is what our partners at The Pedorthic Association of Canada have to say:

A foot orthotic is a device that can be discretely inserted into the shoe to support, align, prevent, and/or accommodate foot abnormalities and improve how the foot functions.

Used in conjunction with appropriate footwear, a foot orthotic can be effective in helping to treat a number of foot and lower limb problems including:

• Heel pain
• Arch pain
• Forefoot pain
• Shin splints
• Knee pain

Foot orthotics can also help address foot and lower limb pain and complications related to health conditions such as diabetes and arthritis.

AVOID Purchasing Orthotics in the Following Scenarios:

• Dispensers who do not have the capacity to modify the foot orthoses themselves. This may suggest they lack training specific to foot orthoses.
• Foot orthotics from Exhibits at Home, Trade, or Sportsman Shows. How can you return the orthotic if there is a problem?
• Short term kiosks or health booths in malls or department stores, and the Internet
• People who come to your home or place of employment for mass screenings, or dispensers offering orthotics to an entire family without properly evaluating all individuals.
• 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.
• Practitioners who take no interest in your footwear. The effectiveness of a custom foot orthotic is maximized in footwear that fits properly and is appropriate to the individual and their lifestyle.
• “Two for the price of one” deals and offers for “free items with the purchase of foot orthotics”. Providers who are eligible dispensers under your plan are not able to make such offers under their Code of Ethics.

If you find yourself with foot pain and are need of relief, come see us at The Foot & Ankle Clinic by The Shoe Tree. We’d love to help!