Custom Orthotics

People often find themselves suffering with foot, ankle, or knee pain due to fallen arches, incorrect foot joint biomechanics or other foot abnormalities which lead to changes in gait. These faulty biomechanics may even translate to low back or hip pain. Factors which may affect a foot’s natural arch include genetics, age, physical activity or pregnancy.

Orthotics are corrective devices which insert into a shoe and are custom fitted to a person’s particular foot and arch. They are designed to lessen some of the strain on the foot’s arches, ligaments and tendons and promote proper biomechanics when standing, walking or running.

To determine if a patient may benefit from orthotics, Dr. Borrowman completes a biomechanical examination. She then takes a foam casting of the person’s arch in a neutral position. This impression is sent to a lab where it is laser scanned and modifications are made, based on the biomechanical findings. A custom orthotic is then created which is specific to the patient’s needs.

Custom orthotics fit into various types of shoes, boots, ski boots, skates and dress pumps. A number of custom shoes which have an orthotic built into them are also available. This is useful for sandals in the warmer weather or for people who want a shoe with a permanent orthotic built in.

Many extended health plans have coverage for custom orthotics and may or may not require a physician’s referral to access the coverage.