Orthotic Therapy

Orthotics are made to adjust the way a person stands and walks, or to distribute pressure evenly across the sole of the foot.  This direct adjustment within the feet can affect the function of a person’s ankle, knee, hip and spine. 

Quite simply, orthotics are an entire body postural adjustment.

While this should be very beneficial, orthotics can be detrimental when prescribed incorrectly, as is too often the case. Footsmart Podiatry takes orthotic therapy seriously.  There is no one style of orthotic that can be used for all patients.  Every human foot is different, even from left to right. 

Footsmart Podiatry recognises this and incorporates this philosophy into manufacturing the most appropriate orthotic for an individual.  Your Podiatrist will explain why a particular type of orthotic will be the most applicable to you.

Orthotics need to be made to the exact dimensions of your anatomical foot structure and allow for natural (but not excessive) foot movement.  If your current orthotics are not comfortable it is usually due to a failure to meet these requirements.

When orthotics are made at Footsmart Podiatry, you need to know why you are getting them.  Our assessment process involves postural video analysis of you standing, walking, and running when required.  This is used to visually show what has caused, or is contributing to, your pain, and what the orthotics will do to adjust this.  We will spend as much time as required in this process to ensure a thorough understanding by you.

At Footsmart Podiatry, we want you to be comfortable in your orthotics. Following a wearing in period, you need to want to wear the orthotics because you feel better in them than out of them.  If the orthotics are not able to be worn, they can not do their job.

The final factor in orthotic success is footwear as:  orthotics are only as good as the shoes they are worn in. 

Although not all shoes will fit orthotics, all efforts will be made to utilise a patient’s current footwear when possible.  However, if this is going to limit the function of the orthotics, your Podiatrist will advise what footwear is required for your specific needs. Footsmart Podiatry aims to make orthotics that will fit a range of shoes so that they can be worn at school or work, and whilst actively enjoying life.