Custom Orthotics

Custom orthotics may not look like much when you first see them. But make no mistake: these are among the most versatile and effective tools we have at our disposal for treating your everyday foot pain.

Because so many painful problems are caused by poor alignment of the feet and ankles, the right orthotic can work wonders. For many people, a pair of custom orthotics can be the difference between living in constant pain, or being able to enjoy all their daily activities—even the most active and athletic hobbies—without discomfort or restriction.

In fact, our own Dr. Alan Shih wears a pair to help with his foot pain. He’d be happy to show you!

What are custom orthotics?

Custom orthotics are specially made inserts that are placed inside your shoes. Unlike mass-produced foot beds or insoles, they are produced from a mold and/or 3D scan of your feet to provide a perfect fit.

They not only provide cushioning for your feet and support for your arches, but also realign the position of the feet and ankles.

The right pair of orthotics will divert weight and pressure away from sensitive spots, reducing foot pain and lowering the risk of injury. They will also restore a biomechanically efficient foot function and reduce stress and strain not just in the feet and ankles, but all the way up the legs, hips, and back.

Are custom orthotics really better than off-the-shelf inserts?

Yes they are, by a significant margin.

Store-bought foot beds—even those with built-in “arch support”—are mainly designed to provide a little extra comfort and shock absorption. This can provide some degree of relief if you only suffer from very minor foot pain.

However, they will not reposition the feet like custom orthotics can, and they cannot be used to treat any serious biomechanical problems with the feet or ankles. Whatever relief they provide is usually only temporary.

Yes, custom orthotics are typically more expensive up front than a pair of drugstore insoles. However, they provide much better treatment. They also last much longer, due to superior fit and being made from higher-quality materials. A good pair can last years and years.

Getting custom orthotics at Tucson Foot & Ankle Institute

At Tucson Foot & Ankle Institute, we use an advanced type of custom orthotics to provide the best possible treatment and care for our patients.

To get the right fit, we take a mold of your feet, then run it through a 3D scanner to get the most precise possible measurement of your feet. That information gets sent to the lab, which creates the custom orthotics to the exact requested specifications.

The orthotics we use are made from advanced EVA blended materials that offer a superior combination of semi-rigid support, flexibility, durability, and comfort. The same type of orthotics are frequently used even by professional athletes and sports teams.

Unlike less sophisticated custom orthotics—which provide support only when bearing weight—our orthotics remain in full contact with your arch throughout the entire gait cycle. This ensures correct foot posture even when not bearing weight, and maximizes the degree of support and shock absorption provided by the orthotics when you are bearing weight.

What kinds of conditions can be treated with custom orthotics?

Because so many different painful conditions can be related to improper foot mechanics, a pair of custom orthotics may be part of the treatment plan for conditions such as:

Heel pain (including plantar fasciitis and heel spurs)
Achilles tendinitis
Arch pain
Ball of foot pain
Morton’s neuromas
Corns and calluses
Knee pain
Back pain
Poor balance
Neuropathy
Diabetic wounds

If faulty foot mechanics are causing you pain and keeping you from the things you love, a set of custom orthotics from Tucson Foot & Ankle Institute might be the perfect solution. To schedule an initial examination and get started on the road to healthy, pain-free feet and ankles, please give us a call today at (520) 545-0202.