We do not strongly believe that custom foot orthotics are for everyone. Don’t get us wrong, we strongly believe that custom foot orthotics are very effective for many different medical conditions (and our research is helping to prove that!), but we see too many people, too often, in custom orthotics when another solution will be just as effective.
At SoleScience, we consider two main factors in deciding if a patient needs custom foot orthotics:
1. Foot mechanics or foot structure are the cause of the patient’s pain/symptoms:
In this case, your patient will feel better wearing the custom orthotics than not wearing them. Such is the case in people who suffer from various types of arthritis (osteo or rheumatoid), Morton’s neuroma, metatarsalgia, tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction, or a movement disorder.
2. Foot mechanics or foot structure are keeping your patient from healing from their injury:
In this case, we use the orthotics as a tool to recover, and then try to taper patients off of their devices. We don’t believe in keeping your patients in any type of orthotic unnecessarily. Individual treatment programs in these cases often incorporate stretching and strengthening programs, or referrals to physiotherapy to aid in recovery.
A doctor does not like to be wrong. But when a patient of mine came back from seeing our Canadian Certified Pedorthist with a better shoe instead of an orthotic, I was pleasantly surprised and more than happy to be wrong. I have been referring all of my patients since, as they continue to benefit from the expertise and high standard of care of a Canadian Certified Pedorthist.
