Orthotic devices are podiatric medical devices placed into your footwear designed specifically to improve foot function and lower leg mechanics.
They work by restoring and supporting the foot's normal arch and alignment. Research studies have found that 85% of patients who recieve orthotic therapy for relevant injuries report improve or complete resolution of symptoms.
These relevant injuries are:
Types of orthotics
Our podiatrists can prescribe many different types of orthoticsdepending on your needs and budget. These include:
- Cushioning
- Pressure relief
- Pre-fabricated
- Custom-made
Custom-made orthotics
Custom-made orthotics are best prescribed by qualified podiatrists following thorough assessment and gait analysis. They are tailored to your needs and prescribed to treat and prevent a number of lower leg and foot problems. Custom-made orthotics can be made out of a range of materials (rigid or soft) and designs (thick or thin) to suit any foot and footwear requirement. Because they are custom-made to your feet, no matter what the material, if the orthotics are prescribed right they should be comfortable.
Our podiatrists have over ten years of training and experience with prescribing custom - made orthotics for children, adults, seniors and sports. They follow strict guidelines to ensure your orthotics are prescribed accurately. They will guide you through the whole process from the initial assessment and gait analysis, to the casting, orthotic prescription, fitting and review.
Who can benefit from orthotics?
Orthotics work by improving foot function and posture. They can help eliminate pain from activities involving prolonged periods of standing, walking or running. Children, adults, seniors, and even work professions (i.e. nurses, postal workers, process workers ...etc.) can all benefit from orthotics. Our podiatrists can assess your gait and advise you if your feet will benefit.
Our podiatrists at our Melbourne and Fullarton Road Podiatry Centre have a special interest in sports podiatry. They can tailor make an orthotic to a particular sport and regularly fit inserts into sports shoes. Our sports focused podiatrists believe that custom-made orthotics can help improve performance, alleviate pain and prevent injury.
