ORTHOTICS

Custom Orthotics Gold Coast

What are Orthotics?

Orthotics are supporting shoe inserts prescribed by Podiatrists to support the foot, heel and leg. They reduce pain, place the foot in the correct position and allow the correct muscles to work.

Custom Orthotics are made to fit comfortably into your shoes and gently, but consistently move your foot into the correct position for walking, running and standing.

They are a non-invasive treatment option which makes them a popular choice for treatment of foot, leg and heel pain.

Custom Made Orthotics

We specialise in Prescription orthotics. These are custom-made moulds to fit each individual, and each foot will have its own specific mould.

Just as no two feet are exactly alike, no two prescription orthotic moulds are the same. Two separate feet may have a similar problem but the solution to treating each foot may be very different. This is why we recommend visiting our podiatry clinic before buying off-the-shelf arch supports.

How to Orthotics work?

As your foot rests comfortably on the orthotic, pressure points, improper foot rotation, painful muscle strain are all eliminated because your foot is functioning properly, and not putting pressure on the wrong area of your foot.

Some of the common conditions we see requiring arch support insoles are:

excessive pronation
flat feet
muscular imbalance
persisten ankle sprains
heel spurs
knee pain
high or low arches
plantar fasciitis
heel spurs
knee pain
bunions, corns and calluses.

Each of these conditions can be treated successfully with prescription orthotics.

How Are they Made?

Once our qualified Podiatrist has diagnosed that an orthotic is needed, a plaster impression (negative cast) is taken . These plaster casts are sent to a professional labratory, and a positive cast is produced with detailed Podiatrist specifications to put your foot in the correct position. In addition, we fit your custom Orthotics to your shoes, which is equally important to ensure they are worn correctly.

Are Orthotics bad for your feet?

Orthotics do not cure your foot problems any more than glasses cure your vision problems. BUT, they do reduce pain, increase comfort and help your foot work more naturally, so they are a worthy investment.

Even the slightest misalignment of the bones and muscles can cause a lot of discomfort with foot pain or heel pain. Often, back and neck pain can be the result of foot problems as well.

They do not harm your foot or make your muscles lazy.

How Long Do Orthotics Have to Be Worn?

Fitting and consistently wearing prescription inserts can be the best investment you can make in your overall wellbeing. As we have mentioned before, they will not fix your foot problems, but remember your feet are the foundation for your entire body- They do an awful lot of work each day.

They also modify the function of your foot as long as you continue to wear them.

Children’s Orthotics

While we don’t often think of children needing orthotics, they can be required in children as young as two if they aren’t walking, aren’t walking correctly, have poor balance, toe walking, flat feet, or leg length discrepancies.

Orthotics can help improve children’s walking patterns early on to ensure they develop the correct leg and foot muscles to assist them as they grow. Getting the foundations of muscles right in children’s feet is imperative to avoiding potential lifelong issues with pain management.

The podiatrists at the Gold Coast Foot Clinic are experts in age-appropriate foot development and diagnosis, so if you have any concerns about your child’s feet, we are always happy to check and discuss options.

Ready-made Orthotics

The Gold Coast Foot Clinic also offers ready-made orthotic inserts that can be modified and customised to accommodate a patients foot pain, specific deformity or pathology. They are a more cost effective alternative and can be prescribed after a detailed patient examination for maximum benefit and best fit.