ORTHOTICS
Othotics take various forms and are constructed of various materials. All have to goal of improving foot function and minimizing stress forces that could ultimately cause foot deformity and pain.There are three broad categories of orthotics: those that primarily attempt to change foot function, those that are mainly protective or accommadative in nature, and those that combine functional control and accommodation.
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Examples of Orthotics | |
There are several different ways to make orthotics but most podiatrists make a plaster mould of the pateint's foot and send it to a laboratory with a prescription. Here, technicians pour plaster into the mould, and when it hardens; it exactly reproduces the bottom of the individual's foot, although it is common for labs to "cast correct" by partially filling in the arch.
This decreases the arch height of the orthotic and is done for comfort reasons. Once the reproduction of the individual's foot is made, the technicians then use the podiatrists prescription to custom-make a device to meet the patient's specific needs.