Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Custom Orthotic Inserts


https://www.conehealthmedicalgroup.com/chmg/medical-services/sports-medicine/the-benefits-of-orthotic-devices-/

After almost a dozen cortisone injections in both of my feet, my doctor decided the next thing to try would be custom orthotic inserts, which I have now been wearing since April of 2017. (Side note: I've been wearing a walking boot on my right foot on and off since my surgery, at the end of 2017, without the orthotic insert; but if I skip the boot for a day and wear a regular shoe, I wear the insert.) Here is a picture of the inserts that I have:

Top

Bottom

The only type of inserts I'd tried up until this point were the cushiony, gel kind made by Dr. Scholl's, which soothed my sore heels, but did nothing to give my feet the support they needed. As I've been told by more than a few podiatrists, feet are like fingerprints; that's why custom orthotics provide the best support you can get. The downside? They are very expensive and uncomfortable. They aren't soft or pliable (which is why I don't believe they fit in any shoe, as advertised), and they take some time to get used to. My doctor suggested wearing them for maybe 2 hours the first day, then 4 the next, and so on, until I was acclimated. I wound up not following his advice on that. While uncomfortable, the orthotics weren't painful in the beginning. For whatever reason, the orthotics didn't cause any pain until after a couple weeks. That's when I started wearing them for only a few hours at a time. Once my feet were fully used to them, I went back to wearing them all day and have been ever since.

The process of making custom orthotic inserts is a bit messy. My doctor took casts of my feet by wrapping strips of wet plaster around them. The strips were left to harden for maybe 10-15 minutes each, and then they were sent out to a lab in Washington. I went home with bits of plaster stuck to my skin, but the process was relatively quick and completely painless. Here's a link to read more about the how these casts are made: https://treadlabs.com/blogs/insoles-reach-your-stride/how-are-orthotics-made.


https://www.podiatrytoday.com/article/7201


https://www.exportersindia.com/creative-orthotic-prosthetic-3751938/orthotic-insoles-for-flat-feet-2103572.htm

I know the average price of custom orthotics is between $400 and $600, depending on what your insurance will cover. I'd have to look over my paperwork to say for sure, but I believe that mine were about $400 each, with a little help from insurance. You can read more about the price of these inserts here: https://treadlabs.com/blogs/insoles-reach-your-stride/116218053-the-cost-of-custom-orthotics .

The conclusion? Custom orthotic inserts didn't do anything to improve my PF pain. I wouldn't say they were a waste of time, though, because when you're treating PF, it's important to try everything you can to see what will work. It's possible that inserts could eliminate or at least alleviate your pain, so if you're thinking about having custom orthotics made, I'd say talk to your doctor. They could be just what you need.

In my next post, I will discuss my experience with night splints, including how much they cost and where to order them.

As always, I can be reached on my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/plantarwhat/ or via email (wsmalls12194@gmail.com) to answer any questions.

Thanks for reading,
Becky



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