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COMFORT WITH STYLE |
Frequently Asked Questions |
Orthotics
How do you create your orthotics and why are they cheaper than those often found elsewhere?
There are several different methods of creating orthotics (custom made footbeds designed by a Podiatrist). Traditionally, most are made by taking a plaster cast of the foot and sending the cast to a specialist laboratory with adjustment instructions as to how the orthotics should be created. This approach is time-consuming and can be expensive.
Footwise use a state-of-the-art foot scanner and CAD/CAM mill to produce orthotics which are highly accurate and which can be made quickly and at a more competitive prices. This technology has been widely accepted in the rest of the world and can produce outstanding results. Our footbeds can be created from a variety of different density ‘blanks’ and so can easily accommodate different types of conditions.
How do Footwise’s orthotics (custom-made footbeds) differ from those made from pressure or heat moulded silicon or EVA?
Any material that can be easily manipulated through the application of heat or pressure will have a tendency to revert back to its original shape when a consistent force is exerted upon it. Given the intense pressures underfoot, this means that many such devices quickly lose their functionality and cease to be of any real use. For this reason, the results obtained by such techniques are considered insufficient for medical or clinical use. Footwise’s devices, however, are carved form a medical grade compression-blown synthetic rubber. This means that the devices have no “memory” of a previous shape and hence are able to retain their functionality for 3 or more years. In addition, because the system used by Footwise is the only system able to truly capture a 3D scan, the resulting inlays are unrivalled in their accuracy. It is for this reason that Footwise’s technology is used in leading hospitals and clinics throughout the world (including some NHS trusts).
I have seen advertisements which claim to be able to create highly accurate orthotics through using an optical laser foot bed scanner (“accurate to 1/10,000th of an inch”). What is the difference between this and Footwise’s system?
It is impossible to get a 3D shape of a foot from a 2D optical scanner or a pressure-mat system, even though such systems often “display” the data in a format which might look 3D. Only the system used by Footwise can truly capture a genuine 3D reading and hence our system is the only digitised system able to provide truly accurate devices. This view is endorsed by many leading independent Podiatrists and hospitals around the world.
What do orthotics do and how do they work?
If the main function of the foot (to act as a ‘shock absorber’ as the weight shifts between each step) begins to break down through a flattening of the arch, excessive ‘pronation’ or when the foot becomes ‘high-arched, the foot absorbs shock poorly. This ultimately results in the body’s weight falling on either the heels or the toes and thus causes many disorders such as; toes, heel, knees and back pain etc.
Orthotics correct this by ensuring the foot is cradled in the correct position to function properly. This, in turn, corrects posture and gait and can relieve pains in the knees, hips and lower back. By ensuring that pressure is distributed evenly across and throughout both feet, circulation also improves and excessive pressure on particular areas of the foot can be relieved. Prescriptive orthotics are designed by a Podiatrist to correct particular conditions in the foot; for example, once an individual has undergone full biomechanical and gait analysis, the Podiatrist might design footbeds which are built-up or reduced iin certain key areas.
Because perfect feet are extremely rare (and because day-to-day stresses will ultimately deform them). most adults will benefit from a custom-made foot beds, be they non prescriptive or prescriptive
How long will it take for my Custom-made Footbeds/ Orthotics to work?
Not long – sometimes the results can be immediate and sometimes, depending upon the condition, it takes a period of time.
How long will Orthotics last?
Our products are the highest quality devices available and are designed to retain their functionality for three or more years. As well as protecting and supporting your feet, they should also help to protect your shoes from uneven wear.
Will the NHS/ PMI pay?
Some PMI will cover the consultation, but not the device. This is standard now across the UK, although things may change in this area as orthotics become more mainstream. Some NHS Trusts offer a service which is free of charge. However this can effect the quality of the device prescribed as most Trusts have limited budgets; waiting-lists can also be long.
©April 2005 Feet First (Europe) Limited - Webmaster