Foot Orthoses FAQ

Orthoses are worn with orthotic friendly footwear and provide the feet with plantar support of stimuli to address some musculoskeletal conditions. Orthoses, in conjunction with good footwear, provide your feet with support. Most orthoses provide arch support, but this can vary depending on the problem. Rightly prescribed, manufactured and worn, orthoses work on the plantar surface of your feet in several different ways to provide arch or other support and stimulate some of the muscles to help with your underlying medical condition.

Good quality orthoses are good for your feet and other lower limbs. It is a conservative treatment and is recommended for many foot ailments. Depending on the problem, orthoses will allow you to be more mobile on your feet with less pain, allowing you to live a more active lifestyle. Orthoses is needed if you experience pain or discomfort from one of the following conditions:

• Flat feet
• Pronation
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Heel Spurs
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Arthritis
• Ankle pain
• Knee pain (due to pronation)
• Lower back pain
• Bunion and Hallux Valgus (progression)
• Calluses and corns
• Charcot Foot
• Deformity or Plantar Prominences
• Diabetic Foot
• Metatarsalgia (painful metatarsal heads or soles)
• Leg length discrepancy (less than 8mm)
• Achilles Tendinitis

While readymade (over the counter) orthoses may benefit you, if you want the ideal treatment, then custom-made orthoses will work best. Supplied after a pedorthic assessment of your feet, we make orthoses specifically moulded to the shape of your feet. They are typically made from EVA covered with Spenco material.

You should wear your orthoses most of the time for maximum benefit. Alternating between wearing them and not may lead to pain in some joints and muscles as your body tries to adapt. PSS can provide and adapt orthoses to fit a large variety of footwear including summer sandals.

Depending on your biomechanical problem, orthoses may be of great benefit to your knees. However not all knee pain problems can be resolved with orthoses. At Perth Surgical Shoes, our Pedorthists will assess your problem and provide you with effective orthoses for your knee pain if we think it will help.

We would recommend softer orthoses made from EVA and covered with cushioned material. Normally, high arches result in pain on the heel and ball of your feet if over used. Orthoses with cushioning for the heels and metatarsal pads for the balls of the feet is normally recommended.

Yes. If used properly, can help with the heeling process for plantar fasciitis and prevent a re-occurrence of the problem.

Custom-made orthoses with appropriate heel cushioning are best for plantar fasciitis. Our orthoses are specifically moulded to the shape of your feet and covered with a material of your choice. We will supply your orthoses only after an assessment of your feet and a discussion of the best possible intervention.

Custom moulded orthoses can be prescribed and dispensed by pedorthists, orthotists and podiatrists after an assessment. Perth Surgical Shoes sell custom-made Spenco orthoses.

Custom moulded orthoses can be fitted by pedorthists, orthotists and podiatrists.

Our custom moulded orthoses cost from $450 per pair. This price includes the pedorthic assessment. We pride ourselves on the fact that our custom orthoses are competitively priced, and with proper private health cover for podiatry, is only slightly more expensive pricier than generic readymade orthoses.

No.

Yes. Orthoses can be covered by private health insurance if you have podiatry cover. This depends on your plan and level of cover.

We can supply “Coat Hanger” orthoses. These are normally made for clients who like to wear them with high heels.

Moulded EVA or Polycarbonate shells covered with various materials and combinations of materials like Spenco, Poron, leather, etc.

See:  https://www.perthshoemaker.com.au/services/custom-made-orthoses/

Yes. Orthoses should last you at least two years and can be refurbished if needed.

Orthoses may hurt your feet somewhat during the initial stages, but after wearing them in for two hours or longer at a time they should be comfortable. Well-made orthoses should not hurt you and you should be able to comfortably wear them within a couple of weeks. If the footwear is too tight or loose, speak to you prescriber to alter the orthoses and buy proper fitting footwear.

Orthoses may squeak when there is movement between the orthotic and the footwear. A bit of talcum powder may eliminate this problem. If it persists you are welcome to visit PSS for one of our pedorthists or surgical shoemakers to address the problem.

Orthoses do not cause any problems when squatting, especially EVA type orthoses normally supplied by us. Special care should be taken when getting orthoses for running as the range of motion of your feet is much greater during running then walking. Consult with a sports podiatrist. We can provide you with soft EVA orthoses which may be comfortable for running, but this is not always the case.

Orthoses need to be checked for replacement roughly every two years, depending on the nature of your problem. Our pedorthists will conduct an assessment to determine if your orthoses need to be changed.

Normally orthoses can be cleaned with a damp cloth. We provide a refurbishing service, where we can replace the padding and covers on your existing orthoses, giving them a new lease on life.

Orthoses should be worn for the rest of your life. Problems resolved by orthoses may come back if you stop wearing them. In some cases, growing children may outgrow their problem with the help of the footwear.