Custom Orthotics vs Off the Shelf Arch Supports

In this video, Grapevine podiatrist Dr. Marybeth Crane of Foot and Ankle Associates of North Texas explains why custom orthotics are frequently better than prefabricated orthotics.



Custom foot orthotics are made to fix the biomechanics of your foot; however, they’re not for everyone. If you don’t have an underlying problem, but just need a bit of arch support, an off-the-shelf insert may work well for you. However, if you have a repetitive stress injury or foot deformity, then the only thing that you should be using is a custom foot orthotic.

When choosing a practitioner, you need to make sure he or she is experienced in making the orthotics that you need. A three-dimensional scan or cast of your foot should also be made in order to make your orthotic—which is considered the gold standard.

The second thing to consider is which shoes your orthotics need to fit into. Your podiatrist should consider this when fitting you for your custom orthotic.

The last thing to consider is how long your orthotic is going to last. Based on your size and use of the orthotics, your doctor should be able to give you an expected timeframe.

If you’re experiencing foot pain, the first thing to do is visit a Grapevine foot doctor. We will examine the causes of your pain and develop a treatment plan just for you, in order to get you back on the path to a pain-free lifestyle. http://www.faant.com 

Off-The-Shelf Arch Supports vs. Custom Orthotics: The Debate Continues

They are at it again. The debate that has been going on since the late 1970’s when custom orhtotics became the mainstay of treatment for plantar fasciitis. “Millions in Potential Health Care Savings: Prefab Orthotics Found More Effective” was a press release today from a company that...guess what?…makes an off-the-shelf arch support! Are you kidding me???

Now don’t get me wrong, I think there is a place for prefabricated arch supports in our treatment plans and not everyone needs a custom orthotic; but to say that prefab is BETTER than custom is ludicrous! Let's use common sense! They sited a poor study done in California on patients with plantar fasciitis and then backed it up with a totally flawed study from 1996! That’s all they have??? What about the millions of patients that have been helped by custom orthotics across the country? Several thousands right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area!

Just another ploy to get patients to potentially waste their money on off-the-shelf inserts prior to visiting their podiatrist! A copay is much cheaper and I am so sick and tired of seeing peolpe waste hundreds of dollars on things they find on-line. Then spend months in physical therapy or even need surgery to try to conquer their plantar fasciitis; when they could have gotten better much faster IF the first thing they did was call the podiatrist!

I’m done venting, but for more information on why custom orthotics work check out my patient information pages.