Custom Computerized Orthotics

Our Podiatrists use two techniques to measure and fabricate custom orthotics:

Plaster casting is still the gold standard for fabricating custom orthotics. With this method, a plaster cast is created in order to capture a negative impression of the patient’s feet. Wet plaster tape is applied to the patient’s feet. During the short time it takes the tape to dry, the feet are held in the neutral position, the most anatomically correct alignment of the foot. The doctor then sends to the lab the casts with a specific orthotic order that is best suited for the patient.

Electronic scanning is the latest technology we use to obtain measurements of the feet for custom orthotics. The computerized system fabricates an electronic image of your feet by scanning the foot 150 times per second tracking 8 key points along the plantar surface of the foot. The system’s 8-point Gait and Pressure Analysis Report is forwarded to the lab via the internet with the orthotic order. It also provides the doctor with a unique tool to analyze the distribution of plantar pressures throughout each individual foot. The ultimate goal is to normalize the biomechanical patterns of the feet with custom orthotics.