What Are the Advantages of Custom Orthotics?

You can find padded insoles and name-brand shoe inserts just about anywhere these days—pharmacies, convenience stores, major retailers. The slickest of the bunch will boast on the packaging about anti-bacterial coating, space-age foam construction, and other apparent technological marvels.

None of them are going to tell you that, when it comes to tough foot pain and misaligned feet, custom orthotics will likely provide significantly better relief for a far longer period of time.

The advantages of skipping the prefabricated store inserts and choosing a custom orthotic are numerous:

• They fit better. Your standard inserts are all mass-produced to fit only the most common foot shapes, and even then only approximately. By contrast, custom orthotics are made precisely to your unique specifications.
• They work better, and can do more. Because custom orthotics fit better, they can do a better job providing the exact amount of auxiliary arch support and shock needed by your feet. But custom orthotics can also realign your feet (and, by extension, bones and joints all the way up your body). They can even restrict abnormal or excess roll or motion in your walking stride so that you maintain a biomechanically correct gait.
• They last longer. Your typical store-bought insert might give you a few months of use. After that, they wear down or lose their effectiveness, and you have to buy another—if they even still have the size or model you need! By comparison, custom orthotics that are well cared for can last years, and can usually be periodically repaired, refurbished, or refit to retain their effectiveness.

Of course, not all custom orthotics are created equal, either. Certain brands and laboratories are better than others, and of course if your physician doesn’t know how to measure your feet under the best possible conditions, the fit won’t be as good as it could be.

At Omega Medical Group (OMG), we take our custom orthotics very seriously. Dr. Marizeli Olacio is extremely careful about getting the right measurements. We also proudly use total contact orthotics, which not only help realign your feet while you’re standing and walking, but also when you’re not bearing weight. This will help you get the maximum benefit from your orthotics.

To schedule an appointment with us at either of our offices, please give us a call today at (305) 514-0404. You can also request an appointment by completing our online form.