Custom Foot Orthotics

Your feet are the foundation of your entire skeletal system. Custom orthotics correct imbalances at the base, which can relieve pain and improve alignment throughout the body.

Your feet are the part of you that touches the ground, and they're the base every step is built on. A custom orthotic is a shoe insert made to the shape of your own foot rather than to an average one. It isn't the gel pad from the pharmacy aisle, which is built to a generic arch and mostly adds cushioning. A custom orthotic starts with an impression of your foot in a specific position, and the device is then built to that impression, with the arch and the support placed where your foot actually needs them. That's the whole difference: one is padding, the other is shaped to a particular pair of feet. The impression is what makes it yours, which is why we take it carefully rather than quickly.

People usually end up in a conversation about orthotics for one of a few reasons. They're on their feet all day on concrete at work and their arches and heels are done by the afternoon. They have flat feet or very high arches and have never found a shoe that feels right. They run, and one leg keeps complaining. Their shoes wear out in a lopsided pattern that's obvious once someone points it out. Or they came in for something else entirely, we watched them walk, and how the foot was loading turned out to be worth a closer look. Some people aren't hurting at all and simply want more support for a long day on their feet. Orthotics are one thing we may talk about in those situations, not the automatic answer to any of them.

Here's how the process works at our office on Wells Branch Parkway. First there's an exam, because we're not going to fit a device before understanding what's going on. We look at the feet themselves, at how you stand, and at how you walk. If custom orthotics make sense, we take the impression that day. The lab builds the device to that impression and it comes back to the office, typically in a couple of weeks. When they arrive you come in, we fit them into your shoes, you walk on them, and we make adjustments if something's off. New orthotics take some getting used to, so we send you home with a break-in schedule rather than telling you to wear them for a full workday straight away. You're welcome to ask what we're looking at while we're looking at it. The walking part in particular tends to be more interesting than people expect.

A few practical notes people always ask about. Orthotics work best in a shoe with a removable insole and a firm heel, so bring the shoes you actually spend your days in, and expect that a dress shoe, a work boot, and a running shoe may not all take the same pair. How long a device lasts depends on your weight, your job, and your mileage. And orthotics aren't a stand-alone plan. They change what's happening at the base while whatever else you're being seen for gets worked on in its own right. Chicoine Chiropractic has been on this corner of North Austin since 1989, and we see patients from Wells Branch, Pflugerville, and across North Austin. If you're wondering whether a particular pair of shoes will take an orthotic, bring them in rather than guessing. Call (512) 255-1777 if you want your feet looked at.