Many people are hearing about the wonders of orthotics. Orthotics help people with chronic problems in the feet, knees, hips and low back. They aren’t just for runners anymore.

There are two types of orthotics commonly available, functional and accommodative.

Accommodative orthotics are a semi, or fully-rigid insert that support the foot in a pathomechanical position. This is not conducive to the proper biomechanics of gait. They are uncomfortable to wear and thus patient compliance is low. They do, however, look great in that pile of things at the bottom of your closet.

The feet are supposed to pronate and supinate at specific moments during the gait cycle. This is necessary for tibial rotation on the femur, and moving upstream eversion and antiversion of the hips. Without proper joint motion, the joints above and below the mechanical problem don’t do their job and create unnecessary wear and tear on the affected joints. This is called Serial Distortion.

In my office I manufacture only functional orthotics which work WITH the above mentioned physics of gait. After a thorough examination, we adjust the feet so they are functioning properly. This restores proper biomechanics of the lower extremity and the shock absorption of the spine. We then construct orthotics that support the foot in the sub-talar neutral position. This allows the foot to have the full pronation and supination that are vital to the normal mechanics of gait. My orthotics are flexible and move with you when you walk. They are not only comfortable to wear, but are also bio-mechanically correct. I find them on my patient’s feet rather than on the floor of their closet.

I have numerous patients who had not been able to overcome their low back conditions without the addition of orthotics to their treatment plan. Orthotics support the kinetic chain of the lower limb allowing us to stabilize the pelvis and spine.

Whether you are a competitive athlete or a weekend warrior, you need your legs and low back to be at their best. As my Orthotic making Mentor once said, “Fifty percent of your patients desperately need orthotics, the other fifty will merely benefit tremendously from having them.”