ORTHOTICS

Functional Custom vs. Over the Counter

Both have their time and place!

Your foot is made up of 26 bones and over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons. No wonder there’s a lot of different options when it comes to orthotics. The one thing they all have in common is the goal of correcting over-pronation, which has been shown to be a predisposing factor for a number of injuries ranging from foot and knee pain to low back pain. As with most things, when it comes to orthotics, we’ve got options to suit your needs and together we can figure out what works best for your training, your budget, and your goals.

*Current patients - custom orthotic fitting can be done as part of your regular appointment. Just book a little extra time to do the scanning/exam; if you usually like a quick appointment, book the regular, and regular folks please book the plus appointment. If you’re not a patient of Nolan S&F Chiro, but are interested in orthotics, feel free to book an orthotic-fit appointment and we can see what suits you best. We are the only ones around with this technologically advanced unit, so while we can, we want to spread the good foot-vibes!

Custom, Functional orthotics

Retail: $450 - $550

Introductory Patient pricing:

$350 for 1 Pair*

$595 for 2 pairs*

The Cadillac of orthotics, these are as good as a custom orthotic gets. The end product utilizes a carbon base plate, with multiple types of foam shaped to accommodate your foot’s unique physical characteristics, as well as how you move. We do this by scanning your foot in several different positions, and then (this is the cool, innovative part) we use a force plate to incorporate gait, balance, and proprioception; we track how weight is moving through your foot during all these components. Our force plate produces pressure maps of your foot, so we see if any areas are getting extra stress or not being used, and can also compare your left foot to your right. We combine this data with any symptoms you’re having and then build the orthotic from there. We can stimulate parts of your foot and offload others, add a lift here, or a spring there - all kinds of options. This brand of orthotic design really modernizes the approach as the force plate changes the game; it’s a great use of technology, allowing us to facilitate your own body's ability to recover and perform optimally. You can name the shoe your going to use them in, or the activity for which these will be used, for an even more customized fit (this includes actually fitting anatomical toe box footwear!). We can create an orthotic as thin as 2mm for cleats, ski boots, or dress shoes; or size up to 6mm for work/hiking boots. While Dr. Jenn has a casual pair, a running pair and awaiting a pair for her soccer cleats, you’ll get the most bang for your buck by putting these into your daily footwear; think of them as a training device for your feet.

*Don’t be fooled by the lower than average cost for a custom pair of orthotics, you won’t find a more comprehensive, modern orthotic and certainly not in this price range. At Nolan S&F Chiropractic, we specialize in your overall physical health and are pleased to offer these orthotics to our patients at below market value as they represent part of your healthcare plan. Selling orthotics is not how we keep the lights on - keeping you moving toward your physical goals is our specialty and this is just one piece of that journey!

Over the Counter/Prefabricated Orthotics - $55

These orthotics that are created based on a generic “last” (mold of the foot) and contain enough support to offset 4-7 degrees of over-pronation. If you’ve never tried orthotics, OTC’s can be a good starting block as they’re much less expensive than the custom version, costing only $55 per pair. Some folks go with a combined approach, using a custom orthotic in the shoes they wear the most, have the most demand (i.e. your daily walkers/sport/workout/training shoes), or have the most specific fit requirement; and OTC’s in their other shoes to avoid having to move your orthotics from shoe to shoe. The downside of OTC’s is that their lifespan is shorter than customs, often lasting about 6 months before needing to be replaced.