Orthotic Devices

Orthotic Device Varieties

At Walk Without Pain Podiatry Clinics in Brisbane, we use a variety of techniques and technologies for making foot orthotic devices depending on your requirements. We are not financially entwined with any one orthotic lab, so we can access a variety of options that meet your needs.

Fully Functional Foot Orthotic Devices

For those patients who require full strength orthotic inserts in Brisbane, we mostly use computer-aided design and manufacture (CADCAM) technology. This method allows for thinner orthotics and more shoe choices, particularly for sleeker shoes such as women’s footwear and soccer boots. It also means that we can choose how much flexibility (ie bounciness) can be built into the plate.  This is not possible with older style orthotic manufacture processes and is a good option for many people as it allows for in-built shock absorption and dramatically cuts down the need to ‘get used to’ your orthotic. The lifespan of these devices is ~ 5 years of normal use.  Prices for this (and all of our other) orthotic options are kept up to date on our Fees page.

Orthotic Shoes

Instead of reading about what sort of ‘Nanna shoes’ will best suit the orthotics we gave you, wouldn’t you rather read about what sort of orthotics we can provide to best suit your footwear?  By using a CADCAM manufacture process, our fully functional foot orthotics can be (and usually are) as little as 3.4 mm thick.  Due to the flexible nature of the plate, they can be worn without padding that will otherwise take up valuable space.  There are also two other choices smaller than this if space in your orthotic shoes is really at a premium.

Cheaper Orthotic Options

Our clinics offers three orthotic options where cost is an important factor.

[1] The Component Orthotic: This is the cheapest option available at Walk Without Pain Podiatry Clinics in Brisbane. Prefabricated orthotic components are selected dependant on your needs and combined to bring about the best orthotic fit without being custom made. The advantages are that this option is cheaper and quicker – it can usually be made during your appointment. The disadvantages of this option are that the resultant orthotic is fairly chunky and is not suitable for sleeker shoes. The thickness of the plate is not customisable and is more firm than we would usually choose in our custom made devices.

[2] The Measured Orthotic: Using 14 variables, the podiatrist will use a very high-tech computer program to model your feet. Your custom made orthotics are then made from this model.  All of the variables are customisable such as thickness, flexibility, fit, contour and degree of correction. They are cheaper than our standard option (around half the cost) but are not quite as accurate as the fully functional devices. We estimate that most of the time they are ~ 85% as good.  This would be discussed fully with you by your Podiatrist during your appointment prior to deciding to proceed this way.  This option is popular with parents of growing children and reduces the cost of a series of orthotics markedly.

[3] Copythotic™: The third cost-saving orthotic device type is our patented (pending) Copythoticª technique which reinterprets an existing orthotic device to create a totally new orthotic. This can literally make just about any shoe and orthotic shoe.

As most of the information that is needed about you has already been captured in your original orthotic device, creating a Copythotic™ may be up to 60% cheaper than your original orthotics were. We can use orthotics that were made by other podiatry clinics and can modify the orthotics to some degree to correct problems in the original devices.

The original orthotics are not damaged during the process. As a Copythotic™  literally is a copy of an orthotic, to use this option, you would need to have existing orthotics that can be brought to our podiatrists. More can be learned at Custom Orthotics page.

Softer orthotics

Copythotic orthotics can an be as firm or as soft as we want them to be.

A Copythotic™device is made from a selection of materials. In combining these, they can be made anywhere on the continuum from hard to soft. We have found that around 40% of our customers decide to see us  because their previous devices have been uncomfortably hard.

Smaller & Thinner Orthotic Devices

More often than not, our standard orthotics will be small, sleek and flexible enough to work with normal shoes.  If you have very specific requirements or if you have existing orthotics that are too chunky for your footwear style, we can offer another option.

Copythotics can be made to literally any dimension we require. Any existing orthotic can be reinterpreted to fit into 95% of shoes. Keep in mind though, some options will reduce the efficiency of the orthotic and individual assessment and advice will be provided to you.  Around 60% of our patients have chosen to use Copythotics because their existing orthotics did not fit into their existing or desired types of footwear.

Simple insoles

This is a lesser option where an orthotic is not needed. Custom made insoles can be used for relieving corns, reducing pressure areas and treating milder foot complaints. Read More