Let’s Talk Orthotics

Soft / Flexible Orthotics – Ethyl Vinyl Acetate

• Great for inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis
• Offloads pressure areas on the ball of the foot and is less likely to cause rubbing
• Easily modified orthotic with good shock absorption and very comfortable
• Modern technology used to scan the feet, use CAD CAM technology
• Some considerations for this orthotic are; generally bulkier (better in lace up style shoes), tend to have a shorter life (flatten easily) and this type of orthotic is reliant on the structure of a supportive shoe to support the foot

Hard Orthotics – Polypropylene or Carbon Fibre Semi Rigid Orthotics

• Low profile (thin) so can fit in to most shoe styles, last at least 3-5 years
• We us the latest Digital Printing technology to make the orthotic (CAD CAM technology) and once created the orthotic can be easily adjusted
• Very well tolerated and not dependent on the structure of the shoe for support
• Some considerations for this orthotic are; some patients find the orthotic a bit hard underfoot and can take longer to adjust, may squeak in shoes (but this can be easily addressed by our Podiatrists)

Hybrid – Combination of Both Hard and Soft / Flexible Orthotics

• Our Podiatrists are using hybrid orthotics much more as they combine the best of both the soft and hard types of orthotics.
• A very thin, hard material that is laminated on top and below with soft EVA is used
• Work especially well for sporting activities that require a combination of control of the foot and cushioning, for example; basketball and netball players of all levels.