If you need an Orthotic Expert in Ontario CA, visit www.FootKneeBack.com. For more information about Orthoses and Foot Doctors in Ancaster, Ontario CA, see www.theorthoticexpert.com.

1. Orthotics Canada | Frequently Asked Questions
Common Terms
Orthotic – a single device
Orthoses – plural of orthotic or “a pair of orthoses”
Orthotics – common plural form of orthotic
Foot Care Professionals – Pedorthitist, Orthotist, Podiatrist, Chiropodist
Aren’t All Orthotics Basically the Same?
I wish that were the case but it’s not.
There are huge differences in the quality of workmanship, research, casting techniques and
providers who dispense foot orthoses.
It’s as frustrating for legitimate orthotics providers as it is for the public that the regulations
surrounding foot orthoses are so loose.
Please refer to my article “7 Secrets of the Orthotic Industry” if you want all of the details on
the foot orthotic industry.
Nope. There is no such thing as an “orthotic shoe”.
Somewhere along the line, through creative marketing, an orthotics company started to
bundle prefabricated shoe inserts with footwear and relabeled the package as “orthotic
shoes” but that was just a deception to fool consumers and insurance companies.
The fact is that an orthotic is one thing and a shoe another. Simply putting an orthotic into a
shoe does not make them become one.
Let me answer this with the example of a more common “device”.

2. If you have a visual problem that is corrected by wearing glasses, do you wear the glasses
or avoid them because you become dependent on them?
If you have a biomechanical problem of the feet, wearing orthoses is like wearing glasses.
They correct the problem while they’re in your footwear and the problem still exists when
you remove them.
So are you dependent or just using a corrective device?
It depends. Not usually until the age of 8 and even then the condition would need to be
significant. If the child has a congenital problem and they are symptomatic, I may decide to
use orthoses, otherwise I monitor the child until teenage hood and decide then.
There are no hard and fast rules about when foot orthoses need to be replaced. No two
people wear out their shoes at the same rate and orthoses are much the same with
replacement periods being as short as 1 year and as long as 5.
Long distance runners, those who work on their feet, those who may have gained 20 or
more lbs of body weight and highly active people tend to flatten their orthoses more quickly.
The orthotics I use are uniquely designed to match each person’s body mass, which is the
ingredient that keeps them comfortable and is also the factor that allows the plastic to
“creep” (or drop) over time.
Here are a few indications that your orthotics need replacement:
1. It has been longer than 5 years. Many feet change over a 5-year period. So if you have
some form of progressive change, then 5 years is a maximum.
2. If you experience a return of your original symptoms. In other words, the return of the
pain in your heel or arch or knee after years of relief, may indicate a need for
replacement.

3. 3. The orthoses appear flatter than you remember them. It’s not uncommon for orthoses to
flatten 1 cm in a year for those who are really active. That translates to an extra 1 cm of
improper movement with each step.
How long will it take to get used to my Orthotics?
We discuss a “ break-in period” when you are first given your orthotics. This simply refers to
the time it takes to wear the orthoses comfortably all day.
Interestingly, there is no single answer and it’s not possible to predict who will comfortably
wear orthoses immediately and who will need several weeks of gradually increasing wear.
There does not appear to be any correlation between gender or age or activity level or
symptoms that helps to predict the “break-in” period.
A reasonable rule of thumb is that the orthoses should be comfortable for full-day wear
around the 2-week mark. If it takes longer than 2 weeks, it would be wise to come back to
the clinic. Minor modifications to the orthoses are sometimes necessary and usually allows
for full day use.
“I have bunions. It must be because I wore the wrong shoes as a child.”
This is a statement that those who work in foot care have heard hundreds of times from
people with lumps on their big toes.
Rest assured, it has nothing to do with your shoes and everything to do with poor foot
biomechanics (the way your foot interacts with the ground).
Bunions are especially common in those who have very mobile flat arches where the
muscle that pulls the big toe down into the ground is overpowered by the one the pulls the
big toe towards the others.

4. Plenty of ladies who wear pointy-toed higher heels do not end up with bunions. By the same
token, in cultures where people do not wear shoes at all, there are plenty who do have
bunions. So clearly shoes cannot be to blame. Top
Many people ask whether there are advantages to getting 2 pair of orthotics at the same
time or back-to-back years and indeed there are.
They include the following:
1. Alternating use of orthotic pairs each day allows drying between uses and helps to
control foot odor. It’s the warm moisture that allows bacteria to thrive inside a shoe so
complete drying of the shoe and its orthotic keeps the problem under control.
2. Two pair means half the wear and tear on each pair over the period of time they
normally need to be replaced. So if you would ordinarily replace orthoses every 2 years,
you may be fine for 4 years alternating between 2 pair.
3. Many people only use a few pair of shoes on a weekly basis so it’s a matter of
convenience to leave a pair in your work shoes and a pair for your casual/sports shoes.
4. Many, if not most clinics, offer some form of discount for second sets ordered at the
same time. It may end up being cheaper to order sets of 2 over the long run.
If you need an Orthotic Expert in Ontario CA, visit www.FootKneeBack.com. For more
information about Orthoses and Foot Doctors in Ancaster, Ontario CA, see
www.theorthoticexpert.com.
Other articles you will find interesting:
What You Need to Know About the Orthotics Industry
Ancaster Orthotics | The Real Cost of “Free” Shoes