Orthotics are custom designed and manufactured devices that are used to correct and help position the foot to aid foot posture and reduce stress on the foot. This, if done correctly, can lead to a relief in pain and related sypmtoms of many foot, ankle, leg, knee and hip related problems.

Orthotics are NOT insoles.

And Insoles are NOT Orthotics.

There is a trend in Ireland to call ANY insole an ‘orthotic’ when is is not.

Insoles are just a predefined shape that is trying to contour the foot to a so-called ‘normal’ foot shape. This does not correct foot position in a biomechanical manner like custom made orthotics.

For example, the majority of people who are described as being ‘flat footed’ are not. Their foot takes up a flattened position because of the instability of the ankle to support the bodies weight and the arch will flatten out under the rotational ‘push’ of the ankle ‘rolling’ in. Just using an ‘insole’ does not correct the ankle position but incorrectly just tries to ‘stop’ the arch moving down.

In most cases the result is unsatisfactory.

To correct pure biomechanical conditions a ‘custom foot orthotic’ is needed.

This is not to say that insoles don’t have a place – they do, but too many so-called clinicians are providing inadequate insoles where custom correction is needed from a ‘real’ custom orthotic device.