Orthotics (Insoles)

Who Needs Prescription Orthotics (medical insoles)?

Problems in Gait, how we ‘roll through the foot from heel to toe’  can cause a chain reaction and cause problems in the feet and also further up the body, Including the knees, hips and lower back.

The symptoms of poor foot mechanics can include any one of the following:

• Localised foot pain
• Bunions, Morton’s neuroma, hammer toes
• Plantar Fasciitis (severe heel pain), Arch pain
• Leg/knee pain
• Hip or back pain – even neck pain

To help with the diagnosis I use a state of the art foot scanner to analyse your Gait combined with many years of experience and knowledge of Gait Analysis & Orthotic Therapy.

What Can I Do?

I can then prescribe custom Orthotics (medical insoles) to help correct your specific foot and body imbalance.

By discussing any nagging foot, heel, Achilles, knee, hip or back problems, and even by simply asking if your feet could be part of the problem it will be the first step to helping resolve some of your discomforts.

What actually is an Orthotic?

Custom Made prescription Orthotics (Medical Insoles)

A custom orthotic is a bespoke individually made device just for your feet.  It is designed to align the foot and ankle into the most anatomically efficient position. They look like insoles, but are bio-mechanical medical appliances that are custom made to correct your specific foot imbalance.  The thermoplastic body of the custom orthotic helps to re-align the foot by redirecting and reducing certain motion that takes place during the gait cycle.

Custom orthotics work on your feet much like glasses work on your eyes – they reduce stress and strain on your body by bringing your feet back into proper alignment. 

Custom orthotics fit into your shoes as comfortably as an insole – and they have the advantage of having been made from precise scans of your feet.  They maintain their shape unlike a normal over the counter insole. 

What conditions can it treat?

• Localised foot pain
• Plantar fasciitis (severe Heel pain)
• Heel spurs. 
• Bunions (Big Toe Joint) 
• Hammer toes  
• Mortons Neuroma  
• Metatarsalgia (forefoot pain)
• Arch pain
• A feeling of rolling in or rolling out when you walk
• A feeling of instability when you walk, balance becoming worse
• Achilles tendonitis
• Shin splints
• Knee pain  
• Hip & IT Band discomfort
• Lower back pain 
• Arthritis in feet, knees or hips
• Knee and hip Bursitis
• Diabetes to reduce press from areas of the feet to prevent ulcers 
• Poor posture
• Walking /Running uncomfortable
• Repeated sports injuries like shin splints & Achilles tendonitis

If you’d like to know how Orthotics work and how they could help with your health watch the video below

Gait Scanner

What is TOG Gait Scan?

Why is TOG Gait Scan so important?

Your foot is in contact with the ground for about 0.8 of a second when walking and about 0.25 seconds when running.  Imagine trying to  determine normal or abnormal foot function with the naked eye in a quater of a second?  This is too difficult for even the most experienced practitioner.  The GaitScan system records your timing sequences during normal gait as you walk or run across the pressure plate.  This enables myself to have a clear picture of your foot mechanics and detemine whether you would benefit from wearing custom made foot orthotics.

How does Gait scan work?

1. Scans the Foot

As you stand and then walk across the pressure plate, thousands of tiny sensors capture the distribution of pressure of your foot over time.

2. Maps Foot Pressure

From your step, the computer displays 2D and 3D visual representations of the pressure under your foot.  You can see where you have too much or too little pressure.

3. Print a Report

The information is then summarised in a report that can be printed or emailed for you to see.   The report findings will help me evaluate your foot function and determine if the pain you are experiencing is related to faulty foot function.

4. Determines the need for Orthotic Therapy

The information from this report will assist me to determine if you need orthotic therapy and this will be discussed clearly and in detail with you and with no obligation.

5.  Data is sent to the Laboratory

If it is determined that you will benefit from orthotic therapy your information is then sent securely to the laboratory in Canada.  From there your custom made orthotics are manufactured specifically for you and your foot.

Treatment Process

Thinking that Orthotics might be for you? Here is the process with our clinic.

Have Your Feet Scanned

Your feet will be scanned to decide if you will benefit from orthotics.

Your results will be shown to you and I will explain what they mean, and how the findings might affect some of the issues you are having.

Choose Your Orthotics

There are various types of orthotics available which fit various types of shoes, boots and trainers, this will be explained to you along with their prices (also available on this website).

You won’t have to decide at that point if you wish to purchase anything, you can always come back at a later date.

Receive Your New Orthotics

A few weeks after you order, your orthotics will arrive, you’ll be asked to come and collect them with a short consultation and fitting, which usually only takes about 10-20 minutes.

Then you will need to start wearing them regularly as explained in the consultation, and generally after a few weeks of following this advice, you’ll start to feel the improvement.

The Price

First appointment will cost £38.00 This will take between 60 to 90 minutes.

It will include a biomechanical assessment & a gait scan. The results of the scans will be discussed to decide if you would benefit from wearing orthotics. 

There is no obligation to purchase but if you wish to go ahead and purchase a pair of orthotics a non-returnable deposit for £140.00 will be required at this stage or before the order is placed for you.

Second appointment – Once the orthotics arrive from the laboratory you will have a fitting appointment and the remaining balance of £220.00 will need to be paid.

£25.00 for leather top cover. 

I regret I am unable to accept credit cards or debit cards but can accept cheques and cash or direct  BACS payment into bank account.

Please note:-

• I supply the very best orthotics. The outer shell has a life time guarantee.
• Orthotics can be moved from one pair of shoes to another.
• Periodically you will need to return your devices so they can be sent to the lab for refurbishing (putting new top covers, heel posts, bottom covers etc)  There is an additional charge for this from approx £59.00 plus P+P.  For the first 6 months should they need refurbishing this would be done free of charge.
• With proper care most devices will last a very long time.  I use labs mostly in the USA or Canada which produce very high quality orthotic products. 
• Usually the time from sending the scans until I receive the orthotics is about 2-3 weeks.
• Patients should realise that some conditions have developed over many years and will not disappear overnight! Treatment takes time and commitment from the practitioner and patient.