Foot Orthoses

A prescription foot orthoses is an in-shoe brace which is designed to correct for abnormal foot and lower extremity function [the lower extremity includes the foot, ankle, leg, knee, thigh and hip]. In correcting abnormal foot and lower extremity function, the prescription foot orthoses reduces the strain on injured structures in the foot and lower extremity, allowing them to heal and become non-painful. In addition, prescription foot orthoses help prevent future problems from occurring in the foot and lower extremity by reducing abnormal or pathological forces acting on the foot and lower extremity.

Podiatrists prescribe two main types of prescription foot orthoses for their patients, accommodative orthoses and functional foot orthoses.

Accommodative Foot Orthoses

Accommodative foot orthoses are used to cushion, pad or relieve pressure from a painful or injured area on the bottom of the foot. They may also be designed to try to control abnormal function of the foot.

Accommodative orthoses are useful in the treatment of painful callouses on the bottom of the foot, diabetic foot ulcerations, sore bones on the bottom of the foot and other types of foot pathology.

Functional Foot Orthoses

Functional foot orthoses are used to correct abnormal foot function and, in so doing, also correct for abnormal lower extremity function.

Functional foot orthoses are useful in the treatment of a very wide range of painful conditions of the foot and lower extremities. Big toe joint and lesser toe joint pain, arch and instep pain, ankle pain and heel pain are commonly treated with functional foot orthoses.

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