CUSTOM-MADE FOOTBEDS (ORTHOTICS)

FOOT CARE SERVICES, 'the Soletec Clinic' - offers three types of custom-made footbeds: Comfort EVA Orthotics and Prescriptive Polypropylene Orthotics and Comfort PU insoles.

All SOLETEC Orthotics are produced on the SOLETEC systems automated software and are designed to retain their functionality over a period of years.

1. Comfort Orthotics (Custom-made Insoles for enhanced comfort and support): These devices have no medical input and are designed to mirror the exact contours of the patients feet. Following an Initial Assessment, the patients feet will be individually scanned and then the Soletec system will design and send the scans to the Soletec laboroatory, where the resulting footbeds will be manufactured. Once fitted, these footbeds will fit perfectly to the footwear and feel tailor-made. By ensuring pressure is distributed evenly across both feet, the patients' circulation will improve and suffer fewer aches in the lower back and joints. Comfort Orthotics relieve many common foot conditions, including heel bruising, swollen feet, soreness, calf strain, achilles tendonitis and medial & lateral knee pain. They will also improve posture and ease jarring of the spine.
2. Prescriptive Orthotics (Custom-made Insoles with a corrective prescription to treat the dysfunctional foot): These corrective devices are designed to treat medical conditions and are usually made from a more rigid material. Following a Basic or Advanced Foot Analysis (see above) the patients' feet will be scanned by our biomechanist (foot specialist) who uses the medical software function to introduce a series of corrective alterations specifically designed to correct the dysfunctional foot. Once these corrections have been made, the Insoles are then automatically carved out in the Soletec Systems laboroatory. Prescriptive Orthotics are prescribed for many common foot complaints, including heel spur, chronic arch pain (plantar fasiitis), hammer-toe, blocked big-toe, excessive pronation & supernation, and osteoarthritis. (Note; some medical conditions, such as diabetes, might require prescriptive devices of a greater rigidity than can be created on site and which need to be fabricated by our specialist outside lab for fitting at a later date).

WHAT ARE ORTHOTICS & CUSTOM-MADE FOOTBEDS?

Orthotics - are medically prescribed custom-made Orthotics (insoles) that offer a prescriptive solution to an acute or long term ailment or dysfunction, by correcting the position of the foot into to a functional position without the pain.

Custom-made Insoles - are accommodative insoles, that do not correct or control the natural function of the foot, but offer an improved pressure distribution and increased comfort and cushioning for all styles of footwear.

To fully appreciate how an Orthotic works we have to understand how the foot functions during walking activity...

During each step 4 times the body weight is forced through the lower limb and through the feet - as the body begins propel itself forward. This last phase of the walking pattern is known as the ‘propulsive phase', the last action of three sub - actions that make up a' step' while walking.

• First Phase :

HEEL STRIKE

The vertical axis of the heel ideally should land perpendicular to the ground with a minimal incline of a few degrees to the lateral(outside) of the heel - this is the beginning of our natural ‘braking' mechanism of the walking cycle and the ‘heel strike' is the first slowing up of momentum, with the ‘fatty heel pad' acting as our natural shock absorber during this first phase.

• Second Phase :

MID STANCE

The weight on impact through the heel on the ground, is then transferred progressively along the ‘lateral border' (outside) of the foot. As the little toe or ‘Fifth Met Head' starts to meet the ground - the arch begins to flatten-out and the weight is progressively distributed towards the medial (inside)of the foot, with the heel beginning to lift off the ground again. This ‘Mid-Stance' phase happens extremely quickly and some time it is the speed of this phase that can create the resulting dysfunctions.

• Third Phase :

TOE OFF

As the heel lifts the weight is shifted to the medial forefoot ie the ‘First Met Head' (Ball of the big toe),and the generated propulsion from the previous two phases - pushes the limb and foot forwards into the ‘Toe-Off' action which inturn creates the propulsive motion.

Why Orthotics and why are more + more people wearing them?

With Gyms and Sport having a bigger effect on our daily life styles - more and more people are suffering from overuse conditions, varying from severe acute pain through to long-term chronic pain. Typical ailments such as;

Shin Splints, Achilles Tendonitis, Knee Pain, Back Pain, Heel Pain, Corns, Metatarsalgia, Sesamoiditis, Ankle sprains, Fallen Arches, Plantarfasciitis, Bunions and Toe Pain, plus others...

Can all be treated through biomechanics and the production of custom-made Orthotics.

What is biomechanics?

Biomechanics is the study of the Body(BIO) and the kinematics of the Skeleton(MECHANICS) - together in unison, medical Foot Specialists, can alleviate the stresses put on the feet through the daily ‘wear and tear' of living in today's urban environments of concrete and tarmac.

To prescribe any type of medical Orthotic a physical bio mechanical assessment is required. This involves looking at the skeletal structures of the lower limb and how they interact with the muscles and the tendons, during motion.

The treatment for a lot of the above and many more conditions can achieved through the prescription of an Orthotic. This is a device that is designed to restore the natural foot function - by realigning the foot and ankle bones to their neutral position, thus encouraging normal foot function.

A quality orthotic is always made from a medical grade material that has good memory and a molecular structure that will not lose it's function for at least 2-3 years.

The SOLETEC SYSTEMS medical grade materials, are chosen to cover three different functional needs for the Customer

1. Accommodative COMFORT custom-made Foot Bed - developed as a non- prescriptive custom-made foot bed, made out of specially ‘blown' medical grade EVA (Ethyl vinyl acetate). Ensuring even pressure distribution while offering enhanced foot bed cushioning and shock absorption. For the benefit of the everyday shoe wearer, who spends most of their time actively on their feet.
2. Semi-functional PRESCRIPTIVE custom-made Foot Bed - developed as a prescription custom-made Foot bed, made out of specially ‘blown' medical grade EVA (see above). The dysfunction is corrected in a non-invasive manner ie; more adjustment of the foot rather than correction. This is due to the softer properties of the EVA material configuration - which comes in 5 different densities; Soft, Medium, Hard, Combi 1- (Hind Foot (heel cup) - Hard, Mid-foot and Fore-Foot - Soft) and Combi 2 - Heel and Mid-foot - Hard, Fore- foot - Soft.
3. Rigid-functional PRESCRIPTIVE custom-made Foot Bed - developed as a prescriptive custom-made Foot bed. Correcting the dysfunction of the foot, in a more CONTROLLING manner ie; correction through the rigidity and positioning of the Orthotic material - Direct Milled through a ‘state-of-the-art' Cad/Cam system out of a block of Medical Grade Polypropylene or Nylon Acetate.