3D-Printed Custom Orthoses
The pinnacle of orthotic technology.
As an advance Podiatry practice, we strive to offer the widest array of orthotic options for our patients. These devices are a mainstay of Podiatry practice that can help an enormous array of problems in the feet ankles and lower limbs by offloading painful and injured tissues whilst we work with you to get back to the activity you love. From a huge selection of off-the-shelf devices, to our in-house Sidas custom orthoses service to the most cutting-edge devices available anywhere thanks to our expert lab partners. If you require foot orthoses, you’re in good hands.
In our strive to innovate, 3D technology exists in two key stages of your custom foot orthoses journey with us. The first is in the precise capturing of the dimensions of your foot which we achieve using 3D scanning technology. No more messy plaster of Paris or foam boxes sitting in the post office, just a very clever device fitted to an iPad and we’re good to go! A detailed prescription is then filled out digitally and sent with the scan straight to the lab ready to be designed to our exact specifications and 3D printed to create a durable and beautifully finished device to help you on your road for recovering from foot and ankle pain.
Good for your feet and the environment!
We now choose 3D-printing as standard for all our lab-made devices for 2 big reasons:
By printing a device from scratch, we are not tethered to the limitations of traditional manufacturing techniques. New design features allow us to incorporate stiffening or flex zones across the shell of a device so the resistance changes at different points. As Podiatrist with in-depth knowledge of foot mechanics, we get very excited about this as it allows us to alter the loading of joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles with a level of precision that was out of our reach before now.
3D-printing has also completely changed the environmental impact of foot orthoses for the better. Something we all must take very seriously. Traditional manufacturing techniques involve milling large blocks of plastic down the required shape and discarding of the remaining material - usually in excess of 80% waste! By building a device from scratch using only the material needed, there is minimal excess/waste material - now less than 4% and improving all the time.
Getting you back on your feet.
Foot orthoses of all shapes and sizes represent an important tool in the rehabilitation. tool box. The primary goal of orthotic therapy is to change where load is distributed through the tissues in your foot, ankle and lower limb. By reducing the load on an injured structure we are aiming to give it the opportunity to heal more effectively. Custom foot orthoses represent our best and most evidence-informed way of achieving just this. From tendon pain to arthritis, to ligament strains and bony injuries, custom foot orthoses can completely change the game in rehabilitation.
As always this only works well in the long term if we also gradually expose the body to stress/load again in a thoughtful manner that gives it something to respond and adapt to. The goal is not for your orthoses to be a life-long crutch. Rather they are a helping hand which, for many conditions, will not be needed forever. That said, in more advanced foot and ankle conditions that are not easily reversible, there is definitely a place for ongoing support. This is where the incredible durability of 3D-printed custom foot orthoses become our treatment of choice.
Guide Prices
£285 including 3D scan, prescription writing, lab fees and fitting appointment
