Choosing the Right Orthotic Provider
Choosing an Orthotic Clinic and provider that best suits your needs can be stressful and intimidating. There are a large number of clinics that provide this service but before you make a decision here are some tips that may help
1. Always choose a registered and certified professional that has vast experience in prescribing and making custom foot orthotics. Chiropodist and Podiatrist are by far one of the most trained professional in the field of the foot. Having extensive training in the lower limb and the foot. The foot specialist will complete a complete and comprehensive assessment. This includes:
Complete history of symptoms
A full biomechanical assessment
A gait analysis
Foot wear assessment
2. Ensure that your orthotic provider is capable of providing you all the paperwork needed for your benefit reimbursement as many insurance companies only allow paperwork from a qualified medical profesional. Important insurance paperwork needed to submit your claim:
Biomechanical assessment
Gait analysis
Prescription
Lab invoice
3. How your foot impression is taken is extreamly important. A true custom orthotic should be manufactured from a 3D model. Currently there are a few ways f capurting an foot inpression in a 3D form. The most common and less messy way is a 3D laser scan. This high tech machine captures the perfect and unique mold of your foot in less than a minute. Another form of caputuring your foot is a plaster cast of your foot. Many Chiropodist and Podiatrist continue to use this method but it can be very messy and time consumming. There is also the foam impression. This form is also 3D but many foot professionals do not use it as it is very hard to capture the foot in a neutral position while having to press down on the foot and many times the arch is not taken appropriately.
4. Custom made foot orthotics take approximately 2-3 weeks to be manufactured. If a clinic states they can provide you with an orthotic in less than that time it is most likely the orthotic are not custom made but are from a library. A library orthotic is one that creates an orthotic from a near almost match to your foot from a large amount of premade orthotics.
5. The provider should have the capability to make adjustments in their own clinic. On occasion, orthotics may need to return to the lab for bigger adjustments but small adjustments should be made in house.