CUSTOM FOOT ORTHOTICS, WHICH IS BEST? WEIGHT-BEARING OR NON-WEIGHT BEARING CASTING DISCUSSED BY DR. HARDY

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART IN THE CREATION OF A HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM ORTHOTIC IS MAKING SURE THAT THE PRESCRIPTION IS PROPERLY ADMINISTERED AND EXECUTED.  THIS REQUIRES THE SPECIALIST (DOCTOR, PODIATRIST, CHIROPODIST, CHIROPRACTOR, ETC.) TO BE HIGHLY SKILLED IN THE INS AND OUTS OF ORTHOTICS.  THEN IF YOU DO NOT DEAL WITH A REPUTABLE LAB THAT ONLY MANUFACTURES HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS YOU ARE LOST BEFORE YOU BEGIN.  

THE MAJORITY OF HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT PRESCRIBE HIGH QUALITY CUSTOM ORTHOTICS ONLY USE NON-WEIGHT BEARING CASTING METHODS.  YOU WILL FIND THAT WHEN ORTHOTICS ARE PRESCRIBED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT AS QUALIFIED OR WHO ARE NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE BIOMECHANICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE FOOT OR CUSTOM ORTHOTIC, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO OPT FOR THE WEIGHT BEARING METHOD AS LESS SKILL IS INVOLVED.  

UNLESS THE PATIENT HAS A PERFECT ARCH, CASTING THE PATIENT WEIGHT BEARING WILL PRODUCED A COMPRIMISED PRODUCT.  WHEN THE CASTING IS DONE NON-WEIGHT THE FOOT SPECIALISTS CAN PLACE THE FOOT IN THE CORRECT POSITION.

THERE ARE 3 FORMS OF CASTING AND MY FOOT CLINIC EMPLOYS ALL 3, WHICH ARE PLASTER, FOAM AND 3D COMPUTERIZED LASER.  I PREFER THE LASER AND IS THE ONE WE USE NEARLY EXCLUSIVELY.  IT IS MORE PRECISE, FASTER AND THERE IS NO MESS.  WE FIND THAT FEWER MODIFICATIONS ARE REQUIRED AND THE PRESCRIPTION IS SENT IMMEDIALTELY TO THE LAB VIA THE INTERNET, THEREFORE A FASTER TURN-AROUND TIME FOR THE PATIENT.  IF YOU HAVE A PATIENT SUFFERING FROM PLANTAR FASCIITIS, METATARSALGIA, HEEL PAIN, THEN RECEIVING THE FINISHED CUSTOM FOOT ORTHOTIC SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS EARLIER IS VERY IMMPORTANT. THE FASTER THEY GET THE PRODUCT, THE FASTER THEY CAN START TO HEAL.  THE LONGER THE CONDITION IS ALLOWED TO LINGER, THE MORE CHANCE THAT SECONDARY TISSUE AND DEGENERATIVE CHANGES WILL OCCUR.

AS EVERY PATIENT IS DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES, WEIGHT, AGE, ACTIVITY LEVEL, HEREDITARY FACTORS AND THE LIST GOES ON, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT NO 2 PEOPLE WILL RESPOND WITH 100% PREDICTABILITY.  SOME PATIENTS CANNOT TOLLERATE 100% CORRECTION AND MAY HAVE TO BE EASED INTO OVER SEVERAL PRESCRIPTIONS (ORTHOTICS).  SOME PATIENTS CAN'T TOLERATE CUSTOM ORTHOTIC EVER ALTHOUGH IS EXTREMELY RARE.  MOST PEOPLE WILL BEBIFIT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM ORTHOTICS.  

DR. HARDY'S FAMOUS SAYING IS 'NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM.'

IN DR. HARDY'S TORONTO FOOT CLINIC THE CASTING AND FITTING IS ALWAYS PERFORMED BY THE FOOT SPECIALIST AND IS NEVER ENTRUSTED TO ONE OF OUR TECHNICAL STAFF.  JUST ANOTHER WAY THAT WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND ALWAYS.

ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IS THAT IF THE PATIENT IS NOT HAPPY WITH HIS OR HER CUSTOM FOOT ORTHOTIC WE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ACCOMADATE YOU, INCLUDING MODIFYING, RECASTING TO THE PATIENT  IS SATISFIED AS MUCH AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE.  WE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU HANGING IN THE LURTCH, EVER!

I YOU OR A LOVED ONE REQUIRES HIGH QUALITY ADVICE OR CUSTOM ORTHOTICS, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT DR. HARDY'S TORONTO  FOOT CLINIC, ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS AT 416-465-8737.

REMEMBER, WE ALWAYS TREAT OUR PATIENTS LIKE FAMILY!