Orthotics

If you regularly experience foot, leg, or ankle pain, consider orthotics. Orthotics are especially helpful if your pain affects your mobility or quality of life. At High Desert Limb Salvage Institute in San Bernardino, Indio, and Apple Valley, California, wound care specialist Norris Morrison, DPM, regularly partners with podiatry labs in the area to design and create custom orthotics. Call High Desert Limb Salvage Institute and make an appointment or book online today.

What are orthotics?

Orthotics are prescription medical devices that you slip inside of your shoes. They look similar to the heel pads and inserts you find at the grocery store or pharmacy. The difference is that orthotics support the unique biomechanical structure of your feet. Depending on your needs, they can help cushion your arches, provide heel support, or take pressure off the ball of your foot. 

What types of problems can orthotics help treat?

High Desert Limb Salvage Institute uses orthotics to treat various foot and ankle problems, including:

• Arthritis
• Bunions
• Bursitis
• Diabetic wounds and ulcers
• Flat feet
• Hammertoes
• Heel spurs
• High arches
• Plantar fasciitis

You might also benefit from orthotics if you suffer a sports injury and need additional foot or ankle support during the healing process.

What are the types of orthotics?

High Desert Limb Salvage Institute offers several types of orthotics, including:

Rigid orthotics

Rigid orthotics are hard and inflexible. They’re made from materials like plastic or carbon fiber and slip inside closed-toed shoes. Your provider might recommend rigid orthotics if you experience heel, arch, or leg pain.

Soft orthotics

Soft orthotics are padded and made from cushion-like materials. They’re larger than rigid orthotics and typically require prescription shoes. Soft orthotics take pressure off of sensitive areas, such as open wounds, diabetic ulcers, or blisters.

What does getting orthotics involve?

At High Desert Limb Salvage Institute, getting orthotics takes two visits several weeks apart. 

Your provider reviews your medical records, asks about your symptoms, and completes a podiatry exam. They also conduct a gait analysis – a special test that analyzes the way you walk. 

If your provider determines that you’re a candidate for orthotics, they take 3D-digital impressions of your feet. They then send your impressions to a podiatry lab that creates your custom orthotics.

When the lab finishes your custom orthotics, two or three weeks later, you return to High Desert Limb Salvage Institute. Your provider has you try on the orthotics and walk around the exam room. Then, they make adjustments, ensure a perfect fit, and explain how to keep your orthotics in optimal condition.

To learn more about orthotics, call High Desert Limb Salvage Institute or book online today.