Orthotics: Store-Bought vs. Custom

Your feet do a lot for you, bearing the weight of your body while getting you from place to place. With so much responsibility, they might need some extra support — literally. 

That’s where orthotics come in. With these shoe inserts, you can alleviate a broad range of podiatric problems.

But that doesn’t mean you should head to your nearest pharmacy and grab a pair of over-the-counter orthotics. Store-bought and custom orthotics aren’t the same. With custom orthotics, our Rocky Mountain Foot & Ankle Center team — Dustin Kruse, DPM, MA, FACFAS, Matthew Paden, DPM, FACFAS, and Brett Sachs, DPM, FACFAS — give your foot precisely what it needs at our offices in Wheat Ridge, Granby, Evergreen, and Arvada, Colorado. 

Do you need custom orthotics, or will store-bought inserts do the trick? Use this guide to find out. 

When store-bought orthotics are enough

Generally, store-bought shoe inserts can help you achieve one important goal: adding cushioning to shoes that need it. If you have shoes with hard soles that bother your feet, a store-bought orthotic gives you an easy way to add a soft layer to that shoe.

Beyond that, though, store-bought orthotics usually fall short. That’s because they’re not fitted to your foot. 

When to get custom orthotics 

With a customized orthotic, your foot gets exactly what it needs, right where it needs it. That could be added arch support, cushioning in painful areas, or guidance so your foot works the way it should. Or it could be all of the above. 

When you visit us, Dr. Paden, Dr. Sachs, or Dr. Kruse uses a plaster mold to take an imprint of your foot. That way, we can customize the orthotic to fit precisely the way you need. 

We’ll give you either a functional or an accommodative orthotic. Functional orthotics are rigid inserts that guide your foot, helping it to correctly distribute weight as you walk. Accommodative orthotics provide protection and cushion for painful areas (like a bunion or neuroma). We make both types of orthotics from high-quality materials designed to last for years. 

With our custom orthotics, we can address a broad range of foot issues, including:

• Achilles tendinopathy
• Bunions
• Heel spurs
• Metatarsalgia
• Morton’s neuroma
• Plantar fasciitis
• Pronation
• Sesamoiditis
• Supination

In short, if you’re dealing with foot pain, pay us a visit. You may be able to solve your discomfort as easily as slipping some custom orthotics into your shoes. 

Are you ready to see what custom orthotics can do for your feet? To get started with the support you need, call one of our offices or request an appointment online today.