Has anyone had any success with orthotics? I have the type made out of leather, but don't know that they are really helping me. Has anyone tried the custom-made foot orthotics offered by Dr. Leonard's Healthcare Catalog? Any other suggestions?

I've been wearing prescription orthotics for a few months for my plantar fascitis. I feel much better, although I still have some pain. I think they're helping me.

Hi Hannah 111,
What material are your prescription orthotics made of ? Mine are made of leather, and seem to lose their support after about a year. I hope you have good luck with yours.
Bye, Ellis

[This message has been edited by ELLIS NISHIMOTO (edited 01-25-2001).]

I've been wearing perscription orthodics since November and feel much better. Mine are made of some type of synthetic polymer. The physical therapist who made them said they should last for about 5 years.

I am a practicing podiatrist who specializes in biomechanics of the foot and ankle. There aer several types of material that custom orthotics can be made out of. When I write for a pair of orthotics I take into account what type of foot my patient has and the type of pathology they have as well. If I feel a patient needs a really strong pair of orthotics to support a really flat foot then I will order a pair of rigid orthotics made from a carbon fiber type of material. These orthotics are very strong and will usually last several years. If the orthotics are for generalized foot / arch / heel pain and the patient is not extremely heavy, then I will order what we call a semiflexible orthotic. These orthotics are generally made from a thermoplastic composite material. Leather orthotics work great in the right circumstance. You're right they typically lose their shape and support after a year or so. This really adds up in cost too. I don't know how much you paid for them but I have seen people paying 150 bucks or more for leather orthotics. The orthotics I sell to my patients cost in between 150 and 200 dollars depending on what kind of orthotics I have to order. About theonly thing that ever needs replacing on these orthotics made out of carbon fiber or a thermoplastic is the cover which gives you cushion. This usually wears out in 2-3 years. If you live in a really humid environment like the southeast then this will usually happen. I happen to live in Florida and know this first hand. Good luck. I know very little about the company you were referring about in your original post. I use a true orthotic manafacturing company. Some companies will tell you to send them a copy of your foot, or an imprint made from vaseline or babyoil. I would be very suspicious about these types of companies. They cannot make a custom orthotic from this type of measurement. I will either make a cast impression of my patients feet or make a foam impression of my patients feet. Once I have this impression, I send it off to the orthotic company and they rebuild your foot, and then design and modify the orthotic to your foot model. Once this is finished, the product is sent to me for inspection and I then dispense it to the patient. I have a patient that moved out of state and needed to be recasted for orthotics so I mailed him an impression box which after stepping in, he mailed back to me. I then sent these impressions to the orthotic lab and they made his custom orthotics from those molds. The process takes roughly two weeks from start to finish. Sometimes a little longer by mail. Anyway, good luck.

Hi Gramery,

Thank you for the reply, and the information on the type of material your orthotic is made of.

Bye, Ellis

Hi Foot Pro,

Thanks for all the information on the types of orthotic's available, and the process for a proper fit. This will help in my search for a better orthotic.

Bye, Ellis