No Orthotics:

The term ‘orthotic’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘to make straight’. One of the objectives of orthotic therapy is to improve the mechanical relationship between bones. While orthotic therapy can do this very effectively, it is not a permanent solution. Orthotic therapy will only work while they are being worn.

	Before Treatment
	After Treatment

Note: Results shown in the above above were achieved through foot mobilisation and corrective exercises. These before and after results are not intended to represent or guarantee that everyone will achieve the same results. There are various forms of foot problems and individual results will vary greatly.

When your joints are artificially supported via orthotics, muscles usually don’t have to work so hard. When muscles are not actively working, they tend to atrophy (weaken, diminish). There is much argument within the podiatry profession whether orthotic therapy contributes to muscle weakening or strengthening.

Think of people who wear reading glasses. While being worn, the reader can see clearly but the glasses are not actually ‘fixing’ the eye problem. Over time, the evidence clearly shows that the eye muscles tend to weaken with long term glasses use. This is why the lenses tend to get stronger (thicker) over time.

Interestingly, podiatrists will often increase the level of ‘control’ orthotic devices needs (read: lenses get stronger) the longer orthotics are worn.

Foot & Leg Centre focus on correcting joint displacements and re-strengthening and re-stabilising the muscles of the feet and legs to prevent the need of orthotics.

The Foot & Leg Centre will prescribe orthotic therapy in the following circumstances:

1. Joint Hypermobility – hypermobile (excessive mobility) joint need stability, not more mobility and therefore orthotic therapy is the treatment of choice.
2. Tarsal or Joint Coalition (fusion between bones). No amount of joint mobilisation is going to change fusion of joints therefore orthotic therapy is the treatment of choice.
3. Structural Leg Length differences (where one leg bone is anatomically longer than the opposite leg bone) of more than 12 mm.
4. Where clients are unable to fulfil the requirements of Corrective Care.