The Mount Joy Foot Clinic & Orthotic Centre prescribes and dispenses custom foot orthotics. Orthotics are medical devices that are worn inside the shoe to control abnormal foot function, enhance normal foot motion and/or accommodate painful areas of the foot. A proper custom orthotic compensates for abnormal foot function by controlling abnormal joint motion in our feet. This results in significant improvement in pain symptoms. The orthotics your Chiropodist provides are custom-made for your feet and prescribed based on your need. Proper foot orthotics should only be prescribed following a thorough biomechanical assessment and gait analysis by a trained Chiropodist or Podiatrist.

Foot orthotics dispensed at the Mount Joy Foot Clinic are custom made for your feet, they should not be confused with off-the-shelf arch supports. These may help the occasional patient with minor arch discomfort, but they frequently fail because they are unable to properly control foot function. Custom foot orthotics are made from a three dimensional plaster impression of both your feet. Gait scans and foam boxes do not accurately capture a three dimensional impression of your feet and often lead to poor orthotics. Orthotics fabricated from these impressions rarely matches the correct foot and ankle position. The consumer should beware of individuals with little or no training, who hold themselves out as experts on foot problems and orthotics.

Orthotics will control abnormal position and enhance normal motion of your foot. This will help reduce and eliminate your pain and discomfort, and prevent the development of additional foot and ankle deformities. Orthotics will not change the underlying structure of the adult foot but do help to train muscles and ligaments to work more efficiently. When orthotics are not worn (e.g. at home), abnormal foot position and function returns. They are analogous to the use of prescription eye glasses.