Custom Orthotic Inserts & Shoes

What are orthotic inserts?

Orthotic inserts are insoles that can be placed into your footwear which alters the way your foot engages with the ground. By changing the way your foot interacts with the ground, the alignment and loads going through joints above the foot such as your ankle, knee and hip can also be changed.

Orthotic inserts can be generic, such as those purchased over the counter at pharmacies or other stores, or custom. Custom orthotic inserts are tailored to your individual needs and issues, and are made and fitted by a podiatrist.

Alignment and knee osteoarthritis

Whilst the development of knee osteoarthritis is multi-factorial, an important contributing factor is the alignment of the knee – excessive malalignment of the knee may hasten the development of knee osteoarthritis by placing additional loads through the medial or lateral compartments. As the knee joint sits between the hip and foot-ankle complex, positioning of those joints can influence the alignment of the knee joint.

Orthotic inserts for knee osteoarthritis

Orthotic inserts may help reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis by modifying lower limb alignment to offload the painful part of the joint. Additionally, some orthotic inserts can also provide additional cushioning, which can aid with shock absorption during walking.

Are orthotic inserts for you?

Orthotic inserts are not a blanket recommendation for all patients with knee osteoarthritis – it is best to consult your healthcare provider to see if you might benefit from wearing one.