Your Feet Deserve Better

Orthotics Australia specialise in the manufacture of precision custom made Foot Orthotics.
Foot Orthotics are devices that fit inside your shoes to help stabilise and correct poor foot posture.

Here at Orthotics Australia we consider ourselves to be one of the market leaders in the manufacture of EVA Foot Orthotics.
Your orthotists that starts the treatment follows the treatment all the way through form casting, cast modifications, manufacture, fitting and reviews of the foot orthotics.
And is one of the few facilties that manufactures all its custom made foot orthotics in-house.

Each foot is an engineering masterpiece. The foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.
We tend to take this for granted until something goes wrong or we develop pain.
Biomechanical problems affecting the feet can increase stresses within the foot structures and the surrounding soft tissues, creating localised pain in the foot,
ankle and also problems in the lower limbs,
knees, hips and back. Correction of poor foot biomechanics with Foot Orthotics can improve and prevent many types of symptoms such as:

Forefoot Pain (Metatarsalgia )
Arch Strain (Plantar Fasciitis)
Policeman’s Heel (Heel Spur)
Ankle Pain (Tibialis Dysfunction, Lateral Impingement Syndrome)
Shin Pain (Compartmental Syndrome, Shin Splints)
Knee Pain (Chondramalcia Patella, Patella Tibial Syndrome)
 
The aim of a Foot Orthosis is to correct dysfunctional biomechanics and therefore:

Reduce pain
Provide support
Prevent or halt the development of foot deformity
Provide better positioning
Relieve pressure on a certain area of the foot
Improve the overall biomechanical function of the foot
Improve pelvic alignment
Reduce lower limb torsion and knee stress

At Orthotics Australia  we believe in a holistic approach to any biomechanical problem, we understand that the underlying problem may not always be located
around the area of the body that develops the symptoms. In some cases the problem may lie in a number of areas, such as poor posture, pelvic malalignment, leg length discrepancies, tight or poorly toned muscles.

Carbon fibre and polypropylene orthotics can be made upon request, however we recomend our EVA technology of manufacture so we can fine tune the orthotic even further in the two months after you receive your orthotics.
We understand that custom made orthotics are not for everyone. We have a great range of Off the shelf foot orthotics which can be fitted by our staff and adjusted if required.

If we do not feel that your problem is caused primarily by your foot position or poor biomechanics. We will not prescribe you any Foot Orthotics.

CHILDREN AND ORTHOTICS

"Don’t worry – they’ll grow out of it” is a common response to parents concerns about the development of their children’s feet or legs.

In some cases this can be true, however as children grow up their feet and legs undergo various stages of development. As Orthotists we are able to advise you whether your child’s development falls within acceptable limits for their age, or if treatment may be required.

90% of Children will pronate on Weight bearing as their muscles are not strong enough to control their flexible and elastic joints.. Alot of Children will excessively pronate on weight bearing conributing to lower limb pain which may need to be treated with an external device to help take stress off the muscles and ligaments stressing the joints until the muscles and ligaments are stronger enough to cope on there own. If left to grow in a stretched and biomechanical insufficient position this can lead to a lifetime of lower limb and back problems.

Don’t dismiss your childs consistent complaints of aches as “just growing pains” The reason for this can sometimes be due to poor foot and leg posture. Flat feet, intoed, bow-legged and knock-knees are some of the conditions worth assessing. The following are common lower limb conditions treated by our orthotic team:

Pigeon/In-toe gait
Severs Disease (Osteochondrosis)
Flat Feet. (see foot types)
1.Pigeon Toe Deformity / In-toe gait:

Intoeing of the feet commonly referred to as “pigeon toed”, is a common torsional plane deformity of the lower limb in children and is often a common cause for concern in parents.

Children with an intoeing gait may complain of fatigue in their legs or feet and often will trip over more often when running or during exercise.

Apart from being intoed, parents may also notice their child has “knocked knees”, flat feet or that they are just walking awkwardly.

We understand the function and mechanics of the lower limb, and they can give advice, exercises or other treatment to rectify this condition.

Intoeing can be caused by rotational or positional problems in the hip, knee or foot. There may also be movements in the foot and leg to compensate for an intoed gait, and these compensatory movements may lead to further problems. Tight hamstrings and calves can also contribute to this.

Treatment options for an intoed gait include biomechanical assessment with orthotic correction, a personalised stretching program, change to sitting or sleeping position and gait plates that encourage an out-toe gait.

This condition is a common complaint that has very successful results when treated early.

2. Severs Disease (Osteochondrosis):

Severs disease, or Osteochondroses of the Calcaneus as it's technically known, is a common condition causing pain in the heels, typically in growing children. It tends to affect children between the ages of 8 to 14.

SYMPTOMS:

The condition is due to excessive strain on the growth plate (or apophysis) of the heel bone. Typically the symptoms come on after some form of physical activity such as running or jumping. The pain can be quite uncomfortable which makes it very hard for a sufferer to walk for some time after the activity. However, with the pain there is usually very little to see for the symptoms, ie there is no swelling or redness and often the area is only slightly tender to pressure.

Usually however the symptoms settle with rest, only to be aggravated again with activity.

CAUSES:

The cause of the symptoms is due to strain on the growth plate of the heel bone.

When a child starts to go through a "growth spurt" their bones go through quite an active change so that new bone may develop to enlarge the skeleton. The area of growth in a bone is called the apophysis. The apophysis in the heel bone is at the back of the bone.

For new bone to develop in this area the bone must utilise nutrition from the blood, so the blood supply to this area increases during a growth spurt.

Along with this the leg bones are getting longer and the calf muscles are getting shorter. The calf muscles attach to the back of the heel bone via the achilles tendon, just behind the apophysis. This means that when a child is going through a growth spurt, any contraction of the calf muscles can tend to pull at the area of the growth plate.

The result is, the growth plate (with an already increased blood flow) is irritated by the pulling at the back of the bone. This causes a further increase in blood flow, leading to swelling within the bone itself and pain.

The extra blood to the bone is squeezed in and out of the bone during activity. However after resting for a while more blood has a chance to enter the bone and stay there, thus it swells within the bone itself. Thus the first few steps after rest cause considerable discomfort because the now engorged apophysis is again being strained by compression of the bone and pulling of the achilles tendon.

The area shows no inflammation or swelling because the problem is deep and within the apophysis and not close to the skin.

Often symptoms reduce as a child warms up into an activity. This is due to much of the extra swelling in the bone being squeezed out during movement. However symptoms will usually return quickly after a short rest.

Symptoms are often worse in children who put more strain on their calf muscles.This includes more active, overweight or children with unstable feet. Sports which may flare up this pain include any jumping sport like basketball, Netball, Football, soccer and tennis. Basketball puts extra stress on the joints in a childs growth cycle due to the fact that their is no off season and the child is playing 3-4 times per week and once finals have finished normally another league starts. Parents must keep in mind that the childs growing body does need rest periods to cope with all the stresses that go through their joints and muscles and ligaments whilst growing.

TREATMENT:

Because the symptoms are due to strain on the growth plate via the achilles tendon, the treatment should be aimed at reducing this strain. This can be achieved in a number of ways.

These ways are:

Lifting the heel slightly. Wearing a heel lift made from a material that won't compress easily such as cork or compressed rubber may reduce the strain on the achilles sufficiently to stop the symptoms.

Custom made arch supports (orthotics) can be made specifically for the child's feet. This is the most effective way of stabilising the feet and usually the most effective method of relieving symptoms in the long term.
Supporting the foot if it is unstable will often reduce strain on the calf muscles. Proprietary arch supports may achieve this in some cases.
Stretching the calf muscles: Once symptoms have settled slightly it's worth while doing calf stretches to reduce the pull on the back of the heel.
Avoid wearing excessively flat shoes or sporting boots that may cause strain on the achilles. Football boots, for example with worn heel spikes tend to cause strain on the achilles.

Dunlop Volleys and skate shoes are also to be avoided.

Once the strain has been physically removed from the back of the heel, you may then reduce the swelling within the bone to settle the symptoms. This can be achieved by:

Icing and resting the area.
Elevate the foot after activity by sitting down with the feet up above the level of the heart. This helps to reduce blood flow to the feet and thus helps to reduce symptoms.
Anti-inflammatory medication causes a generalised decrease in swelling. Consult your doctor for best advice for this treatment.
WHAT TO EXPECT:

Severs disease will settle after a growth spurt has finished, however some children put up with symptoms for between 6 months to 3 years. The episodes tend to be periodic, usually offset by sporting activities.

Treatment using simple heel lifts, and stretching tend to improve symptoms enough to allow a child to play sport with minimal discomfort in about 50% of cases. Arch supports improve the condition in unstable feet in another 40-50% of cases.

If the pain is initiated by an injury such as a kick to the back of the heel or if other symptoms occur such as swelling, inflammation or severe pain during activity, then stop activity immediately and consult your podiatrist. This suggests something other than severs disease is causing the symptoms. Further investigation such as x-rays may be necessary in these cases.

If symptoms don't improve, consult your Orthotists, Doctor or Podiatrist.

For further information on this or any other foot, ankle or lower limb related problems see your Orthotist at Orthotics Australia or consult your Doctor or Podiatrist.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is characterized by stiffness and inflammation of the plantar fascia (fibrous connective tissue) on the plantar (bottom) aspect of the foot. It is occasionally associated with a bone spur on the heel. There may also be a partial or complete tear of the fascia on the bottom of the foot.

Common Signs and Symptoms:
Pain and tenderness on the sole of the foot usually localized at the heel bone with standing or walking, and
The pain is particularly noticeable with the first few steps after getting out of bed in the morning or after prolonged sitting.

Causes:
Inflexibility in the calf muscles,
Flat (planus) or high (cavus) arched feet,
Unhealthy foot pronation,
Poor footwear,
Repetitive microtrauma or stress to the heel tissues that may cause inflammation or calcification of the fascia of the foot, and
Irritation of the small nerve that runs under the foot where the fascia attached to the heel bone.

Management:
Ice affected area
Stretching
Custom foot orthoses and footwear prescription.  

Morton’s Neuroma

Description:

An interdigital neuroma is a swelling of the nerve and scar tissue arising from the compression of an interdigital nerve. This most often occurs between the 3rd and 4th metatarsals. Pain generally radiates towards the toes and is intensifies with forefoot weightbearing and in shoes with insufficient forefoot width.

Signs & Symptoms:

Localized tenderness between the 3rd and 4th (or 2nd and 3rd) metatarsals with pain that radiates down the involved toes,
Aching and burning sensation,
Highly sensitive to pressure either under the foot or from squeezing,
Pins and needles (paresthesia) in the toes, and
Increased pain and discomfort during forefoot weightbearing and in narrow fitting shoes.

Causes:
Swelling of the interdigital nerve that is impinged by the metatarsals,
Excessive pronation, and
Improper footwear, i.e. narrow fitting shoes or high heel shoes.

Management:
Ice
Custom foot orthoses with metatarsal Domes and Bars, appropriate shoe prescription, and possible cortisone injection

Metatarsal Stress Fractures

Description:

Metatarsal stress fractures are partial or complete fractures in the long bones of the foot (Figure 1). The wear and injury to the bone exceeds its ability to remodel or repair the damage inflicted by intense exercise or excessive load. The most common metatarsal stress fracture occurs at the neck of the second metatarsal secondary to excessive pronation and metatarsal loading. In addition, if the second metatarsal is long relative to the first (Morton’s foot) it will be subjected to increased loads. This can also occur in the third metatarsal if it is long relative to the second.

Signs & Symptoms:

Vague, diffuse pain or ache in the foot,
Intense localized tenderness at the fracture site,
Forefoot swelling, redness and occasional increased skin temperature,
Weakness and inability to bear weight on the foot,
Pain with non-weightbearing bending stress, and
Pain not severe at start of activity but worsens as activity continues.

Causes:
Insulting repetitive forces on the foot that exceed the bone’s ability to repair,
Sudden changes in exercise intensity, equipment or performance,
Osteoporosis, and
Ballet dancing.

Management:
Ice and relative rest from the deleterious activity,
Temporary shoe modification to increase shoe stiffness, i.e. spring plate, camwalker
Custom foot orthoses,
Gradual return to activity

Shin Pain

A shin splint or general shin pain is the most common cause of exercise-induced leg pain encountered by athletes of all levels. In the past the term shin splint has been used to describe all forms of pain in the lower leg. A shin splint is a very specific problem. It is essentially an inflammatory reaction involving the deep tissues of the lower leg and may involve tendons & muscles. Specifically the tibialis anterior muscle and tendon.

The inflammatory reaction occurs at the point where the deep tissues insert into the inside (medial) or front (anterior) aspect of the leg bone (tibia). When a patient is suffering from a medial shin splint the pain will be present on the inner aspect of the leg. In an anterior shin splint, pain and tenderness is present on the front and outer aspect of the leg. In both cases, running and walking may be extremely painful. In severe cases, even light weight bearing may be painful. The primary cause of shin pain is over pronation.

Excessive Pronation

One of the most common causes of foot and leg discomfort is a condition known as excessive pronation. Normal pronation, or "turning inward", of the foot is necessary as the foot adapts to the ground. With excessive pronation, the arch flattens, collapses, and soft tissues stretch. This causes the joint surfaces to function at unnatural angles to each other. When this happens, joints that should be stable now become very loose and flexible. At first, excessive pronation may only cause fatigue. As the problem gets worse, strain on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and lower leg can cause permanent problems and deformities.

APPEARANCE OF EXCESSIVE PRONATION

1. When standing, your heels lean inward.

2. When standing, one or both of your knee caps turn inward.

3. Conditions such as a flat feet or bunions may occur.

4. You develop knee pain when you are active or involved in athletics. The knee pain slowly goes away when you rest.

5. You abnormally wear out the soles and heels of your shoes very quickly.

SYMPTOMS OF EXCESSIVE PRONATION

Symptoms can manifest in many different ways. The associated conditions depend on the individual lifestyle of each patient. Here is a list of some of the conditions associated with over pronation:

Hallux Abducto Valgus (bunions)
Hallux Rigidus (stiff 1st toe)
Arch Pain
Heel Pain (plantar Facsitus)
Metatarsalgia (ball of the foot pain)
Ankle sprains
Shin Splints
Achilles Tendonitis
Osteochondrosis
Knee Pain
Corns & Calluses
Flat Feet
Hammer Toes

Flat Feet/ Flat Foot

The arch is referred to as the gap between the inner side of the foot and the ground, flat feet is a condition in which the foot doesn't have a normal arch.
It may affect one foot or both feet. Patients that have a low arch or no arch commonly refer to their condition as flat feet or fallen arches.
Fallen arches can cause problems such bunions, callus, corns, achilles tendonitis, shin pain, severe heel pain, knee and ankle pain.

A symptom to watch for is abnormal shoe wear.
People with flat feet typically have shoes that break down the inside wall of the heel counter and the outside of the forefoot area.

A good test is to look at your foot print. A foot with a normal arch does not leave much of an arch impression since the arch is mostly off the ground.
A flat foot person leaves more of an impression. The primary cause of an flat feet is overpronation.
This can be controlled via insoles. People with flat feet or low arches who have been forced to live with back, knee and foot pain no longer have to put up with pain while standing, walking or running.

Top of Foot Pain

Top of the foot pain is a general term that is used by patients to describe pain in the top surface of the foot. It is common injury amongst runners and sporting people. A sharp pain on the top of my foot which is usually around the second metatarsal (in line with the second toe). Sometimes the pain can be localized around the 3rd or 4th metatarsal.

The two most common causes of this type of pain are either a stress fracture or tendentious of a metatarsal tendon. Athletes sometimes try and run through injuries such as heel pain, shin pain and achilles tendentious, which leads to this condition. In severe cases, even light weight bearing may be painful. The primary cause of of this condition is overpronation. This can be controlled via insoles.

Orthotics Australia have teamed up with Foot Logics to provide a low cost product to help improve lower limb and foot pains. Foot logics can be used as a trial to see if Custom made orthotics would benifit them, as a second or third pair to their Custom made insoles or for people that just need som added support.

Their mission...
Our mission is to provide our customers with low-cost, effective and lasting solutions to common biomechanical complaints, including heel pain, foot pain, knee and low back pain.
Our goal is to reduce or eliminate pain, prevent future problems & injury and maximise your walking comfort. As a result we strive to improve your quality of life, your well-being and your ability to live an active, healthy lifestyle.

Footlogics company background
Footlogics is involved with the design, manufacturing and supply of orthotic shoe inserts. Footlogics Australia is part of the Footlogics International Group - which was founded by Australian and Dutch podiatrists in the early 1990's and has its head office in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
With offices in Australia, the USA, the UK, Ireland and Germany, Footlogics is a leading orthotics manufacturer with many years of experience in the field of foot biomechanics.

Footlogics maintains a close relationship with Flexor SA in Barcelona, Spain. Established in 1963, they are Europe's largest supplier of podiatric and orthopaedic supplies.

Our products are the result of many years of biomechanical research and product trials. For our product development we use the latest technology including gait analysis and high-end CAD/CAM facilities. Footlogics products are of the highest quality, designed to provide the wearer with maximum walking comfort.

To Purchase online please click on this link:

Vasyli Medical Thongs and Sandals from Orthaheel™. Orthotic Treatment without Shoes…….

Orthotics Australia also offers a range of Orthotic Thongs and Sandals from Orthaheel™.

The perfect compliment with any Orthotic range, the Orthaheel™ Thongs and Sandals allow you a 24 hour approach to treatment for lower limb conditions. Perfect for after sport use and around the house, especially for the early morning pain caused by plantar fasciitis.

The Orthaheel Range has similar inbuilt intrinsic control to that of an off the shelf Vasyli Medical Orthotic Range, is hard wearing, waterproof and comfortable and comes with a 30 day money back guarantee.

Orthaheel™ Thongs and Sandals are available in a variety of colors and styles and start from $60.00 in price.

To work out you size please see the sizing charts below: