heel pain and prefabricated orthotics

Researchers investigated the effects of foot orthoses and heel inserts on plantar pressures in older adults with plantar heel pain. Thirty-six adults aged over 65 years with plantar heel pain participated in the study. Using the in-shoe Pedar system, plantar pressure data were recorded while participants walked along an 8 meter walkway wearing a standardized shoe and four different shoe inserts. The shoe inserts consisted of a silicon heel cup, a soft foam heel pad, a heel lift, and a prefabricated foot orthosis. The greatest reduction was achieved by the prefabricated foot orthosis, which provided a fivefold reduction compared to the next most effective insert. The contoured nature of the prefabricated foot orthosis allowed for an increase in midfoot contact area, resulting in a greater redistribution of force. The prefabricated foot orthosis was also the only shoe insert that did not increase forefoot pressure.

My practice has been using prefabricated foot orthosis as a standard method of alleviating heel pain on a patients initial presentation, with excellent results over the last five years, it is very cost effective and I have found only a small precentage of patients actually need custom orthotics.


Bruce Werber DPM, FACFAS
InMotion Foot & Ankle Specialists
Associate Professor Midwestern University
InMotion Foot and Ankle Specialists
10900 N. Scottsdale Road Suite 604
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
office phone 480 948-2111
inmotionfootandankle@gmail.com
www.inmotionfootandankle.com