Here at Advanced Care Specialists, we do custom orthotics fitting. We typically do orthotics for neuropathy patients and patients with lower extremity issues. Even if we see patients with knee or hip injuries, it is always a great idea to start from the ground up. Foot orientation plays a major role in a person's knee and hip alignment.
Our process starts with a mold of your foot. We have a foam mold that we use to take an impression of your feet. After we take the mold, we then use ink and take a walking step through our APEX Harris Mat. This produces a weight-bearing imprint which measures the pressure disbursement and arch shape. This will show the differences between your feet. Many of our patients will have different pressure disbursements per foot, which means every pair of orthotics are made unique to the patient.
Next, we take a walking video of you to see how your gait is. This video will show us what your hips and knees are doing during gait. 
Lastly, we do a biomechanics/foot evaluation. This evaluation is performed by one of our doctors on staff and goes into detail about your orientation of the knee, forefoot, and lower leg but also evaluates other mechanics and mobility of the foot, ankle, and even big toe. With this evaluation we also ask questions about miles walked per week, surfaces usually walked on, and preferred footwear. All these measurements and details are then shipped to Xtreme Footwerks. Xtreme Footwerks is a small, 
custom orthotics laboratory out of Idaho Springs, Colorado. Once they receive the measurements, they then create the custom orthotics for you and ship them back to us where we’ll give them to you at your next visit. If you would like a visual guide on the orthotics fitting process, check out our Instagram or Facebook pages where you can watch a video on the whole process. We share information, guides, and demonstrations on the different conditions we treat here, so consider following us on both pages to stay up to date on the latest videos!
Your custom orthotics are designed to change the way your feet meet the ground. When breaking in your new orthotics, keep in mind that they will cause some soreness and changes in the muscles located in your legs, hips, and back. These changes are temporary and will go away with time as your feet change based on the orthotic. If you are looking for a great pair of custom orthotics, contact Advanced Care Specialists in Racine and make an appointment today!
Austin Oettinger, LAT
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