Orthotics, Braces and Preventive Care

What You Need To Know

Learn how custom orthotics and braces support your feet, ankles, and overall stability.

Orthotics, Braces, and Balance Care

Orthotics are medical devices podiatrists prescribe to support the bones, joints, and muscles of your feet. These custom made insoles fit inside your shoes and are molded to the contours of your feet for a comfortable fit. Like eyeglasses, orthotics provide stabilization, relieve pain from strain, and help restore proper foot function.

Our podiatrists may recommend orthotics for biomechanical foot issues such as tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, neuromas, shin splints, high arches, and flatfeet. They can also help people who need more support for work demands or for medical concerns like diabetes that can cause foot wounds. Functional, accommodative, and functional-hybrid orthotics may be used depending on your needs.

Over the counter insoles are often a first step for general comfort, but if discomfort or pain persists or has a specific structural causes, a podiatrist-prescribed orthotic is likely to deliver significantly better and longer-lasting results.

To create custom orthotics, your podiatrist may use laser scanning technology or physical impressions of your feet. In less than a minute, a digital scan can capture how you distribute body weight, which helps identify muscle imbalances that may be contributing to your condition. Orthotics can be made for many types of shoes, including work boots, athletic shoes, flats, sandals, and slippers.

Braces can also play an important role in care, especially when ankle instability is causing repeated sprains, discomfort, swelling, or a wobbly feeling. After a clinical evaluation, your podiatrist can recommend the right orthotic or brace and outline the next steps for support and recovery.

Balance, Bracing, and Fall Prevention

Falls are a serious health concern, especially for older adults and people with foot and ankle conditions. Many falls are preventable with balance assessment, supportive bracing, proper footwear, and treatment for underlying foot or ankle problems. People with ankle weakness, neuropathy, poor coordination, muscle weakness, or foot pain may be at increased risk.

The Life in Balance Test is used to evaluate stability, gait, and fall risk before a fall occurs. This assessment may include a gait evaluation, postural assessment, ankle and foot strength testing, and a review of fall history. The results help your podiatrist identify the factors affecting balance and create a personalized treatment plan.

For some patients, the Moore Balance Brace is recommended to improve stability and reduce fall risk. This lightweight, custom-made ankle-foot orthosis is designed for people dealing with weakness, neuropathy, or instability. It adds ankle and foot support, improves proprioception, and is made to fit comfortably with most footwear.

Additional treatment may include physical therapy, home exercises, custom orthotics for better foot alignment, and shoes with non-slip soles, firm heel support, and a proper fit. If you have felt unsteady, noticed changes in your gait, or already experienced a fall, a podiatric evaluation can help guide the right treatment plan.