Introduction
Orthotics are specially designed medical devices used for the treatment of common foot conditions such as flat feet and plantar fasciitis. They also often used for general pain reduction, injury prevention, and posture.
It’s a common question to ask where can you actually buy orthotics, and especially custom orthotics. The reality is there are many different outlets to purchase orthotics, depending on your needs and price points. In this article we will discuss the various locations you can get orthotics, and why you might chose one over the other.
Types of Orthotics
Before breaking down where you can buy orthotics, it’s important to define the types of orthotics.
Custom Orthotics: These are the most expensive, but also most personalized to your condition, foot type, and pain areas. When we mention ‘orthotics’, we are generally referring to custom orthotics.
Semi-Custom Orthotics: These orthotics might have some generic customizations, such as different arch heights or stiffnesses.
Insoles (OTC): OTC Insoles are Dr. Scholl’s types. These are not made for specific conditions and offer little to no arch-support. They are generally used as an extra cushion to a shoe that is causing a individual daily pain, but not necessarily from a condition.
| Custom Orthotics | Semi-Custom | Insoles | |
| Customization | High | Medium | Low |
| Durability | High | Low | Low |
| Price | High | Medium | Low |
Where can you buy Orthotics?
Podiatrist
One of the more common places to get orthotics is from your podiatrist. Most podiatrists sell orthotics, as it’s a major component of their business. Your podiatrist will either sell you custom orthotics over over-the-counter orthotic insoles. When you meet with your podiatrist, they will determine what type of orthotic you need.
If you get orthotics from a podiatrist, they will need to collect information about your body and condition. Here is what a good podiatrist will need to understand.
- Impression of your feet. To properly make custom orthotics, it’s necessary to know what shape your foot is in. For example, if you have flat feet an orthotic will look quite different than if you have high arches. Getting the impression will either be done by 3D scanner, having you step into a foam box, or doing a plaster cast of your foot. The end result is a impression of your feet that can be sent to the lab for creating the orthotic.
- Understanding of your pain and condition. Your podiatrist will likely ask you questions like where do you have pain, and how long the pain has been going on for. After questions, they will need to examine your body, and especially your feet. Doing so will allow them to better diagnose your condition. If the doctor isn’t quite sure about something, he may ask for you to get X-rays to see the structure of your feet.
- Understand your gait. Understanding your gait pattern is essential to unlocking solutions to your pain. A podiatrist will likely have you walk on a pressure mat, which then transfers the data to a computer. This data allows the doctor to see exactly where the foot is touching the ground and at what pressure.
- Understanding your goals. If someone is a professional soccer player, their goals are quite different than just a mother looking to offset some pressure on a big toe. These differences determine what type of orthotic a podiatrist will prescribe. With many different materials, lengths, thicknesses, and densities, the design of the custom orthotic is a delicate balance between what your goals are and what your condition is.
Chiropractor
Many Chiropractor’s sell orthotics/insoles to their patients. Given the backs relevance to the entire kinetic chain, their is incentives for your Chiropractor to improve your gait and overall wellbeing. Many Chiropractors sell ‘Foot Levelers’ which is a popular brand of orthotics often offered under insurance plans
Physical Therapists
While most PT’s do not prescribe orthotics, it isn’t unheard of, especially those with specializations in orthopedics. In fact, PT training lends itself well to the diagnosis of foot conditions and we find outcomes from PT prescriptions are on par, if not better than Chiropractors/Podiatrists
Online Retailers
With the explosion of telemedicine, we are seeing more and more online stores for orthotics pop up. Online retailers like Stride Soles or Upstep are reaching parity with the in-person alternatives, especially for common conditions like plantar fasciitis, and flat feet.
Generally online retailers sell custom orthotics under two business models:
1: Foam Box. In order to get an accurate impression, online stores will ship you a foam box. You then place your foot in the box to make a mold, and then ship the box back. From there the company begins production on your orthotic.
2: 3D scanning. A more modern approach is through 3D scanning. 3D scanning technology is available from smart phones using the front facing depth camera, turning any iPhone into a medical tool. In fact, many clinics now use the phone/ipad method in their clinics, signaling there is no loss in quality by using a mobile device to capture a foot image.
Like an in person doctor, a patient will be asked questions about their condition. At Stride Soles, we sell orthotics online, and take the extra step to ask patients to record their gate, so we can take that data point into consideration.
Shoe Stores
Shoe stores, and especially running stores are often sellers of orthotics. They are likely going to sell you any combination of semi-custom orthotics like superfeet, or one of the hundreds of off-the-shelf insoles like Fulton.
To assist with the sales, shoe stores will often have you use various scanners or run on treadmills. Sometimes the results from these tests are accurate, other times they will just offer you an orthotic regardless of what shoe you buy.
Department Stores/Grocery Stores/Retail Outlets
Lastly, we have the retail stores. Retail stores like Walmart, Walgreens, Target, CVS, etc… will have a number of OTC insoles. These insoles are generally the cheapest of the options available, running at $10-$20. While these are a great price, quality and durability is often lacking. If you are just looking for a quick fix for more cushion in your shoes, go for this option, otherwise, stick to orthotics.
| Price | Type of Orthotic Sold | Expertise | |
| Podiatrist | $400-$800 | Custom Orthotic | Overall Foot Health, Doctor |
| Physical Therapist | $200-$300 | OTC Insole, Semi-Custom | Focus on movement, often doctor of physical therapist |
| Chiropractor | $200-$400 | OTC Insole, Semi-Custom | Focus on back health |
| Shoe Store | $50-$100 | Semi-custom, OTC Insole | Likely none |
| Retail | $10-$50 | OTC Insole | None |
| Online (Foam Box) | $200-$400 | Custom Orthotic | Depends |
| Online (Stride Soles) | $98 | Custom Orthotic | Award winning Podiatrists |
