The Future of Custom Foot Orthotics

FUNCTIONAL F1RST

"Some of the biggest manufacturers in Canada and the US often claim to make custom product when they’re actually using stock item shells and creating orthotics that are not actually unique to the patients feet."

We speak with Aaron Tran, pedorthist and founder of Orthogenic Laboratories, about custom foot orthotics - what they are, what conditions they help treat, how they're made, and how to tell if they are truly custom.

To find out more visit http://orthogeniclab.com

Learn more about us here.

00:25 Can we start by having you introduce yourself?

01:06 Can you give us an overview of what Orthogenic Lab does?

01:42 What are the differences between the types of foot specialists?

03:28 What are orthotics and why are they important?

04:35 What types of conditions can orthotics help with?

05:22 Can orthotics help conditions that are not foot related, such as low back pain?

06:25 Are orthotics a temporary or long term solution?

08:12 Do you recommend that if someone has orthotics they use them all of the time?

09:43 What are the components of an orthotic? What are the purposes of the different layers?

10:16 What are the common materials used in orthotics?

10:57 Can you tell us the purpose of the different parts of orthotics?

12:21 Is there a difference between hard and soft orhtoics?

15:00 Do orthotics make your feet lazy?

16:03 What are the different methods of casting orthotics? How accurate are they?

18:50 What is the difference between a weight bearing vs. non weight bearing casting?

20:02 Once someone is casted, what is the process of making the orthotics?

22:46 What type of process do you use at Orthogenic Lab?

24:35 Do you think technology will keep changing your profession?

25:33 Do insurance companies cover the cost of orthotics made using a 3D scanner?

26:44 What is the difference between custom and off the shelf orthotics?

28:26 There have been a few articles about off the shelf orthotics being advertised as custom made. What are your thoughts on that?

30:50 Is there a cost difference between off the shelf vs. custom?

31:28 What should patients look for when purchasing orthotics?

33:01 Are there any regulations for selling orthotics?

34:40 What healthcare providers can prescribe orthotics?

35:55 How can healthcare providers who don’t prescribe orthotics screen a patient to see if they may be appropriate for them?

37:16 Are there any online resources for healthcare providers to learn more about different conditions orthotics may help?

38:10 Where can people find out more about you?