internet custom orthotics
I think I should get some orthotics since I have bunions on both feet and have had some numbness in my left big toe for a while.
I also have flat feet.
My bunions are not usually painful, but I’m sure orthotics will help prevent them from getting worse.
I went to a not-so-great podiatrist last week (just picked one), who basically told me I could do nothing, get orthotics, or have surgery to correct my bunions.
He was going to charge $400 for custom made ones, which are not covered by my insurance.
I’ve seen some custom orthotics websites where they claim they can take impressions of your feet by sending a kit to you that you send back with impressions of your feet.
They charge around $150 and up for a pair of custom orthotics.
Are these custom orthotics offered through the internet less medically sound than ones taken at a doctor’s office?
Thanks!
1 Comment found
Vivian Abrams DPM
I am sorry your visit to one of my colleagues was not satisfactory. It is very common that insurance will not pay for custom orthotics. I think the rationale is that “everyone’s feet hurt so they will all want them, and we can’t have that.” The fees for custom orthotics in my office include the evaluation of the patient’s foot and gait, casting the patient’s foot in a neutral position with plaster to make the mold of the foot, dispensing the orthotics and up to 2 months of any necessary adjustments. It is what I call a case fee. The orthotics are just part of the overall evaluation and treatment. The “kit” you refer to is a styrofoam material you make an impression in. It is notoriously inaccurate. I can not say specifically what the orthotics are that you saw online. There are many very decent pre-fabs that podiatrists use, depending on the patient’s needs and wants. But like eyeglasses, no one product works for everyone. In summary, I can’t give you an exact answer, but would recommend you get another opinion