Orthotics are an excellent way to handle numerous causes of foot, ankle, knee pain, hip pain and back pain. Correct alignment of the feet is essential to properly maintain a functioning and healthy foot.

Arches that are not strong enough to support the body’s weight can result in feet that roll in and cause stress to tendons and ligaments in the foot and ankle. Extremely high arches need support as well.

Dr. Kearl prescribes and creates custom fit orthotics to help with many types of needs. Our inserts can fit into a variety of shoes including, but not limited to, work boots, running shoes, soccer cleats, dress shoes, regular daily wear shoes and children’s shoes. Our orthotics have improved the quality of life for many of our patients.

Sports medicine is an important part of Valley Podiatry. Dr. Kearl sees many high performance athletes, and creates orthotics to support the demands of high impact running as well as other sports. Orthotics can be used to offload high pressure areas that can cause painful calluses and ulcerations in Diabetic patients.

Do your child’s feet flatten significantly when standing? Do they seem clumsy or trip and fall when walking or running? Do they complain or cry when walking for any duration, or complain of soreness or pain in the feet, knees, hips or lower back with weightbearing, walking, or exercise? Do they have night pains or cramping? These could be warning signs that your child may require prefabricated or custom orthotics to help them with weightbearing, walking, or sports.

When evaluating for foot pain, Dr. Kearl performs a comprehensive lower extremity exam to give a qualified diagnosis. A biomechanical evaluation and a gait analysis is done, and then orthotics may be prescribed as part of the treatment plan. Impressions of the foot are taken using 2 methods; plaster of paris molds in a non-weight bearing position, and 3D imaging using a Veriscan Podiatric Scanner. These molds are then sent to our labratory for fabrication, according to specific recommendations from Dr. Kearl. Many insurance companies require these steps to be fulfilled in order to qualify for coverage.

If you are having soreness or pain when standing, walking, or doing any sport, and it slows you down or stops you from doing anything you might want to do, make an appointment today to see Dr. Kearl. Don’t let pain affect your quality of life or stop you from doing all the things you want to do.