The FootLab Orthotic - Our Process For Custom Made Orthotics For St Paul / Minneapolis, MN Area Clients

There are many types of molding processes used to make custom orthotics

A common process is to take a cast of the foot using impression foam (crush box) or plaster casting. The casting is then sent to a lab where a plaster mold of the foot is created. Using the plaster cast a technician will create an orthotic using one of several fabricating techniques. The finished orthotic is shipped back to the practitioner and the practioner fits the orthotic to the shoe. This process can take weeks, is expensive and you must wait while the various labs perform thier work.

The FootLab custom orthotic is manufactured in a direct mold process onsite and in one visit

Our process reduces fabricating time and money. In our direct mold process your foot is positioned and properly aligned upon a heated orthotic blank that is placed onto a set of molding pillows The heated blank takes a mold directly from your foot and when cool retains the shape of your foot. The custom orthotic shell is then backed with cork or other backing material in our own custom orthotics lab and fit to your shoe by the same pedorthist that molded and made the backing for your orthotic. You leave your appointment with your custom orthotic made for your shoes and feet.

Advantages of direct molding for making custom orthotics

Eliminates the time and expense of taking an initial mold of the foot with impression foam or plaster casting.
Eliminates the time needed to ship a mold of the foot to an orthotics lab.
Eliminates the time and cost to form a plaster mold of the foot.
The FootLab orthotic is manufactured on site by the same pedorthist that takes the initial mold and fits the device to the shoe. This eliminates the expense of involving a second fabricating technician.
Because the foot, shoe and orthotic are all together during the manufacturing process, fitting the orthotic to the shoe is easier and quicker.

By using the Direct mold technique a FootLab patient can be molded and fit to a custom orthotic in a one hour appointment and leave the appointment with their new custom orthotic, no waitng for the back and forth between labs and shipping processes involved with other methods.

Our custom orthotics can be fabricated for less than $200, in comparison custom orthotics made from castings can cost over $1000!

Who Benefits Most?

There are certain interventions that are better served through impression foam and plaster casting techniques; orthotics necessary to aid the recovery and rehabilitation from surgical procedures, missing digits, Charcot foot, Post Tibial Tendon issues and other disorders directed by a physician.

Who benefits the most from our onsite custom orthotics fabrication process?

For disorders related to pronation, plantar fasciitis, sore feet, arch pain, knee pain, lower back pain, metatarsalgia, sport and work related foot issues, the FootLab direct molding process offers a custom molded orthotic solution without the cost of impression foam or other casting techniques. We offer a free foot evaluation that will answer all your questions, show you our process and explain the benefits of our on-site custom made orthotics, click here to learn more.