Comparison of orthotics

rdf:langString Comparison of orthotics

rdf:langString Comparison of orthotics stem from podiatrists having molded custom orthotics to address patients' foot malformations. Over the years they have developed numerous means to create the basis for their molds, plaster casts, foam box impressions, or three-dimensional computer imaging. None is very accurate: all produce proper fit under 80% of the time. Traditionally, they were created from plaster casts made from the patient's foot. These casts were made by wrapping dipped plaster or fiberglass strips around the foot to capture the form, then letting it dry and harden. Once the cast was hardened, the doctor would carefully remove it from the patient's foot and ship it, along with a prescription, to an orthotics lab which would use the negative of the cast to create an orthopedic insert. Research studies demonstrate that inter-practitioner variability is a major factor in orthotic intervention in treating a single patient and for a specific pathology Recently, several companies have developed digital foot scanners that use specialized software to scan a patient's foot and create a "virtual" cast. These scans are made by having the patient place the foot onto a specialized flat image scanner that uses light and software to capture and create a 3D model. This 3D model is then electronically submitted (along with a prescription) to an orthotics lab, where it is used to program a CNC machine that will ultimately produce the orthopedic insert.-->