Retail Custom Orthotics: The Big One That Got Away from Podiatry?

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Retail Custom Orthotics: The Big One That Got Away from Podiatry?
From Podiatry Management (pdf file)

 

thats an interesting read......Amazing how Wal-Mart is offering custom foot care solutions to our patients......where will we all be in 10 years??....Someone has to put a stop to this....

 

They said that 30 years ago when supermarkets started selling what was Pharmacy "only" products, the old school through their hands in the air saying "were stuffed", 30 years later my friend is a pharmacist and just took delivery of his new Porsche.

These big guys can never beat the little guy on "Service", go to your super market to buy pain killers, stand still looking confused for 5 min and see if anyone comes over to over help, then walk into your local Pharmacy and see for yourself the difference

 

I am in agreement with David. Our office experiences are such that the following is common:

1. These Wal-Mart devices will help some people, and in the end that is what we all want.

2. Those devices won't help everyone, and under certain cirsumstances may place the individual under additional pain or discomfort. Those individuals may then decide that trying the self-help route isn't working, and will choose to see their local professional.

3. Once those individuals receive successful care through our offices, they will most likely urge their family, friends, and colleagues to avoid the box store and seek our help.

Having seen these devices worn by patients, they are almost all very happy for the first 2 weeks because of the enormous amount of soft, polyurethane cushioning. This works great until the compression set begins, and they immediately realize that pure cushioning is not all it's cracked up to be. I'm now also seeing the same paradigm with the Skechers Shaps Ups and other, similar, overly-soft rocker sole shoes.

 

I was in USA recently for business and saw all the Tv ads for these "custom" products so went to a walmart to see for myself - Nicely presented gimmick but how they can call them custom foot orthotics is beyond me.

As a large Orthotic manufacture who understands the concept of mass manufacture of foot orthotics for the medical enviroment not the retail - these are costed at less than $2 from China sold at $59 retail.

Nice cushioning Polyuretane, user friendly micro suede top cover, very very flexible recycled plastic arch support - as all retail insoles are - useless.

The danger is that they Schering Plough/Dr Scholl are calling them "Custom". However maybe they suit a part of the walmart market which likes flashy screens, and gimmicks.

I still bought a pair and am still wearing them - useful for long walks through hard floor concrete airports.


H