Q and A

Frequently Asked Questions
Adapting to Your Orthotic Devices

 

Trimming?

Answer: Sometimes the top cover may be a bit too long or wide, for this
reason clients will possibly need to trim them. However they should be warned
to do this by firstly taking out the original insole of the shoe, and using
this as a template. Trim a little at a time, as it’s easy to take a bit more
off, but you can’t stick it back on!

How much do I wear the devices?

Answer:

When you first receive your devices follow these instructions:

Day 1 = 1 hour

Day 2 = 2 hours

Day 3 = 3 hours etc

However there is a maximum. If you get any
skin irritation or odd aches/pains, discontinue that day and allow yourself to
adapt to them more slowly.

DO NOT TRY TO ADAPT TO THEM FASTER!

When an established wearer, they should be
in your footwear all the time.

What about when I’m at home?

Answer:
Yes, even when you’re wearing slippers or wellies!
Once you’ve been wearing orthotics for a while, you’ll notice a real difference
when you don’t wear then in your shoes/trainers/sandals/wellies/or slippers.

What if I can’t fit them into my existing shoes?

Answer: Most people will find their existing shoes to be ok, but firstly
make sure to take out the original shoe insert. Occasionally new shoes are
required. If this is the case, always take your orthotics with you when getting
fitted for new footwear. And make sure the shoes you purchase have removable
insoles to swap with your orthotics.

Changing from one shoe to another shoe.

Answer: Yes you can change them from one shoe to another, you might soon
get fed up with this, and go the easier route of buying a few different pairs
of orthotics, for example sportflex/dressflex/fashionfelx etc.

Do I need to buy specialist footwear?

Answer: No, you can find footwear to accommodate the devices, however, we
now have a range of footwear for both men and women, including a sports
trainer. These shoes come with deeper sole bases, into which the orthotics fit
nicely. When buying any new shoes, ALWAYS TAKE YOUR ORTHOTICS with you.

Should I exercise in them?

Answer: 0 – 14 days – DO NOT exercise with your orthotics

              14 – 28 days – Linear sports only
(ie. walking, running in straight lines)

              28 days and more – any sports

How long will they last?

Answer: Perhaps up to 5 years, but always take them out of the shoe if they
get wet and leave them to dry naturally. This will help lengthen their life.
There is a 6 month warranty on the soft upper layer. If it’s past 6 months, a
recover cost $150. If the hardshell breaks (which is rare) then you’re
guaranteed a new pair.

Can I wash them?

Answer: It is better to sponge them down then throwing them in the washing
machine. They are extremely well made, but glue is used, and washing then will
in time weaken the adhesive.

Can I get more, and what will they cost?

Answer:
Yes you can get more! The price depends on a number
of factors. However, the cost for additional pairs is in normal circumstances,
less than the cost of your original pair. Please speak with our team for
current pricing.

What if I lose them, or they get stolen?

Answer:
As above, just contact our team, they can order you
a new pair sometimes without you needing to visit again. But you will have to
pay the normal price for an additional pair.

Will I always have to wear them?

Answer: 99.9% Yes. Having established a biomechanics fault, the orthotics
have been prescribed to rectify the way you walk/stand. By not wearing the
orthotics full time, the weakness/fault will re-appear, causing pain to
re-emerge. Going without for short periods of time may be tolerated by some
people.

Do my children need them?

Answer: Perhaps, as with most genetic faults, if your mother or father had
eye sight problems, you will most likely have inherited the same weakness. Your
children in turn may inherit this biomechanics weakness and require support.
Because children’s feet grow at a rapid pace, once they’ve been fitted with
orthotics, any further re-scan needed to adapt the orthotics to the new foot
length, is free.

What do I do when my orthotics don’t fit my ladies fashion shoes?

Answer: Fashion Flex orthotics will work in most shoes, however if you’re
wearing your orthotics for most of the time, periodically not wearing them for
when you attend a wedding/party etc should not be a problem. You may experience
some short term soreness which should resolve once you resume wearing the
orthotics as usual.

Will my feet change, resulting in the need to update the devices?

Answer:
Not for adults, but perhaps for children, mentioned
above. The biomechanics causing the need for the orthoses are generated by the
bony architecture of the feet. Therefore as the bones will not change, the
orthotic devices are required to support the surrounding soft tissues.

Can I get them paid for by my private health insurance company?

Answer:
Depends on your insurer and your policy. Call our
team for more details.

What about the summer, when I want to wear sandals or go barefoot?

Answer:
Talk to our team about our sandals! Barefoot is a
big NO NO. Basically, you should be wearing your orthotics all day, everyday!

How can I fix the squeak in my orthotics?

Answer: Take the orthotic out of your shoe and put some talcum powder in
the shoe, give it a good shoe to make sure the powder is well distributed then
shake off the excess and put your orthotic back in. OR you can put black or
blue cloth tape around the bottom and the edge of the orthotic.

What about ACC?

Answer:
ACC has been known to cover SOME of the cost of
orthotics, but it is different on a case by case basis and the orthotics must
be your last resort to helping heal a sports injury. Please talk to our team to
get more information on ACC and whether or not it would be applicable for your
case.