What is it?

Formthotics™ help treat pain, improving comfort and performance 

Invented by a Sports Medicine practitioner in the 1970s, Formthotics are a unique design, made from unique materials and customisable to meet the needs of your unique feet.

Formthotics are designed and manufactured in New Zealand and sold worldwide in over 30 countries.

Where is your pain?

Biomechanical pain* and foot related pain can be felt from the feet up to the lower back. If you feel pain in the areas indicated in the diagram, we recommend you visit an experienced medical professional to assess what type of orthotics are right for you, and whether you need orthotics in the first place.

*pain related to your body's movement

Relieve your pain

Our bodies are a series of complex interconnected systems so the solution to pain is often not straight forward. 

To alleviate your pain and stop it returning in the future, it takes specialist assessment, diagnosis and advice, combined with a treatment plan that not only helps you improve quickly but also aims to prevent experiencing this pain in the future.

These specialists are medical professionals who have training in physiology, pathology, biomechanics and body systems. They include Podiatrists, Physiotherapists, Physical Therapists, Sports Medicine Doctors, Physicians and Surgeons.

A treatment plan is not just about orthotics. It can include essential strengthening and stretching exercises, a change in shoes that you wear, and possibly a change in lifestyle habits. A medical professional can help guide you through making changes that in the long term will save you money, save you a lot of pain and discomfort, and help you get the most enjoyment out of life.

Who could benefit from this treatment?

Humans have walked the planet for thousands of years, shouldn’t we be pretty good at moving by now? Why do so many of us need orthotics to help stabilise and support our feet?

Over the past 200 years, our environment has changed considerably. Our feet were designed to suit a softer terrain, but now we live on mostly hard, flat concrete surfaces and our feet are forced to flatten and twist with every step.

Our lifestyles have changed. We are more sedentary in daily lives, spending much of our time at a desk or in front of a TV. Our feet are now less accustomed to activity. When we physically challenge ourselves, the joints, muscles and tendons are put under strain they are not used to.

Modern day footwear does not always support the feet. High heels, pointy toe shoes, shoes with little support or structure, sandals or generally poor fitting shoes cause blisters and unnecessary pain. Often we wear these shoes for their good looks, but how can we minimise the pain they cause?

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Leg & foot conditions

There are a number of common leg and foot conditions that Formthotics can help with. If you have or might have one of these conditions, we recommend you see a qualified medical professional.

Qualified medical professionals: podiatrists, doctors of podiatry medicine (DPM), physiotherapists, physical therapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, sports physicians or your local doctor.

For the purpose of these conditions, foot specialists include: podiatrists or doctors of podiatry medicine (DPM)

Medical professionals provide you with a variety of ways to help your condition. Orthotics are only one tool used in treatment.

Common leg and foot conditions:

Achy feet and legs

Achy Feet and legs can be caused by an accumulation of factors including poor working surfaces, muscle fatigue, inappropriate footwear and poor foot and leg biomechanics to name a few. Formthotics™ Dual products work very well in this instance especially where over pronation is concerned. The Dual Formax™ foam provides increased shock absorption and even pressure distribution while maintaining a good level of support to aid foot or leg misalignments. In doing this muscle stresses are reduced and general comfort is increased.

Achilles pain

Tight gastrocnemius or soleus and over pronation are common causes of Achilles pain. Formthotics™ work to control the over pronation with use of a medial arch support reducing tension on the Achilles. A heel lift could also be added temporarily to the plantar surface of the Formthotics™ rear foot to directly offload and relieve a damaged Achilles tendon.

Ankle sprains

Low profile dual Formthotics™ work well for Ankle sprains. The lower profile cradles and supports the foot without aggravating damaged lateral structures through excessive medial correction. The heat moulding process and softer top layer provides increased proprioception for better balance and stability which is essential in recovery of such an injury.

Arch pain

Over pronation and its compensations is one of the key contributors to varying forms of arch pain. Formthotics™ work to control this through medial arch support, this also offloads damaged structures contributing to the discomfort and helps to promote optimal foot function to prevent reoccurrence.
 

Arthritis

Arthritis is a common condition that causes inflammation of the joints. The inflammation causes pain, swelling and stiffness. Arthritis can occur in any joint of the body. There are many different types of arthritis. Two common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.  

Back Pain

Back pain, most commonly of the lower spine, affects 4 out of 5 people at some stage of their life. Find out more information on how to help improve your back strength.

Bunions

Bunions can be very uncomfortable, especially if over pronation is occurring. Over pronation leads to excessive pressures through the first MTP joint and an abnormal toe off phase of gait. This can be helped with the use of Formthotics™ as the medial arch support discourages excessive pronation relieving pressures through this joint. The heat moulding process enhances contour of the formthotic to the foot allowing increased offloading through this area.

Children’s feet

The use of orthotics on children is a very controversial subject. Symptomatic conditions such as flat feet, Osgood Schlatters, Severs disease and Achilles pain can be relieved with the use of Formthotics™. Formthotics allow increased comfort and proprioception (a greater awareness of where the foot is) and maximum support without irritation.

Corns and callus

Sheering and pressure on the plantar surface of the foot can be reduced with the use of a Formthotics™ . Formthotics™ heat moulding process creates equal contact and better conformity to the plantar surface of the foot leading to even pressure distribution reducing risk of corns and callusing. Formthotics™ also reduce pronation can reduce associated callus in areas such as the medial hallux.

Diabetes

Diabetes is the result of the body not making enough insulin to keep blood glucose (sugar) levels within the normal range. If the glucose in a person’s blood is too high, over time it can lead to damage of multiple body systems, including the feet.

Flat feet

While some orthotics may irritate the arch of those with a flat foot type, Formthotics™ work well for symptomatic flat feet.  Formthotics™ are heat mouldable so the arch profile and general contour of the patients foot is captured. The medial arch support corrects over pronation reducing over straining on structures such as the posterior tibial tendon, Achilles tendon and flexor halluces longus.
 

Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)

Formthotics™ are designed to cradle the plantar surface of the foot through heat moulding. In doing this plantar structures of the foot are supported and optimal foot function is encouraged. The above in conjunction with the medial arch support to control over pronation works well to relieve heel pain. If tight gastrocnemius and soleus are also contributing factors a heel lift can be added to the plantar surface of the orthotic to directly offload tension here.

Hip & lower back pain

Hip and lower back pain resulting from over pronation of the foot can be relieved with the use of Formthotics™. The medial arch support Formthotics™ provide helps to decrease over pronation, this control can be further increased with the heat moulding process and additions to the Formthotics™ themselves. Through minimising foot pronation leg alignment will also improve relieving associated hip and lower back pain.
 

Knee pain

Patella femoral pain and MCL issues are commonly caused by poor foot and leg alignment. Formthotics™ work to control over pronation of the foot with use of a medial arch support. This change in foot alignment also causes the knee to straighten reducing the Q angle of the patella and decreasing strain on the MCL.
 

Excessive pronation & supination

Formthotics™ medial arch support controls excessive pronation well, additions such as a medial rear foot post can be added if more aggressive control is required. To control supination low profile Formthotics™ with a lateral forefoot and or rear foot post work well.

Shin splints/MTSS

Formthotics™ control excessive foot pronation well, a common cause of medial tibial stress syndrome. This is achieved with the medial arch support, further control can be gained through heat moulding and additional posts added to the formthotic.