Custom Orthotics

Custom Arch Support Technology
C•A•S•T

Foot Pain and Arch Supports
With all the different products advertised for relief of foot pain and deformities, picking the right one for your needs can be confusing and difficult. The truth is there are quite a few peo­ple that suffer from foot ailments who are anx­iously looking for a solution –some willing to try anything. It is also sadly true that the vast majority of products currently sold as foot pain solutions are useless, especially with re­gard to eliminating the problem long-term. So how do you find what is right and effective for you?

The Main Problem: Over-Pronation (Flat Feet)
If you are like the majority of people with some degree of arch loss, either from birth or over time, there are some critical facts you need to know before you can make an informed deci­sion. All of the common foot problems, such as bunions, hammer toes plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, neuromas, cal­luses and corns, etc. are usually caused by the lack of enough arch in the foot when we are standing, walking and running (weight-bear­ing activities). There are a number of reasons why most of us have some degree of flat feet, but mostly it comes down to body weight, gravity and concrete. The first two are con­stantly flattening the foot down against the hard surfaces we live on. The ligaments that support the bones of the foot are slowly stretched out and our arches drop.

Arch Supports Before C•A•S•T
Typical custom orthotics are made based on some unproven assumptions about how to control the foot that seem to defy real-world engineering and the laws of physics. These are blindly followed simply because they are an “industry standard”, not because they have been proven effective. In fact, the majority of medical studies done on the effectiveness of standard custom orthotics compared with off-the-shelf or pre-fabricated arch supports and other treat­ments have demonstrated that they are either no better or worse!
Standard custom orthotics use wedges under the heel and forefoot to try to correct foot function – because that is the traditional teach­ing. Usually the arches in these arch supports are minimal, partly because manufacturers are concerned that the casts they receive from prac­titioners are unreliable, and partly because the flatter the arch support, the less chance the user will be uncomfortable. Because they avoid full and dynamic arch support, they cannot be effec­tive in preventing arch collapse. So they end up merely being expensive and for all practical matters, useless. If you have flat feet, try standing on a small wedge and see if it holds your arch up!

C•A•S•T: New Technology
The real question, then, is what is the best way to hold the arches up, correct the way our feet work, and fight body weight, gravity and con­crete? That is how we can appreciate the differ­ence between a Custom Arch Support Technol­ogy device and typical custom orthotics. C•A•S•T was designed like an engineer would design the best way to build a bridge, looking at the real forces involved and how best to manage them.

The C•A•S•T design incorporates three criti­cal factors that an arch support must have in order to be effective. First, arch supports must capture the properly corrected position of the foot: as high an arch as the foot can make with heel and forefoot flat on the ground. Second, the arch support must make full contact with the entire foot in this position, especially with the corrected arch position, in order to have the mechanical power and efficiency to control the foot. Third, the arch support must be rigid enough to maintain this corrected position against the person’s weight and gravity and yet flexible enough to be comfortable upon impact with a typical concrete floor. To accom­plish these three main goals, new, reliable cast­ing techniques were tested to achieve the right custom foot mold. New materials were discov­ered that could offer the right blend of rigidity and flexibility for every individual foot, then cal­ibrated to deliver the proper force for your feet.

Other Problems: Over-Supination (High-Arched, Rigid feet)
A small percentage of people have the op­posite problem: their arches are too high and rigid due to congenitally tight bone structure. Their feet are very poor shock absorbers and all the force of body weight and gravity gets concentrated on a few points at the bottom of their feet. C•A•S•T engineers discovered that the full contact arch support design was also quite effective for this foot type because it re-distributes foot pressure evenly across the entire sole of the foot. For the first time, people with this more unusual foot problem now have a custom arch support solution.

The Results
Hopefully, now you can understand that all arch supports are not alike. C•A•S•T is proud to be setting a new, effective standard for foot relief that helps prevent as well as treat all the common foot and even lower leg conditions caused by poor foot function. Ask your Foot Solutions – CAST certified pedorthist if Custom Arch Support Technology may be help­ful for you.

Main Reasons C•A•S•T Is Different:
• Conform perfectly to your arch for support
• Custom calibrated for your weight & activity levels (a C•A•S•T exclusive!)
• Engineered to actually control foot function, not just cushion it
• Captures the foot in the ideal position for weight-bearing activities
• Top quality materials

Let us help you learn more about your body so you can do what it takes to stay healthy and pain-free.