Wearing your new orthosis

The device you have been supplied with is best put into a well fitting shoe with some type of fastening for example laces or velcro. If your shoe has a removable insole often it is more comfortable to remove this to give room for your device. Do this whether it is an insole, off the shelf orthotic or one which has been custom made for you.

These supports do not fit well into slip-on shoes, summer sandals or mules. You may need to change your
footwear to get the best results.

At first orthoses will feel unusual and maybe even slightly uncomfortable. There may be some muscular
discomfort in your legs and lower back. This is quite normal while your muscles get used to them.

Starting to wear your orthoses

Do not be in a hurry to wear your new orthoses all day. If you take your time and wear them in slowly you often get better, quicker results. We suggest that you start by wearing them for one hour on the first day and build the time up.

For example -

• day one - one hour
• day two - two hours
• day three - three hours

You should build up like this until you can wear them comfortably all day.

If you cannot wear them for the time for that day, don't wear them. Go back the next day to the time period you did find comfortable. Then increase the wearing time each day by 30 minutes.

If after trying to build up your wear you find your Orthosis too uncomfortable then please contact the department that supplied it to you (i.e. Orthotics or Podiatry) for a review.

When your Orthosis is supplied the clinician will tell you if they plan to see you for a review or if they have given you an open review. An open review is where they do not send a review appointment automatically but you can call for a review if there are problems or your pain does not improve.

By six weeks time you should expect to be wearing your orthoses for eight to ten hours a day.

By this point you may not be pain free. This will depend on how severe the problem is and how long you had it before treatment. In these cases a reduction in symptoms and, or pain is good progress.

Any problems you have with your new orthoses can only be solved if you tell the Podiatrist/Orthotist about them. Usually no news is good news. If this is not the case please remember to tell us.

Make sure you can wear your orthoses comfortably all day before you try to wear them playing sport. Then, only wear them for short periods of time. New aches and pains mean you are wearing them too much too soon.

Where possible try to buy a new pair of sports shoes. Remember to take your orthoses with you. You should not need a larger size, but try and find shoes where you can take out the base insole and swap it for your prescribed one if this is also full length.

Do not fit orthoses into badly worn shoes. This will counteract their action and may even lead to new problems.