Pedorthic casting techniques include:
Direct Mold – The shell material for the orthotic is heated to a desired temperature and then molded directly to the patient’s foot by the Pedorthist.
Foam Box – With the patient sitting or standing, the Pedorthist gently places the patient’s foot on top of a foam box and instructs the patient to slowly apply some weight to the foot as it sinks into the foam to capture an accurate 3D impression of the foot. This 3D mold is then used to fabricate the orthotic.
Plaster Slipper Casting – While sitting or laying down, plaster is applied to the bottom and sides of the foot. Once dried, the set plaster is gently pulled away to reveal an accurate 3D mold for the orthotic.
Wax Mold – This technique is very similar to Plaster Slipper Casting except moldable wax is used to create the orthotic mold instead of plaster.
Laser – A laser light is moved along the bottom of the patient’s foot to recreate an identical image of the their foot. The image produced is analyzed and modified by computer software to produce a 3D image that will serve as the electronic mold for the orthotic.
Contact Digitizing – To capture the foot’s contours, the patient places their foot on a special machine called a digitizer. The digitizer elevates numerous pistons which contact the bottom of their foot creating a 3D image on the computer which serves as the electronic mold for the orthotic.
Using orthotic shell materials carefully chosen to meet the patient’s specific needs, the Pedorthist uses this mold to create the custom-made orthotic to fit the patient’s exact foot shape and contours. Once fabricated, Pedorthists use a special machine called a grinder to smooth and shape the orthotic to precise accuracy.
