A better foundation for comfortable standing, walking, running, and moving.
When your feet need help absorbing the forces placed on them, Catalyst physical therapists assess how your body moves and create a custom solution designed around you—not a generic mold.
Custom orthotics work best when they are built from a real biomechanics assessment—not a foam impression and not a generic mold. At Catalyst, our physical therapists evaluate gait, dynamic movement, and your barefoot-versus-shod mechanics as part of the fitting process.
The result is an insert designed for how your foot actually moves and how it should move, helping create a more beneficial platform for force absorption and movement through the foot, ankle, knee, pelvis, and beyond.
Our foot care department partners with Northwest Podiatric Laboratory and Smartcast Systems to use 3D printing and scanning technology instead of outdated plaster casting. We scan each foot to create an exact 3D replica model, then use a foot-positioning system with laser alignment to position each foot optimally for the prescription.
Your orthotic prescription is guided by your body, your symptoms, and the demands of your daily life, work, and sport.
We look at foot posture in non-weight-bearing and weight-bearing positions, gait, dynamic movement, mobility, strength, and the forces your body manages during everyday activity.
Smartcast 3D scanning captures an exact replica of your foot. Laser alignment and foot positioning help ensure each foot is optimally positioned for an individualized prescription.
With no time wasted, patients are typically back in action with their properly fitted orthotics in a little over a week. Same-day fitting is available at our Mission Valley clinic with most appointments.
Orthotics can help create a more stable and effective foundation when foot mechanics, recurring pain, injury history, or high-impact demands make it difficult for the body to absorb force efficiently. They are commonly considered for:
Orthotics are not a replacement for movement, strength, mobility, or recovery. When appropriate, your therapist may also recommend targeted exercise, bodywork, footwear changes, and strategies that address the contributors to your symptoms.
Whether you are dealing with chronic foot pain, returning from an injury, training for performance, or simply want to stand and walk more comfortably, our team can help determine whether custom orthotics are right for you.
Custom orthotics are available through Catalyst clinics across San Diego.