# Custom Orthodics



## pedalingsquares (Feb 14, 2009)

I am employed in a ski/bike shop and we do a many ski boot orthodic's. If I were do make custom orthodics for a cyclist would you put the predominate weight to the ball of the foot.


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## Morris Buttermaker (Jan 4, 2010)

Judging by your grammar, I wouldn't want anything made by you in my shoes.


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## adimiro (Jun 28, 2007)

Captain Ahab, let's not judge so harshly. Besides, bad grammar has no relation with custom orthotic building skills.

Interesting topic though as I switch my 'regular' street shoe orthotics into my cycling shoes, but never really considered whether this is the correct thing regarding foot/pedaling mechanics.


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## Morris Buttermaker (Jan 4, 2010)

In most cases I probably wouldn't, but the OP is posing a serious question from a business point of view and I can't consciously take it as a professional meaningful post written the way it was.

If you're from another country then preface your post by saying so, but the OP's profile says USA (I checked so I didn't wanna seem harsh) and if the OP is dyslexic, paste into word and let it correct the errors.


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## mendo (Apr 18, 2007)

adimiro said:


> Captain Ahab, let's not judge so harshly. Besides, bad grammar has no relation with custom orthotic building skills.
> 
> Interesting topic though as I switch my 'regular' street shoe orthotics into my cycling shoes, but never really considered whether this is the correct thing regarding foot/pedaling mechanics.


I am not an expert but I am fairly certain that using a "walking" orthotic in cycling shoes is incorrect. I have seriously fallen arches and all kinds of misalignment. I have a custom orthotic for walking and use Specialized BG insoles semi-customized with a bunch of shims.

When walking, your weight shifts from your heel to your arch and finally to the ball of your foot when you push off. Walking orthotics, at least in my case, support the arch of the foot. 

Traditionally the cleat is positioned so the ball of the foot is in line with the pedal spindle, so the ball does support the rider's weight.

To the OP: if you don't have a great understanding of cycling mechanics, I think you may end up shortchanging your customers. An orthopedist with a good understanding of cycling is best suited to make these kind of orthotics.

I have no connection to Specialized, but I recommend the BG website to see illustrations and animation that show how orthotics can distribute weight properly across the front of the foot.

I'd like to plug Sid's Bikes in New York (also no connection) for helping me fit my shoes properly.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

I worked in a ski shop and built custom insoles for many years. "Orthotics" are custom insoles made by licensed podiatrists, not ski shop employees. The insoles made at ski shops can be very good if you don't have any issues with your feet that really need to be addressed and corrected by a doctor.

The value of filling all of the space under your not flat foot should not be underestimated. The inside of an unimproved cycling shoe is for the most part, flat. The bottom of your foot isn't. It makes a very nice difference in comfort and reduces fatigue.

Having had access to custom insoles for all that time I have been completely satisfied using Superfeet trim-to-fit (not custom) insoles in my cycling shoes for 15 years now.


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## tednugent (Apr 26, 2010)

not all podiatrists make orthotics. They tend to send out the molds of your foot (in my case, in the neutral position) to a certified pedorthist that will make the actual orthotic and ship it back to the podiatrist.

I had a guy at a ski shop make me a crap Instaprint insole (my regular orthotics didn't work too well either), so I went to the guy who invented the Instaprint system, whom is a certified pedorthist, not a licensed podiatrist.

Funny, my podiatrist, told me to go to a ski shop for the insoles (and my podiatrist is a skiier)


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Pedorthists make insoles too but they are not doctors (though a doctor can certainly be certified). Podiatrists are Md's. If yours sent you to a ski shop, you didn't need podiatric correction, just a decent insole.


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## gonzaleziam (May 14, 2007)

davidka said:


> Pedorthists make insoles too but they are not doctors (though a doctor can certainly be certified). Podiatrists are Md's. If yours sent you to a ski shop, you didn't need podiatric correction, just a decent insole.


I hate to be technical but Podiatrists are Doctors of Podiatry Medicine which is not really the same as a Medical Doctor. Totally different training. They are doctors of the feet and ankle with minimal training of that of a MD.


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## Hank Stamper (Sep 9, 2009)

pedalingsquares said:


> I am employed in a ski/bike shop and we do a many ski boot orthodic's. If I were do make custom orthodics for a cyclist would you put the predominate weight to the ball of the foot.



Would I? No I wouldn't.

I also wouldn't mess with peoples feet based on the information some schmuck like me types on the interwebs either.

If you're making things for peoples feet....do us all a favor and don';t wing it.


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