Sport-Specific Orthotics · Running shoes
Custom Orthotics for Running Shoes
Repetitive loading, managed stride by stride.
Running exposes the foot and lower limb to repeated impact loading, often several thousand foot strikes per kilometre. Small differences in foot structure or mechanics can therefore accumulate into meaningful stress on the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon, shins and knees.
A running orthotic is prescribed following a biomechanical and gait assessment, and is designed to fit the volume of your running shoe while supporting the foot’s natural function through each stride.
Book a Sport Orthotic AssessmentBring the running shoes you train in most often to your appointment.
What your sport asks of your feet
Each foot strike loads the lower limb several times over, then asks the foot to convert from a shock absorber to a rigid lever for push-off. A running orthotic is designed to support both phases.
Support
Contoured arch support can reduce the demand on the plantar fascia and the tendons that support the arch, particularly as they fatigue over longer distances.
Alignment
Research indicates that foot orthoses can produce modest changes in rearfoot motion and lower-limb loading. The objective is not to hold the foot rigidly, but to guide it along a comfortable, efficient movement path.
Cushioning and efficiency
Shock-attenuating top covers and arch fill help distribute pressure across a larger area of the foot, while comfort has been associated with favourable changes in muscle activity and loading.
Evidence
What the research indicates
Orthotic research continues to develop, and individual responses vary. We base our prescriptions on your assessment and use published evidence to guide, rather than overstate, expected outcomes.
- A systematic review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that foot orthoses produce small but consistent changes in rearfoot kinematics and lower-limb loading during gait.
- Studies in recreational runners report that orthotic comfort is associated with measurable changes in movement, loading and muscle activity, supporting a comfort-led approach to prescription.
- Current thinking in running biomechanics emphasizes the individual’s preferred movement path, which is why assessment, rather than a generic insert, guides the design.
Selected references
- Mills K, Blanch P, Chapman AR, McPoil TG, Vicenzino B. Foot orthoses and gait: a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature pertaining to potential mechanisms. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2010.
- Mündermann A, Nigg BM, Humble RN, Stefanyshyn DJ. Orthotic comfort is related to kinematics, kinetics, and EMG in recreational runners. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2003.
- Nigg BM, Baltich J, Hoerzer S, Enders H. Running shoes and running injuries: mythbusting and a proposal for two new paradigms, “preferred movement path” and “comfort filter”. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015.
Technical specifications
How the device is built
The lab standard below is the starting point for your device. Your chiropodist adjusts materials, posting and shell rigidity according to your assessment, body weight and level of activity.
Impact Sport
Control level 4Lab standard description
- 3.0 mm Puff top cover to toes with 1.5 mm Nyplex bottom cover
- Vacuum-formed semi-rigid polypropylene shell with Poron arch fill
- 16 mm heel cup
- Functional shell grind
This is an example only. The actual design and materials of your device will be based on your chiropodist’s assessment.
Applications
Most men’s, women’s and children’s athletic footwear where maximum shock attenuation is important.
Optional shell materials
Copolymer, XT Sprint, TL2100, Performance Rx
Recommended footwear
The right running shoes matter
An orthotic performs best in footwear with appropriate structure, depth and fit. We can order the brands below and advise on the models best suited to your feet and your orthotic.
Running shoes: common questions
Related orthotic services
Bring your footwear. Start with an assessment.
Meet with our Registered Chiropodists to discuss your feet, your sport and your equipment, and whether a custom orthotic is appropriate for you.
3305 Harvester Road, Burlington, Ontario L7N 3N2