3D printed foot orthotics are created through foot scanning, which generates a 3D image of the foot, which is then converted into an orthotic and printed in three dimensions. The result? A fully custom-made support. In this article, we explain why these orthotics are more advantageous than traditional models for both healthcare professionals and their patients.
3D Foot Orthotics and Their Manufacturing Advantages
To manufacture 3D foot orthotics, the foot is fully scanned, considering each of its unique features. Once the 3D image is generated, it is sent to a specialized lab to be converted into a 3D orthotic and then printed. Unlike traditional orthotics, this manufacturing process allows for a high degree of precision in creating fully custom orthotics, with a millimeter-perfect analysis of the foot’s surface and volume. This guarantees a precise fit, offering more comfort and ease for the patient, and most importantly, an optimal correction, regardless of the pathology being treated.
3D printed foot orthotics are also environmentally friendly, as they do not produce plastic, plaster, or other waste materials, unlike conventional manufacturing. This results in less resource consumption (with a 90% reduction in environmental footprint during production). They are also 100% recyclable once the patient no longer needs them.
3D Foot Orthotics Save You Time
In addition to being perfectly adjusted to your patients’ feet, 3D foot orthotics offer significant time savings. Scanning only takes a few minutes. After that, the data is directly sent to the lab. No more molds to make and mail! You’ll receive the 3D orthotics more quickly (typically 5 to 10 days).
Precision also plays a key role in saving time, as the perfect fit of 3D orthotics significantly reduces the risk of errors. This avoids patients coming back because their pain persists and the orthotics are not suitable for them.
3D Foot Orthotics Benefit Athletes
For athletes, 3D printed foot orthotics offer a tremendous advantage in terms of performance. If your patients engage in intensive physical activity, offering them this type of support is highly recommended. In addition to providing support, pain relief, and correction, they ensure better shock absorption, increased stability, and optimal functioning of the feet and lower limbs’ biomechanics. Therefore, they support, assist, and help athletes in their practices, while playing a major role in preventing injuries.
3D Foot Orthotics are Better Suited to Your Patients’ Ailments
Hallux valgus, plantar fasciitis, neuroma, diabetic foot, etc. These are many plantar conditions that can be treated by having patients wear orthotics. Here, the extreme precision of 3D models plays a crucial role in targeting the areas to be corrected and redistributing the body’s weight to restore stability and proper alignment. These orthotics take into account not only the entire foot but also the type of shoes worn by the patient and their daily activities. In this way, custom foot orthotics help relieve pain, treat existing conditions, and prevent potential injuries. They are thus better suited and more comprehensive than traditional orthotics.
Choose 3D Foot Orthotics for Optimal Treatment of Your Patients
3D printed foot orthotics represent a real evolution in the world of podiatry. Optimal quality, increased precision, superior effectiveness, simplified manufacturing process, time savings, and energy savings: they stand out far above traditional orthotics. They also offer notable benefits for both the healthcare professionals who choose them and the patients who wear them.
Interested in switching to 3D orthotics? Contact our team now to learn more about the products and services offered by Skeltec.