How can I find quality orthopaedic insoles?

You have just been diagnosed with flat feet or plantar fasciitis, or simply want to treat foot pain. For this, you will need orthopedic insoles to wear daily in your shoes. Are you wondering where to buy some at the best price, tailor-made, quality? Smart Feet gives you all the answers in this article.

Get orthopedic insoles at the podiatrist

👣 If you have a foot or posture problem, you may have gone to the podiatrist to diagnose your pain. The good news is that the same doctor who identified your problem is able to solve it.

The podiatrist can in fact create custom orthopedic insoles for you. Choice of thickness, materials, shape: the podiatrist will create orthopedic insoles that fit your foot and will help you correct your posture and relieve your pain.

By purchasing your insoles from the podiatrist, you are assured that the diagnosis is adapted to your health.

Generally, orthopedic insoles made by a podiatrist are made of leather and hard foam, in a material similar to fairly strong cardboard.

✅ Orthopedic insoles ordered from a podiatrist are therefore of high quality and last longer.

The good news is that there are many pedicure-podiatrist offices in France, and you will definitely be able to find one in your city.

The disadvantage is that you will probably need several appointments to diagnose your problem, then resolve it with the creation of orthopedic insoles.

❌Orthopedic insoles made by a podiatrist are generally expensive. Furthermore, only part is reimbursed by Social Security (60%).

Buy insoles at an orthopedic center

An orthopedic center is a medical center specializing in the treatment of bone, muscle and tendon diseases. This therefore applies to all parts of the body.

There, you can not only request tailor-made orthopedic insoles, but also benefit from an orthotic creation service if necessary.

✅ The orthopedic center creates tailor-made insoles, which are made based on a diagnosis adapted to your health.

The orthopedic insoles that you order from an orthopedic center are robust and last over time.

You should know that you will certainly not go to an orthopedic center at the first appointment: your attending physician, who will have identified the source of your pain, will be able to recommend an orthopedic surgeon or an orthopedic center to consult. You have to be sure before your pain is linked to a bone, muscle, nerve or tendon problem.

❌ The process of creating soles is slower, since the orthopedist-orthotist will have to take measurements of your foot and a precise diagnosis of your insoles before manufacturing them. This may take several weeks between the first appointment and the delivery date of your insoles.

The making of orthopedic insoles in a dedicated center is carried out like at the podiatrist: an orthopedist-orthotist will analyze the different pressure points on your foot, analyze your gait, take measurements and create orthopedic insoles adapted to your posture problem. or feet.

You will then need to come back a few weeks after the first appointment to try on your new insoles and take them home.

This means that you will have to travel several times to buy your insoles.

Price-wise, custom-made is more expensive than currently available insoles: orthopedic insoles from a specialized center are generally expensive. Only part is reimbursed by Social Security (60%)

Finally, in terms of accessibility, you may not find an orthopedic center near you, because there are no orthopedic centers throughout France. This can pose a problem if you live far from big cities, for example, and you urgently need orthopedic insoles. 

Buy orthopedic insoles in pharmacies

A quick, economical and easy solution to buy orthopedic insoles is to go to a pharmacy.

All pharmacies have orthopedic insoles or heel pads to buy. Gel insoles, leather insoles, silicone insoles: pharmacies offer a fairly varied range of shoe insoles, for all budgets.

✅ In pharmacy, the advantage is that orthopedic insoles are available immediately. If you want to treat severe or chronic pain, you can benefit from immediate relief.

Orthopedic insoles purchased in pharmacies are also inexpensive.

It is a solution that adapts to everyone, because it is possible to find orthopedic insoles to cut (which is convenient if you have a small or very large foot size!).

However, small establishments may not have the entire range desired, and in these cases, you will need to order from your pharmacist.

❌ Orthopedic insoles ordered in pharmacies must be renewed more frequently, because their durability is inferior to a tailor-made model. Above all, they do not fit your foot perfectly since they were not created especially for you.

Orthopedic insoles sold in pharmacies are not reimbursed by Social Security.

Order your insoles online

Today, it is possible to find all products online. Orthopedic insoles are one of them.

Specialized sites like Smartfeet offer you a wide choice of orthopedic insoles, heel pads, sports insoles and other accessories to improve your posture.

Above all, you can easily navigate the site to find the product you are looking for. Orthopedic insoles are in fact classified by use (daily, painkiller, sport, slimming) or by pathology to be treated (Plantar Fasciitis, heel spur, flat foot).

Online, you will also find orthopedic insoles in all the materials you want: gel, silicone, leather, foam, etc.

Ordering your orthopedic insoles online is the guarantee of an inexpensive solution, and insoles available immediately.

✅ Man or woman, adult or child: you will inevitably find a sole suitable for your foot on an online shoe sole site. Above all, stock is guaranteed, and each category presents several models of insoles so that you have the choice.

Customer reviews will also allow you to determine the reliability of the site you are purchasing from, and will help you choose the best model of orthopedic insoles.

The disadvantage is that orthopedic insoles ordered online are not reimbursed by Social Security, but can be reimbursed by certain mutual insurance companies!

In the case of complex or multiple pathologies, they are also less adapted to your problem than custom-made insoles.

Conclusion

You now know where to buy your orthopedic insoles. Podiatrist, orthopedic center, pharmacy, specialized online site: it's up to you to choose the solution that best suits your needs and your budget. 

For an economical, quick and multi-functional solution, an orthopedic website remains the ideal place to order your insoles.