Clinical Use and Fabrication of Molded Thermoplastic Foot Orthotic Devices

The physical therapist may conclude that foot orthotic therapy is necessary for treating patients with foot and lower extremity dysfunction. The type and features of each orthosis should be determined by the patient's anatomical structure, biomechanical alignment, diagnosis, age, and activity level. Correct prescription of a foot orthosis requires the clinician to 1) understand normal lower extremity biomechanics,1,2 2) understand how biomechanical malalignment or pathological disease states alter lower extremity function, 3) perform an appropriate lower extremity examination,3 4) identify disorders that respond to foot orthosis therapy (Appendix),4–6 and 5) choose the appropriate materials and the type of orthosis that provide therapeutic benefit. The purpose of this article is to review only the features, clinical use, and fabrication techniques for molded semirigid and rigid thermoplastic foot orthotic devices.