Weeks 1–2
Pain
Calm the pressure down.
A comprehensive evaluation of your foot structure, biomechanics, and gait determines the right starting point, alleviating pressure from sore spots and taking weight off the areas driving the pain.
What We Treat
Orthotics care in Seattle.
Orthotics correct the way your foot moves: redistributing weight, easing pressure from sore spots, and improving balance. Your feet, knees, hips, and lower back are connected, so getting the fit right can change more than just your step.
Sound Familiar?
Does this sound like you?
- Foot pain from plantar fasciitis, bursitis, arthritis, or flat feet that just won’t ease up
- Shin splints or tendinitis that flares the same way every time you’re on your feet
- Knee, hip, or low back discomfort that seems to trace back to how your feet hit the ground
- An alignment or gait issue that’s never quite been corrected
- Pressure sores or discomfort tied to a condition like diabetic foot ulcers
- A child or teenager whose walking pattern doesn’t look quite right
Two or more? Keep reading.
Why It Happens
Foot mechanics affect more than your feet.
Orthotics are specially designed devices worn inside the shoe to correct biomechanical foot issues. They correct foot abnormalities, redistribute weight, alleviate pressure from sore spots, and improve balance. We use them as part of comprehensive treatment plans for conditions like plantar fasciitis, bursitis, arthritis, and flat feet.
By aligning your feet and ankles, orthotics can even influence your knees, hips, and lower back, addressing imbalances and enhancing your overall body mechanics. There are two main types: functional orthotics, which control abnormal motion and are often used for shin splints or tendinitis, and accommodative orthotics, which provide cushioning and support for conditions like diabetic foot ulcers or plantar fasciitis. A comprehensive evaluation determines which type is best suited to your recovery.
The Honest Truth
Waiting on foot pain doesn’t make it wait on you.
If you keep waiting
- The imbalance in your feet keeps working its way up into your knees, hips, and lower back
- An off-the-shelf insert keeps missing the specific problem your foot structure and gait actually have
- Kids and teens with an uncorrected gait carry that alignment issue into adulthood
If you start this week
- A thorough evaluation of your foot structure, biomechanics, and gait tells you what’s actually happening
- A 3D mold of your foot becomes the starting point for a device built around your daily activities and footwear
- Orthotics get paired with exercise, manual therapy, or balance training for a broader approach to recovery
Foot pain rarely stays where it starts. The sooner the mechanics get corrected, the sooner the rest of you stops compensating for it.
How We Fix It
The same four phases. Built for your feet.
Every plan has an endpoint, and you’ll work one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, every visit. Here’s what the four phases look like for orthotics.
Weeks 2–6
Prime
Get the right support in place.
Whether you need a functional orthotic to correct abnormal motion or an accommodative orthotic for cushioning and support, a custom device built from a 3D mold of your foot gets designed around your daily activities, footwear, and specific problem.
Weeks 6–10
Perform
Rebuild how you move.
Orthotics get paired with exercise, manual therapy, or balance training so the correction holds up under real activity, not just inside the shoe.
Weeks 10+
Prevent
Keep the mechanics working for you.
Aligned feet and ankles keep supporting your knees, hips, and lower back instead of working against them, reducing pain and helping prevent further injury.
I received training sessions with Dr. Jacob for my recurring QL strains. He was quick to analyze what the problem was, and suggested targeted stretches and exercises so I could return to my physical activities with much less fear of injuring myself again.
Han L. · Google review
Before: foot, knee, hip, or back pain traced to how your feet move
After: aligned, supported, and moving without the compensation
Orthotics
A few weeks
Questions, Answered
What people ask before booking for orthotics.
Functional orthotics control abnormal motion and correct the alignment of your foot: they’re often used to treat injuries like shin splints or tendinitis. Accommodative orthotics provide cushioning and support, typically used to relieve pain from conditions like diabetic foot ulcers or plantar fasciitis. A comprehensive evaluation determines which type fits your recovery.
The process starts with a thorough examination of your foot structure, biomechanics, and gait, followed by a 3D mold of your foot used to create your bespoke device. The design considers your daily activities, your footwear, and the specific problem being addressed, so the fit is built around you, not off the shelf.
Yes. By aligning your feet and ankles, orthotics can influence your knees, hips, and lower back, addressing imbalances and improving your overall body mechanics. They’re often used alongside other treatment, like exercise programs, manual therapy, or balance training, for a broader approach to recovery.
Book Your Visit
Ready when you are.
Request a time and a real person calls you back, usually within two business hours. No phone tree. No ‘someone will reach out.’ Just a plan.
- Hours Mon - Fri: 07:00 am - 06:00 pm
- 206-279-2870 Prefer to talk now? Call us.
- Same-week appointments available
5.0 · 250+ Google reviews
Typical response: under 2 business hours
Step 1 of 5
Request sent.
That’s the hard part done. We’ll call during business hours to lock in your time. Most people are on the schedule same week.
Visit Us
Care this good, this close.
Forefront Physical Therapy
- (opens in new tab)311 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
- 206-279-2870
- Fax: 206-279-2872
- hello@forefrontpllc.com
- Mon - Fri: 07:00 am - 06:00 pm