At Cūro Chiropractic in SW Calgary, many of our clients first hear about custom-made orthotics when they are dealing with recurring foot pain, knee discomfort, or lower back tension after long hours at a desk or busy weekends on the trails. Custom orthotics can help support your feet in a more balanced way, which can contribute to more comfortable movement through your ankles, knees, hips, and spine when combined with appropriate care. In this blog, we walk you through the full process of getting custom orthotics at our clinic, from your first visit to picking up your finished personalized shoe inserts, so you know what to expect and how they may fit into your overall wellness plan.
When your feet are not supported well, the rest of your body often has to compensate. Over time, this may contribute to aches and pains in the feet, shins, knees, hips, and low back, especially if you sit a lot during the week and stay active on weekends. Custom orthotics are personalized shoe inserts that are shaped to your feet and the way you move.
They can help:
For many people, this added support can help reduce flare-ups of back discomfort when combined with chiropractic care.¹ At our Calgary clinic, we also look beyond your feet. Our team focuses on whole-body wellness, which means we consider your posture, work setup, activity levels, and how your spine and lower body are working together, not just the symptoms you feel in one area.
When people ask, “How does Cūro Chiropractic create custom orthotics?” we like to break it down into simple, clear steps. Our goal is to make the orthotic-fitting process straight forward and stress-free while aligning it with your broader wellness or injury-prevention goals.
Your journey usually starts with a visit to our SW Calgary clinic. If you are new to us, we may begin with a broader assessment of your spine, posture, and lifestyle habits, similar to how we approach our new patients for chiropractic care.
During your orthotic-focused visit, we typically:
This helps us understand whether custom orthotics, chiropractic care, massage therapy, or a combination would best support you.
Next, we assess how your body moves as a whole. Our team focuses on how your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and spine work together. This is sometimes called a biomechanical foot assessment, and it may help us see whether your foot mechanics could be contributing to tension higher up the chain.
For active clients, this is particularly important because many non-contact muscle injuries in sports occur during running or fast, sport-specific movements that place high demands on the muscles and joints. Understanding how you move allows us to discuss realistic strategies such as strengthening, mobility work, pacing your training, and appropriate footwear or orthotic support.
To design personalized orthotic support, we typically look at how you walk and stand, sometimes using gait analysis technology and foot pressure analysis tools.
This process may include:
This step helps guide the design of your custom orthotic based on your unique movement pattern.
Once we have a clear picture of how you move, we capture the shape of your feet. At our clinic, we use 3D scanning technology to record your foot in a supported position. This allows us to create custom orthotics that match the contours of your feet and support your lower limb alignment goals.
We offer custom orthotics by Footmaxx, designed using this 3D scanning process to help ensure each pair reflects your individual foot structure and movement needs.
During this phase, we also discuss how you plan to use your orthotics, such as:
From there, we select materials and features that may offer the right balance of cushioning, durability, and control for your needs. This is where personalized shoe inserts become truly customized rather than one-size-fits-all.
After your scan and design details are finalized, your information is sent to our orthotic lab partner. The lab uses your 3D data to create orthopedic shoe inserts that reflect your foot structure and the corrective features we have prescribed.
People often ask how long it takes to make custom orthotics. Timelines can vary depending on the lab and design, but we will give you an estimate during your appointment so you know when to expect your fitting visit.
When your custom orthotics arrive at our clinic, we schedule a fitting appointment.
During this visit, we typically:
We also guide you through a gradual break-in period. Many people benefit from slowly increasing wear time to allow their bodies to adapt. Consistency matters, as orthotics may be most helpful when worn regularly during weight-bearing activities as part of an overall care plan.
Because we focus on whole-body wellness, custom orthotics are often combined with other services such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, and movement or lifestyle recommendations. For some clients, we may also discuss holistic nutrition support if it is relevant to recovery or overall well-being.
Follow-up visits allow us to:
As your body and activity levels changeover time, these check-ins help ensure your orthotics continue to support your goals.
Yes. We offer custom orthotics at our Calgary clinic as part of our whole-body approach.
Custom orthotic benefits typically include a more precise fit tailored to your individual movement patterns and foot structure, rather than a generic shape.
Custom orthotics can help support the lower body in ways that complement spinal care. We assess each person individually to determine whether this approach fits their needs.
In many cases, we can assess existing orthotics and make minor modifications. If they are worn or no longer appropriate, we may discuss replacement options.
Lifespan varies based on activity level, work environment, and wear habits. Periodic check-ins help ensure they are still supporting your needs.
Many clients benefit most when orthotics are part of a broader plan that may include chiropractic care, soft-tissue therapy, movement guidance, and lifestyle support.
Whether you are managing foot pain, low back tightness, or simply curious about the best orthotics for posture and active living, a thorough assessment can help clarify what your body needs. At our SW Calgary clinic, we combine biomechanical assessment, gait analysis, and personalized orthotic design with a broader view of posture, movement, and daily habits.
If you are wondering whether custom orthotics could be a good fit for you, we would be happy to walk you through the process and discuss how they may integrate into your chiropractic or wellness plan.
Book an appointment today and see if custom orthotics are right for you!
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