This information that I provide in this article is based on the twenty years of making custom made foot orthotics, the 45,000 people that I have helped in this time period, and the Inventor of the Insta-Mold Foot orthotic System.
The History of Custom Made Foot Orthotic Making:
Where, and how did custom foot orthotic making first begin. Well I don’t know exactly when it began, but I am able to say for sure that it did originate in Germany. Hundreds of years ago.
Through the years, the German Scientist, and Doctors had created a medical science that was unlike, the substandard technology that we see today in the United States and in other countries around the world.
The avenue by which it first began here in the United States, was when the United States, and our allies won World War-II. During this segment of history, the US and other countries stole many developed technologies that the Germany had created over the history of Germany. The jet engine, Medical, and the A-Bomb. As well as other technologies that I have not mentioned in this article. Also In our rush to absconded the technology for the making of custom made foot orthotics, we were not able to acquire the technology for adjusting the foot devices that was locked away in the German Scientist, and Doctors minds.
Today in the United States, it is a common fact that custom made foot orthotics are just a craft, and should not be thought of as a Medical product. If we further examine what makes this product Medical, it is only because it comes from a Medical facility, and nothing else. If anyone considers this product to be medical, then it would also be fair to say that a paper clip could be considered a medical product as well, only because it was facilitated through a medical office.
It is important to note that all custom made foot appliances should be regarded as an alternative to most foot problems, with the exception to severer injuries, like your foot just got run over by a car, a rock fell on your foot, a sharp foreign object penetrated your foot, or other clear examples that leave no question as to when it is time to consult an orthopedic surgeon. For all other problems your orthopedic foot Doctor is the best qualified to handle your needs. But make sure that they are an Orthopedic Doctor.
I have found that any Orthopedic Doctor that specializes in the lower extremities, is best able to handle any foot problem. Any good Orthopedic Surgeon will have about a three month waiting list of patients waiting to see him, and in most cases will refer a patient to a good foot orthotic maker as a first step in solving a foot problem.
As for the foot Podiatrists in our country, I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for them I would not have such a great business. In a audit report Assessment of Montes Orthopedic, from my City of Tucson Revenue Department dated in February of 2006, I made a grand total of $ 2,449,820.80 for the period of January 1, 1999 through August of 2006. If you would like a copy of this report, just call me at 520-749-1105.
It has also been my experience, that most Podiatrists that claim to make custom made foot orthotics only take a 6 week coarse in school on the making of custom made foot orthotics. Which also accounts for the many Podiatrists that send castings of the feet out to many labs that make custom made foot orthotics as well. Which with their need to exist in there own business will need to do as many surgeries as possible to pay for there rents, secretaries, anesthesiologist, ex-rays, rents at a local Hospital for the Operation room, and malpractice insurance, attorney’s fees. Not to mention there living expenses. Also keep in mind that a Podiatrists can only operate by law on the feet, and only have to 2 years of study in surgery on the feet. And heaven help the person who get a pain in there foot on a hot summer day in Tucson where lot of the population leaves for their summer homes, leaving only a hand full of foot problems to the many Podiatrists that need to pay there expenses.
I have found that over all Orthopedic Surgeons are much more busier than a Podiatrists, because the operate on arms, hands, legs, chest, and backs, and go to school for a further amount of time than a Podiatrists.
The reason I know so much about this subject is not because I studied under a German Scientist, who’s field was Bio-Mechanical Engineering in the field of making custom made foot orthotics, or that he gave me an education beyond any type of school or organization that certifies or teaches people on how to make custom made foot orthotics in the United States. But rather because I am living proof, and a poster child for unnecessary surgery that was done to both my feet at age 12. The Doctor told my family that the surgery would correct the a flat foot problem that caused my ankles to turn inward, and made my arches flat.
Later after the surgery I was prescribed several pairs of different foot products. That caused blisters to both feet, distorted and ruined my shoes, and were so hard that these products caused me even more pain, and at a great expense to both of my parents.
I have since learned that a pair of orthotics would have saved me from so much pain and discomfort, coming from partial paralysis, and arthritis that I developed in both of my feet, at age 17 as a result of the unnecessary surgery.
I have found that most hard orthotics fail do to the sudden change in the walking pattern that a patient has to endure because of the miscalculations on the part of the Doctor making or prescribing a custom made pair of hard orthotics that produces a product can lead to too much correction at once.
There is another reason why in most cases hard orthotics will fail. This is because a foot orthotic can only offer rear foot control, and there is a lack of understanding that a wedge material is needed on the outside part of the sole of the shoe that will establish forefoot control back to the person wearing a foot orthotic.
Too much control sometimes works out to the benefit of the physician, only so the physician can later convince the patient that they need surgery, if the orthotic is falling. And if the patient is irate, and upset because he or she paid a lot of money for the appointments, office visits, X-Rays, Cordizone shots, and casting of the feet to make the foot orthotic that didn’t work in the first place.
Sometimes the patient is able to be put at ease by the physician that states the he or she is willing to deduct the cost of the foot orthotic off their surgery bill. This like a car sales man saying that he can give you $5000.00 for that car that doesn’t run so he can later add $ 5000.00 to the cost of the new car that you are buying.
In the many years that I have been studding the feet, I was able to find a direct correlation with hard orthotics creating other problems through long term use. What I discovered is that in some cases a hard orthotic can lead a neuropathy, and an atrophying that can occurs in the tendons, and ligaments in the feet, due to the immobilization of the feet. This process that I describe is much like the same condition that occurs in situations where a person has a broken bone in their arm or leg, and after the cast has been removed the leg or arm will show a significant loss of muscle tone. This is the same condition that seems identifiable in the long term use of hard orthotics.
In regards to the parents of infant babies. It is only natural for parents to be concerned about their child’s welfare when it comes to their children showing signs of an irregular formation in the legs and feet that appears as the child goes from a small diaper to a larger diaper. I have had some mothers bring their young children to me because it does appear that the child’s legs are showing signs of child being bow legged. And in some cases the child will have flat feet as well. I have seen a lot of expense being poured into the purchasing of equipment used to control the infants feet, and legs for these problems. There are leg spreaders that require numerous amount of trips to the local physician or provider for periodical adjustments to increase the amount of control that is needed to straiten the legs. I find that it is the overly thick diaper that is the cause of this irregular position that will cause the parent to become alarmed. My advice to young mothers has always been to wait till the child is out of diapers and the child is using underwear for 3 to 4 months, and if the child still is showing signs of this problem after that amount of time, then seek the advise of your local family Doctor. This advise will cut down on any unneeded expenses that tends to correct itself in time.
I have spent many years inventing a product that total makes all hard orthotics obsolete, and now this new technology is available for market.
I have created an orthotic system called the Insta-Mold Foot Orthotic System. This product is so advanced that I am proud to announce that I was able to calculated that it would take anyone in this field close to 10 to 15 years to catch up to the advancement of this discovery that I have created, while distancing myself with this in my research to become the best, at that I do. Which is the making of a truly successful foot product.
This system total eliminates the casting process, by creating an orthotic the will mold itself to the person wearing this product, at the same time creating a walking pattern of the feet while the feet are in motion on to the product.
Once this pattern occurs, there are identifiable signs of the inconsistencies of the feet. Which I rely on to add adjustments that are based on the clients comfort and needs. These special designed adjustments are added slowly over a period of time, mush like a dentist that adjusts and tightens teeth with people that wear braces. Only with out the pain associated with braces. Each adjustment allows the client to get use to the small adjustments.
With the multiple adjustment, I have been able to help dentist in correcting (TMJ) in the jaws of there patients. And when an adjustment is added, I will follow up with a call to there physician to report the type of control added, Whether the control is Varus control, or Valgus control, I provide the calculated amount of control so their dentist can adjust there mouth appliance.
I offer three major forms of control to the products:
The first is a heel lift, only because 90% of the population has one leg shorter that the other. How does a heel lift play a part in the healing process. If you have one leg shorter than the other, you can also have more of a detrition in the wearing of the joins on one side of the body more that the other. Also lower back pain is the most significant cause from having one leg shorter than the other.
Just try this experiment for yourself to see for yourself if you need a heel lift. Take magazine, writing tablet, or note book and place it on a hard surface floor in your home. With both shoes off, place one foot on the pad, making sure that both feet are close together, but not touching, in a natural standing position with your arm and legs to your side. Then switch feet, if your back pain feels better then you are a prime candidate for a heel lift. If you feel more pain, and more discomfort, as if you are standing on something higher, then it’s because you have added something higher under your longer leg to make your longer leg even longer, and now you can tell the that you are shorter in one leg than the other. Over time the use of a heel lift can allow your back begin to feel better through a natural process, and without medication. One of the more significant signs of having one leg shorter than the other, is to look at an old pair of shoes, work, running, high heels. As you look close, you will see more wear on the sole and heel of the shoes that you are looking at. If you are an athlete or runner you will sometime notice that when you are at a race, or participating in an athletic event, maybe you have noticed that the person next to you has a loss muscle tone in oneleg more than the other. This is a clear sign of having one leg shorter than the other. I am able to apply a heel lift that will develop the muscle back to the leg and calf muscle, that will also in turn increase their overall speed and performance through balance.
For the second major form of control that my product has to offer, is the wedge material that I talked about earlier, which serves two distinct functions, and is probably one of the most important forms of control that I have to offer. This wedged material is added to the lateral aspects of the sole of the shoe, which is then shaped and tapered so to the wedge is not noticeable, or seen while in public. This product aids and enhances the system by re-balancing your distorted shoes, and allows me to add more adjustments to the orthotic. If you notice that your shoes are more worn to the outside area of your shoes where your small toes are located on the outside leather of the toe area, or material of you shoes, then you need to have your shoes re-balanced so an orthotic whether my product or someone else’s, can function to it’s full potentials.
The last form of major control that I have to offer is the foot orthotic itself. This product is made out of different densities of rubber that are hand formed, and balanced for accuracy, and high performance, so if you are a jogger, or long distance runner, or everyday walker, this product will amaze you. I have found that because of the flexibility of this product, runners have remarked that this product, at the finishing line made them feel as if they could have run further, and were amazed at how much more energy they still had at the end of there race. I have also heard from runners that this product takes a large amount of fatigue, and pain out of running, which is more noticeable at the end of there run.
Small specially designed adjustments are added to the orthotic shell over a period of time, so the body has a chance to get use to each adjustment. As I begin to add the adjustments, the joins and bones begin to become realigned through a natural process, much like the straightening of teeth.
Heel pain is the most common type of pain that has earned me the title of foot specialists, I have developed 9 adjustments for savior heel pain, from burcitious, plantor- facitious, heel spurs, or from an injury like stepping on a nail, or broken glass.
The most remarkable thing about this product is the materials that are shipped to the United States from Germany. These materials are very long lasting. So when I say Ti-wane, we think quantity, and when I say Germany you should be thinking quality.
The German people have put a lot of high quality ingredients, and science into the making of there orthopedic materials, and rubber.
I was able to acquire specific information about the rubber I use in the making of my foot products. The scientists have engineered there rubber to react to the temperature of the body, by adding different viscosities of oil to the making of their rubber. We all know how motor oil, like 10W-30W works in our car, or 10W-40W, these types of motor oil react to heat, and the cold. Well the oil they use in the materials that are sent to me are similar. They react to body heat, and different temperatures in our environment. What I have learned is that when you wear my product made from these new and advanced materials, is that the longer you are on your feet the softer the material becomes, eliminating more pain associated with prolonged standing.
With the specialized equipment I have invented for manufacturing, will allow me to produce up to 60 pairs of custom made foot orthotics daily. I have a same day service which only takes me 15 to 20 minuets to make a pair of foot orthotics for someone. Adjustments take about 3 to 5 minuets to add to any pair of my products.
I have some customer that fly in from different parts of the country just to get my products. And then they fly back out. I have clients that come from as far away as Mexico City. I have a Doctor who is the head surgeon at a Hospital that faxes my drawings of his patients feet with the notes explaining just what is wrong with their feet, and the products are made and sent out the same day.
I have a standard one time fee for this service:
1) Insta-Mold Foot Orthotic System- $ 350.00
2) Heel Lift $15.00
3) Wedges per pair of shoes $ 15.00
10 Year Warranty: $ 50.00 Against Normal Wear and Tear. Which specificity states that if my foot orthotic should wear out, tear through normal use, I will replace it for free.
And above all there are no hidden charges
Please note: These prices do not reflect the shipping charges.
Now I would like to share this new technology with you. I can be reached by phone at 520-749-1105 just ask for Steve, or leave a message on my message machine at 520-512-0228, as all calls made to my office are returned by me, and only me. I can also be reached on weekends as well as I am very interested to hear about your horror with your foot doctor. Thank you for your time.
[email protected]
Or write me at:
Montes Orthopedic
Attn: Steven Montes
9000 E. Indian Canyon Rd.
Tucson, Az 85749
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