Gait Doctor Employs Gait Scan Technology to Help Determine the Custom Foot Orthotics for Each Patient

Dr. Cherye Roche, who is also known as the Gait Doctor in Auckland, New Zealand, uses Gait Scan technology to ensure that each patient will get the best custom orthotics for feet. Her clinic is one of the select group of clinics all over the country that use this advanced technology for evaluating a patient’s gait for the prescription of the use of custom orthotics for better balance and stability that in turn will result into the healing of aches and pains.

Dr. Roche says, “My areas of expertise are; spinal and extremity adjusting, functional rehabilitation, functional orthotic therapy, and nutritional support for musculoskeletal conditions, and general wellness. My practice focuses on the provision of custom functional orthotics while still engaging in general spinal care, sports injury care, and rehab for the patients that I see for orthotic therapy.”

The biomechanical assessment to be done by Dr. Roche has three steps. The first step is a detailed physical exam that evaluates posture, leg length, foot function, and other appropriate assessments. The second step is where the patient is asked to walk across the pressure plate for gait analysis to evaluate the dynamic movement of the patient’s foot while walking or in motion. The results of the scans from Gait Scan will then be printed for the patient to bring home. The results of the physical exam will be compared with the gait analysis results and these are discussed with the patient. And if custom orthotics is appropriate, Dr. Roche will recommend the integration of orthotics into the patient’s care plan, and explain the kind of orthotics that would be best suited for the patient’s foot type and foot wear requirements.

The third and last step is done after the patient has made the decision to buy the orthotics after everything has been thoroughly explained by Dr. Roche. The order for the custom orthotics is placed and the data from the physical exam and gait analysis are sent to the laboratory through the Internet. The fabrication of the orthotics based on the prescribed specifications will take about 30 days and once completed, the patient goes to the clinic for a fitting visit where the orthotics are placed inside the shoes and then evaluated to make sure they are functioning properly. With these steps, Dr. Roche’s clinic is the place to go for those who are wondering where to get custom orthotics.

Orthotics are insoles that are fitted into the patient’s shoe as a way to regulate foot motion to avoid those stresses exerted on weight bearing joints that are due to over-pronation. That said, it is not a good idea to buy off the shelf orthotics, which are not specifically designed for the patient’s specific biomechanical requirements. These specifically designed devices will help in rebalancing the feet to minimize the stress on the muscles and joints with the result that pain and discomfort are reduced. This is done by optimizing and enhancing the natural movements of the body. Dr. Roche prescribes orthotics that will be specially made for a particular patient to balance biomechanical faults that are inherent in the patient’s joints. These devices will work in conjunction with the clinical care provided and speed up the healing process, ultimately offering long lasting results.

Different kinds of health issues can be resolved with the use of custom orthotics. These include: painful big toe (hallux rigidus); ball of foot pain (metatarsalgia); great toe pain (bunion / hallux valgus); foot arch pain (plantar fasciitis); heel pain (heel spur or Achilles tendonitis); Morton’s neuroma (toe numbness); hammer toe(s); shin splints (tibial tendon disorder); low back pain (lumbar strain); Equinus ankle; Piriformis syndrome (hip pain); collapsed foot arch (pronation syndrome); sciatica (lumbar disc protrusion); jumpers knee (infra-patellar tendonitis); and runners knee (it band syndrome / patella tracking syndrome) and even scoloisis.

The custom orthotics to be provided will fit all shoes, including ladies shoes. These devices can be designed to fit into almost any kind of shoes. Thus, they can be transferred from shoe to shoe, although the patient may opt to get a pair for each pair of shoes.

Those who are interested in learning more about Gait Doctor and the services that she provides, can visit Dr. Cherye Roche’s website, or contact her on the telephone or through email.