INTERPOD ORTHOTIC LIBRARY

The INTERPOD LIBRARY is a custom range of pre-made orthotics. Prescribing the correct orthotic from the Library is done by following the Four Steps to Prescribing lnterpod as shown below.

The advantages of using an Orthotic Library system over other orthotic manufacturing methods such as plaster casting, CAD CAM or 3D printing include:

Immediate fit, observation and patient review
Known levels of support - arch height, rearfoot and midfoot control
Shoe fit and comfort are immediately determined
Elimination of lab errors

Short and Medium Term use of Orthotics

Orthotics can be used effectively in the short term to treat injuries because alternative treatment options such as increasing the ability of the tissues to take the load, or to find other ways to reduce the load, take time. other treatment methods such as mechanobiology techniques - like eccentric loading exercises or changing running form - also take time.

Long Term use of Orthotics

If an athlete will not comply with exercises needed to help adapt the tissues to the demands placed upon them, or where the repetitive loads on the tissues are too high then the long term use of orthotics maybe necessary. Excessive repetitive loads can also be due to an individual’s biomechanics where high joint moments are a result of the individuals joint axis position. Excessive body weight can also be a contributing factor.

FOUR STEPS TO PRESCRIBING INTERPOD

Determine how much support is needed from your orthotic:
i. Use the Keystone Device to measure supination resistance.

ii. Design features - such as arch height, material type and orthotic stiffness can then be considered and selected.

iii. Determine if the device require additions - raise, forefoot pad.
Check Windlass Mechanism:
i. Do Jack’s and check 1st Met and Ray for motion.

ii. Design features - such as lateral pad, Plantar groove, 1st Cut away, rearfoot wedging can be prescribed.
LungeTest:
i. Checks the amount of dorsiflexion available at the ankle joint. Limited dorsiflexion means heel lifts may be beneficial.
Fit to Foot and Shoe:
i. Check patient footwear. Sometimes the patient must be advised to wear a more supportive shoe to accommodate the orthotic. If the patient is unwilling to compromise a slimmer orthotic or zero degree device maybe required.

ii. Patient trials orthotic inside shoe and is assessed. Library system allows options such Soft or Flex, stiffness, arch height, orthotic additions, cover type and overall comfort to be immediately reviewed.

WHEN TO USE ORTHOTICS TO TREAT PATIENTS

Tissues fatigue during activity as a result of the loads placed upon them and it’s not until rest that they recover. Orthotics can reduce these loads to enable the tissues to recover to a level where the patient is pain free and able to continue activities. Orthotics can be used in the short, medium and long term.

The advantages of implementing orthotics with the correct design features to reduce the loads on the patient’s symptomatic tissues are:

1. An immediate reduction in the loads placed on the painful tissues
2. Time saving
3. Ease of treatment
4. The ability to have an option to use the orthotics when necessary
5. Orthotic use allows athletes to train longer, harder and more frequently
6. Orthotics can be used as a treatment option in the short, medium or long term

Other treatment options such as physical therapy are more of a medium, if not long term treatment option as the tissues take time (weeks to months) to adapt and strengthen. These include:

1. Rest and RICE
2. Stretching and strengthening of assisting muscles
3. Changing activity type - cross training
4. Training on softer surfaces
5. Decreasing the frequency, intensity and or duration of activity
6. Wearing suitable footwear, including quality socks

MAXIMISE CLINICAL OUTCOMES

The Interpod Library range gives the practitioner the ability to prescribe the minimal amount of support needed to reduce symptoms. This can be done by doing a supination resistance test which correlates forces and loads to prescribing a level of orthotic support. When measured the harder it is to supinate the foot the greater the force an orthotic device needs to cause a supination moment at the subtalar joint axis. Conversely, the easier it is to supinate the foot then the lower the force required from an orthotic device.
This force can be measured using the Keystone device when performing a supination resistance test.

Research shows this test is more predictive of injury than foot posture or other subjective views of alignment. A medially located subtalar joint axis will have a higher supination resistance reading and require increased orthotic support - rearfoot wedging, arch height or orthotic stiffness.

A lateral located subtalar joint axis will have a low supination resistance reading and require less orthotic support - rearfoot wedging, arch height or orthotic stiffness.
The Interpod Library of orthoses provides practitioners with various levels of Rearfoot support and midfoot support, various levels of orthotic material stiffness and arch heights to customised and treat patients depending upon their individual biomechanics.

Design Features used by Interpod:

• Three material types; NeuroFlex, Polyurethane and EVA
• Three material stiffness’s; Low, Moderate, High
• Two areas of orthotic control; Midfoot and / or Rearfoot support
• Three arch heights; Low, Moderate, High
• Shank dependent and independent
• Cuboid Notch
• Heel cup option
• Extrinsic and Intrinsic Rearfoot Posts
• Three core orthotic additions; PMP pads, Lateral pads, Heel Lifts

Orthotic features unparalleled

Evidence-based orthotic design features including: plantar fascial groove, rearfoot wedge, cuboid notch, lateral support ridge and plantar flexion of 1st ray.

Designed by 'real' Podiatrists

Interpod, established in 1999 by 2 Australian podiatrists, is a range of effective pre-fabricated foot orthotics using design features which are supported by independent University Research.

Condition specific devices unrivalled

Prefabricated foot orthoses from Interpod have been shown to improve foot malalignment, that results in several known foot conditions from plantar fasciitis and arch pain to forefoot pain.