Design, development and biomechanical evaluation of a prefabricated anti pronation foot orthosis

Background Custom made foot orthoses remain the ‘gold standard’ because the orthotic geometry is tailored to each patient’s foot. However, due to their reduced cost, in some contexts there has been an increasing preference for prefabricated orthoses. Research has failed to identify major differences between the two types of orthosis [1-4]. This project aimed to design, develop and evaluate a new anti-pronation foot orthosis. The project was initiated following observations that many prefabricated orthoses failed to incorporate the design principles used in custom made orthoses and the lack of evidence for the effect of prefabricated orthoses on foot pronation.