Custom orthotics are more than insoles. They can serve as a foundation for better movement, reduced pain, enhanced sports performance, and long-term injury prevention. At Mountain Health & Performance, we deliver a comprehensive biomechanical orthotic assessments and custom foot support solutions.
From hikers navigating the North Shore mountains to weekend warriors training in North Vancouver gyms, to people simply trying to walk pain-free again, custom orthotics can be tailored to your needs.
North Vancouver Custom Orthotics
What Are Orthotics?
Orthotics are specialized medical devices designed to support or correct the alignment of a body part, most commonly the foot, with the goal of improving biomechanics, optimizing gait, and alleviating stress on the musculoskeletal system. They’re used to address structural issues, movement compensations, and pain patterns affecting the:
Feet
Ankles
Knees
Hips
Lower back
Entire kinetic chain
Orthotics work by enhancing balance, providing stabilization through movement, improving shock absorption, correcting alignment imbalances, and optimizing load distribution through each step you take.
Custom vs. Prefabricated Orthotics – What’s the Real Difference?
Not all orthotics are created equal. The two main categories are custom and prefabricated (over-the-counter) orthotic devices.
Custom Orthotics
Custom orthotics are individually fabricated to match the exact structure, mechanics, and needs of your body. This process involves:
A comprehensive biomechanical exam
3D laser foot scans
Gait analysis
Clinical diagnosis
Customized prescription based on:
Arch type
Foot mobility
Weight distribution
Movement compensations
Activity level
Injury history
Performance goals
These devices are engineered to provide targeted correction, alignment support, and functional optimization.
Prefabricated (OTC) Orthotics
Over-the-counter orthotics are pre-manufactured devices available in standard sizes and shapes without individualized assessment. They can be useful for people with mild foot fatigue, moderate discomfort, or those simply looking for extra cushioning. While more affordable and accessible, OTC devices offer:
Generalized support
No personalized correction
No gait-specific design
Limited long-term symptom resolution for clinically driven conditions
Can Custom Orthotics Help My Condition?
Custom orthotics have been shown to be effective for a wide range of alignment- and movement-related conditions. Some of the most common conditions we prescribe custom orthotics for at MHP include:
1. Flat Feet (Pes Planus)
Custom arch support improves weight distribution and reduces strain on soft tissue, ligaments, and joints.
2. High Arches (Pes Cavus)
Orthotics help reduce excess pressure on the heel and ball of foot, improving shock absorption and load tolerance.
3. Overpronation & Supination
Custom orthotics correct inward or outward rolling gait patterns, improving stability and reducing foot and ankle stress.
4. Plantar Fasciitis
Orthotics offload tension through the arch and heel, reducing irritation of the plantar fascia while supporting healing.
5. Achilles Tendonitis
Device support reduces strain on the Achilles tendon and optimizes ankle biomechanics during movement.
6. Shin Splints
Corrective orthotic design can decrease excessive load on the tibialis and surrounding musculature, reducing symptom intensity and recurrence.
7. Bunions (Hallux Valgus)
Orthotics improve foot alignment, reducing compensatory pressure and soft tissue irritation around the big toe joint.
8. Metatarsalgia
Pressure-redistribution features reduce forefoot overload and provide more comfortable impact tolerance.
9. Knee Pain
Many knee pain syndromes, such as iliotibial band friction, patellofemoral pain, or tracking instability, are influenced by poor foot mechanics and can improve dramatically with orthotic alignment correction.
10. Hip Pain
Gait imbalance and foot instability may contribute to uneven load transfer at the hip. Custom orthotics restore more symmetrical functional movement.
11. Lower Back Pain
Foot alignment influences pelvic and spinal posture. Orthotic correction can reduce compensatory lumbar joint and muscle stress.
12. Sports Injuries & Athletic Performance
Whether you’re a runner, skier, hockey player or a CrossFit athlete, custom orthotics help athletes:
Improve kinetic chain alignment
Reduce injury rates
Increase movement efficiency
Improve balance and power transfer
Train longer without compensation fatigue
Recover faster between sessions
Are Custom Orthotics Worth It?
For many people, the answer is YES, especially when pain, injury, or athletic goals are involved.
Because custom orthotics are shaped to your unique movement profile, they can address issues at the root instead of just the symptoms which offers:
Better clinical outcomes
Precision alignment correction
Improved performance metrics in athletes
Reduced injury recurrence
Better comfort during training and daily movement
Personalized correction for specific conditions
More durable results long-term
Our Custom Orthotics Process: Precision Meets Performance
When you book a custom orthotics appointment at MHP, you receive a movement diagnosis and foot support prescription engineered for your body.
Step 1—In-Depth Biomechanical Assessment
Your provider will evaluate:
Foot structure
Range of motion
Joint mobility
Weight-bearing patterns
Muscle balance and activation compensations
Postural influences
Past injury impacts
Performance demands for your lifestyle or sport
Step 2—Gait & Movement Analysis
We assess dynamic motion patterns such as walking, running, and functional mobility to determine:
How your foot contacts the ground
How it moves through each step
Which joints or tissues are overloaded
Whether compensations are impacting the ankles, knees, hips, or spine
What type of correction is necessary for optimized movement and symptom resolution
Step 3—Laser Foot Scans
Your provider will take enhanced 3D digital foot scans
This ensures a perfect anatomical representation for device fabrication.
Step 4—Clinical Diagnosis & Custom Prescription Design
We design your orthotics specifically to:
Correct alignment issues
Offload stress on injured or painful tissue
Improve load tolerance
Enhance joint stability
Optimize force transfer, balance, and foot function
Step 5—Orthotic Fabrication & Delivery
Your orthotics are craft-engineered to match your diagnosis and goals, ready for wear in supportive footwear.
Step 6—Follow-Up Fitting & Re-assessment
Once received, your provider will ensure:
Proper fit
Function during movement
Comfort in footwear
Prescription effectiveness
Adjustments if necessary
Who Offers Custom Orthotic Assessments at Mountain Health & Performance?
At MHP, all biomechanical orthotic assessments and custom orthotic casting are performed by:
If any of our multidisciplinary practitioners, including physiotherapists, registered massage therapists, or chiropractors believe orthotics will benefit your treatment, sport recovery, or injury rehab plan, they can refer you directly for an orthotic assessment.
Why North Vancouver Trusts Mountain Health & Performance for Custom Orthotics
At MHP, we specialize in performance-based injury rehab with medical expertise rooted in biomechanical precision care. Patients choose us because we offer:
North Vancouver-focused clinical expertise
Athlete-grade alignment correction
Modern scan and casting technology
Multidisciplinary care integration
Injury care that supports both healing and performance
Providers that treat you like more than a number
Which Conditions Benefit Most from Custom Orthotics?
Patients who see the most impact typically include:
✅ Athletes training 3–5+ days per week
✅ People with chronic heel, knee, hip, or lower back pain
✅ Those with diagnosed gait abnormalities
✅ Patients seeking prevention for recurring injuries
✅ Anyone whose movement pattern shows compensation fatigue, imbalance, or asymmetrical force transfer
✅ People who spend long hours standing or walking
✅ Those navigating uneven terrain
How Orthotics Improve Sports Performance for North Vancouver Athletes
Custom orthotics support:
Enhanced Ground Force Stability
Better foot contact and arch stabilization = improved balance, power, and longer training tolerance.
Reduction in Overuse Injuries
By addressing alignment abnormalities, orthotics reduce repetitive stress syndromes that commonly affect athletes training on mountain and urban North Vancouver terrain.
Better Biomechanical Efficiency
More efficient steps = reduced fatigue, better recovery, and improved endurance.
Optimized Alignment During Loading
Better ankle, tibial, femoral, pelvic, and spinal alignment during weight-bearing movement patterns.
Improved Shock Distribution
Reduced impact stress from trail running, jogging, gym plyometrics, or sports field work.
Balanced Lower Body Mechanics
Great for symmetrical training outputs in runners, skiers, hockey players, lifters, or athletes of any discipline.
Footwear Performance Optimization
Custom orthotics are made specifically to be worn inside your athletic or supportive lifestyle footwear for maximal integrated impact.
Integration with Multidisciplinary Care
At MHP, orthotics are often paired with a broader treatment plan powered by:
Physiotherapy
Massage therapy
Chiropractic care
Shockwave therapy
IMS/Dry Needling
Corrective exercise prescription and movement retraining
Personal performance goals
This synergistic approach ensures your orthotics support both healing and optimized movement mechanics.
Clinical Confidence
While results vary based on diagnosis accuracy, compliance, and footwear integration, custom orthotics provide measurable benefits for gait imbalance, lower kinetic chain compensation, and movement-driven pain syndromes treated at the root source.
Book Your Custom Orthotics Assessment in North Vancouver
Appointments can be booked directly with:
Our team coordinates seamlessly, so whether you start in physio, massage, or chiropractic, your care plan supports you across your North Vancouver movement demands and sport recovery needs.