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Our lead technician Allan West Top 1000 Reviewer E-BAY
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A little about DAL HISTORY
As a technician working in the custom orthotics industry for nearly 21 years I am able to pick up on what the competition is up to. It pains me to see people on ebay or similar websites purchasing orthotics on a listing where the manufacturer of the foot support out right admits to using flexible material for the price of $100 dollars or more. Other listings which have someone STANDING in the foam, or claiming they do not fit the orthotic to the negative cast (foam, sock, or plaster) is also a big scam.
What is a true custom orthotic? A true custom orthotic is one that matches your foot's arch height (with modifications), width, and of course length. The shell should be up to your metatarsal heads (3/4 length) with the heel cupped perfectly around.
How are true custom orthotics supposed to be made? First a laboratory receives a negative impression. This impression is from either one of the methods above. Second the impression is either scanned with a 3-dimensional laser or filled with plaster. When an impression is scanned, a virtual image of the foot is created. This image is more then likely corrected and balanced using virtual software. After correction has taken place the image is then milled out by a C&C machine. This creates a positive out of wood. This process is only done today by legitimate laboratories in North America which can afford a C&C machine. The other method of correction or balancing is with traditional plaster. The foam impression is essentially copied by pouring plaster inside. When the plaster hardens you have what is called the "positive". This positive made of plaster has more plaster added or taken away depending upon what changes are needed for the foot.
After a positive has been created, the selected plastic is heated up and pressed onto the POSITIVE cast. Afterwards the technician grinds the orthotic down, adds heel posts intrinsically or extrinsically, and lastly puts on a top cover. The process usually takes about 2 days.
Beware of orthotic labs which claim that the foot molds to the orthotic. Orthotics that are heat activated and copy your foot are also fraudulent. This means a flexible orthotic which flattens out the moment you wear them. It is true your foot needs to flex, but using extreme flexible materials does not give support or desired results. The reason flexible material is used is because the customer doesn't think to complain because the orthotics cause absolutely no discomfort yet original symptoms persist. Orthotics should have some rigidity to them. The whole point is to provide support. Soft materials will just collapse under your weight. In reality a custom orthotic changes the way your foot reacts during the Gait Cycle. When first wearing orthotics discomfort is usually felt because your foot is being forced into a more natural or "neutral" position. People who need orthotics usually have something wrong with their arch. Eventually your feet adapt to the change and the discomfort goes away (including the original symptoms).
One of the first questions I get when I sell orthotics online is why my orthotics are cheaper then the rest. Simply put, there are no middle men. I listen to you, because you are your best doctor Raw materials and labor are overseen at one location. Markup is standard where there is a middle man selling them.
Digital Arch Laboratory actually starts off by selling nearly at our cost. We simply do this because we are
confident you will buy a second pair in the future.
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