Non-Permanent Minor Footwear Modifications

Sometimes minor changes or additions that do not permanently modify the footwear can be useful for the patient.
Doughnut: Soft material about ¼-inch thick cut in a circle with a hole in the middle and with the outside edges ground smooth.
Heel Grip Pad: Soft material (often foam covered in leather) applied to the inside of the heel collar to reduce heel movement inside the heel cup during gait.
Heel Lift-Internal: Temporary lift placed inside the shoe on the heel seat.

Metatarsal Pad: Addition of a mound of material fastened to the insole or inside of the shoe just behind the ball to support the transverse (metatarsal) arch.

Scaphoid Pad: Addition of padding to the medial longitudinal arch of the insole or inside of the shoe.

Sole Plate: Addition of a carbon fibre “plate” to the inside of the shoe in order to minimize shoe flex.

Tongue Pad: A foam or felt pad shaped like the tongue of a shoe and fastened to the inside of the tongue of the shoe.

Wedge: Addition of “shims” to modify the angle of the rearfoot (heel) and/or forefoot (ball).

[info_box title=”OUR POSITION] Only someone specially trained in footwear modification and alterations should perform this function. A pedorthist is best positioned to assess the need for footwear alterations. An inappropriate alteration could cause a patient additional discomfort and possibly harm.[/info_box] Download – Footwear Modifications, Permanent and Non-Permanent as a PDF