Our Technology

Hand-crafted, personal comfort:

Downtown Podiatry Clinic offers the thinnest, strongest and lightest orthotics available, using aerospace composites and advanced engineering to restore your natural balance and improve the quality of your life.

Thinner, Lighter and Stronger

Orthotics have traditionally been made of flat stock thermoplastics such as rohadur, acrylic and polypropylene. With thermoplastics, thinner is flexible and thicker is more rigid. Graphite/glass composites, on the other hand, allow rigidity or flexibility to be engineered into orthotics as thin as 1.1 millimeters.

We can selectively alter the properties of a graphite and epoxy resin laminate just by angling the fibers of one layer in relationship to another layer. We can also engineer a device that is rigid in one area and flexible in another. For example, a patient's foot may require a rigid heel cup, stable forefoot, and a rigid lateral arch yet need flexibility of the medial arch. Composites meet this need.

We selectively angle several layers of aerospace grade materials to craft a custom orthotic of superior strength and incredible thinness.

Tri-plane Tailoring

& Motion

This is an extreme representation of the actual flexsion of the device. Flex will vary with shape of foot, weight, activity and flex range of device

3-D Flex and motion control:
Flex occurs through the center axis of the three planes of motion; Sagittal, Frontal and Transverse planes, within the device. Frontal plane motion is the inversion and eversion flexion of the plantar surface. The 3-D flex is found only in the Proformance™ and Superglass® functional orthoses.

Truly Custom Tri-plane Tailoring & Motion:
Tri-plane Tailoring is defined as the deliberate and controlled deformation/recoil within the body the device. Multiple layers of non-woven glass, graphite and resin are specifically angulated to increase or decrease flexural quality of a part that is modified or a selected area. The confinement maybe specified for the entire device. The Tri-plane motion is the result of the Tri-plane tailoring. This customization and tailoring engineering, distinctly separates the Proformance™ device as our most acclaimed device for high impact sports.

Clinical applications:
The unique design of the Proformance™ assists in controlling: Postural alignment, reducing impact forces to the lower extremities, supplements injuries with increased functional control while contributing to rehabilitation. Common overuse injuries and device application: Device application may very based on patient's profile and doctor's preferences. Plantar Fasciitis, Metatarsalgia, ITB, Runners Knee, Shin splints (Posterior, Anterior), Anterior Tibialis injuries.

The Skithotic ®

PFE makes the difference

Skithotic® Biomechanics:

Skiing is an unusual, perhaps unique upright sport that does not have a swing phase of gait. Although both skis are simultaneously on the slopes, the feet are unequally weighted with the load shifting from one side to the other as the skier "turns and edges". Most of the skier's body weight is borne on the inside edge of the downhill ski during steering, turning and cornering. Consider that the ski boot is designed to significantly, but not totally, immobilize the foot and lower leg and internal rotation of the predominately weighted downhill leg causes the subtalar joint to pronate mildly and thus the boot/downhill ski evert into the sidehill for edge control. With a flat foot, the subtalar joint is at its end range of motion with the midtarsal joint unlocked leaving the foot/boot/ski complex at a double disadvantage: There is no controlled eversion of the foot (and downhill ski) into the slopes and the first ray cannot be weighted.

With the Skithotic®, the subtalar joint and midtarsal joints are properly aligned making the foot a rigid lever with a stabilized first ray permitting controlled and weighted eversion of the downhill ski into the sidehill. Stability, edge control and crisper turns are the result.

Most skiers can benefit:

Without a Skithotic®, the normal unsupported foot is fitted into a generic padded shape frequently resulting in "hot spots" along the medial side of the foot especially the medial malleolus and the tibial tuberosity. With a pronated foot, the medial prominences are exaggerated and potentially disabling. The addition of a Skithotic® reduces painful "hot spots" by approximately 75%. In addition to preventing the medial displacement of the midfoot into the ski boot comfort is further enhanced because the ski boot does not have to be severely tightened in order to maintain edge control. Most skiers report increased balance, edge control and obviously, comfort.

PFE™ - Proprioceptive Forefoot Extension. The spring loaded forefoot extension increases the duration and amount of pressure on the plantar aspect of the digits for an improved proprioceptive feedback.

The Skithotic® is a custom ski device incorporating a Proprioceptive Forefoot Extension (PFE ™).
The PFE ™ improves sensory feedback by increasing the duration and amount of pressure on the plantar aspect of the digits adding to the proprioceptive feedback necessary for balance and stability. Additionally, the Skithotic® increases the efficiency in leveraging lower leg forces to the inside edge of the downhill ski so that inefficient motion, once lost, can be reclaimed (for increased stability, sharper corners ). The Skithotic® helps to form a seamless consistent interface between the plantar surface of the foot to the ski boot and the ski, allowing intimate contact with the snow with minimal effort.