HealthQuest is preparing to take their new 3D scanning technology on the road across Newfoundland and Labrador, giving more people access to custom-made, hand-crafted orthotics.
Janet LeGrow, general manager of HealthQuest in St. John’s, says custom orthotics can drastically improve a person’s quality of life — helping them to enjoy their favourite activities by addressing pain in their feet, ankles, knees, hips and lower back.
In order to be effective, a custom-made orthotic must be well-fitting — designed specifically for the shape of a person’s foot. HealthQuest recently started using a 3D scanning app in order to provide their pedorthists with “greater precision” and faster results when taking an impression.
LeGrow says the 3D scanning process is simple and fast. The person sits in a chair and the pedorthist angles their foot in order to get the correct visual. The app runs on an iPad secured to a tripod, and it uses infrared light to complete the 3D scan in just five seconds.
Once the pedorthist has captured the information, the app immediately converts the images into 3D scans which are uploaded to the orthotics lab. The custom orthotics are hand-crafted, and people typically receive their custom-made orthotics within just 10 days.
Jennifer Fillier, a certified pedorthist with HealthQuest, says the new 3D scanning technology has been easy to use and is greatly speeding up the process of providing high-quality custom orthotics.
“Because we’re able to upload the 3D scans immediately, it’s really cutting down on the time we’re waiting for the orthotics to come back from the lab,” says Fillier.
Before HealthQuest started using this innovative 3D scanning technology, LeGrow says they used the traditional method of taking imprints of people’s feet in foam molds. This process took 3-4 weeks because the molds needed to be shipped to the orthotic manufacturer.
Since the new 3D scanning system only requires an iPad and a tripod, HealthQuest will soon be travelling across Newfoundland and Labrador to hold mobile orthotic clinics.
“We’re able to go to areas where they may not have a pedorthist or a podiatrist on staff, and we can hold clinics for custom orthotics,” says LeGrow. “We’ll be able to travel right across Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Fillier says custom orthotics can alleviate many different foot issues, like plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of your foot), Achilles tendonitis, heel spurs, hammer toes and bunions. If a person’s feet are flat, it can throw off their alignment and cause discomfort in other areas.
“Custom orthotics help correct faulty biomechanics of the lower extremities,” says Fillier. “In doing so, they can alleviate pain and discomfort — not only in the feet, but also in the ankles, knees, hips and lower back.”
If you suspect you’re having issues with your feet, LeGrow suggests discussing it with your family doctor. If you have a prescription for orthotic footwear or custom orthotics, you may receive full or partial coverage through your insurance plan or government healthcare.
People are also welcome to come in without a physician's referral, but LeGrow says it may be close to $500 to pay out-of-pocket for custom orthotics — so it’s best to see if you have coverage first.
To learn more about HealthQuest’s custom orthotics and their wide range of orthotic footwear, please visit www.healthquestnl.ca or call (709) 754-5944.
