Creating A Groove In An Orthosis To Address Plantar Fascia Irritation

We have had patients present with a prominent plantar fascia that was being irritated by new orthoses. How would you treat these patients? Below is a standard troubleshooting plan for creating a plantar fascia groove in an orthosis fabricated without one.

1. If you have an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) cover on the orthosis, leave it on. If the cover is anything other than EVA, remove it.
2. If there is no cover, glue 3 mm EVA or Poron to the dorsum of the orthosis.
3. Mark the plantar fascia with lipstick.
4. Line the orthosis up with the foot and press it into the foot in order to transfer the lipstick mark to the orthosis.
5. Use a Ticro Cone to grind a groove into the orthosis.
6. Put a thin cover on top of the device.

Editor’s note: This blog was first published at https://prolaborthotics.com/Blog/tabid/90/EntryID/151/Default.aspx and has been adapted with permission from Lawrence Huppin, DPM, and ProLab Orthotics. For more information, visit www.prolaborthotics.com .