Guide
Fitting a custom orthotic into a trainer
You have been given a device that took an appointment, a cast and a wait to produce. Getting it into a shoe correctly takes about ten minutes and decides whether it works.
Step one: take the original insole out
Do not stack the orthotic on top of the shoe's insole. Lift the existing insole out completely — in all four of our styles it is a loose multi-layer insole, blue gel over 5 mm and 3 mm EVA, and it pulls out from the heel in one piece. If a shoe's footbed is glued down and cannot be removed, that shoe is not suitable for a device, whatever the depth claims say.
Step two: check the device sits flat
Put the orthotic in and press around its edges. It should sit flat with no rocking and no gap under the arch, and the front edge should lie down rather than curling up against the toe box. If it rides up at the front, the device is too long for the shoe — take it back to your orthotist, do not trim it yourself.
Step three: stand up and check the heel
With the shoe on and fastened, stand and take a dozen steps. Your heel should stay down. If it lifts out of the collar, the device has taken up volume the shoe did not have. The fix is a style that opens wider, not a longer size — length changes nothing about volume and introduces slip.
Step four: check the toes
A thumb's width between your longest toe and the end of the shoe, standing. Note that the longest toe is not always the big toe. Then press down on the toe box: your toes should not be touching the roof. Devices raise the foot, and toe box height is the measurement that quietly disappears — which is why DW-015 and DW-019, with the deepest toe boxes in the range, are the usual answer for a bulky device.
Step five: check the arch lines up
The high point of the device should sit under the high point of your arch, not behind it. If it feels like it is pressing into your instep or sitting too far back, the device may be sliding forward inside a shoe that is too long. Fasten the strap properly and try again before concluding anything.
Step six: wear it in, and be honest about it
An hour on day one, then build up. Mild awareness of the device for the first week is normal. Pain, numbness or a hot spot is not — that is a fitting problem and it needs your orthotist, not perseverance.
Take the shoe and the device to your next appointment together. Clinicians can tell a great deal from where the shoe has creased and where the device has burnished.
Common problems and what causes them
| What you notice | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Heel lifting out | Device has used up volume — move to a style that opens wider |
| Toes pressing on the roof | Not enough toe box depth for the raised foot |
| Arch pressure behind where it should be | Device sliding forward, or shoe too long |
| Front edge of the device curling | Device longer than the shoe's footbed |
| Burning under the ball of the foot | Forefoot needs more room — the strap is set too tight, or the style is too closed |
Common questions
Do I remove the shoe's own insole?
Should I buy a bigger size for my orthotic?
Can I trim my custom orthotic to fit?
How deep are these trainers?
Will an orthotic work in any wide shoe?
Where to go next
Four styles, one price, sixty days to get it right
Every style is £49.99 in one extra-wide adjustable fitting, UK 3–12 (EU 36–46). Delivery is £4.95, free on two pairs, and if the style you chose does not open wide enough we post the replacement before the first pair comes back.