Either I truly missed my calling, or Jon didn't quite get the point of my post...

Jon - if my Mum told me she'd bought a pair if these and asked my opinion of them, I'd tell her to try them. The change in magnitude, vector or temporal loading patterns of reaction force at the foot-orthoses interface just might bring the forces in the target tissue to within the zone of optimal stress. Not forgetting our good friend Mr Placebo effect either. Bottom line - they might work.

And if they don't? Well, I'm pretty certain no one is being crippled by these devices.