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Squeaking Orthotics

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by webthotics, Jan 12, 2011.

  1. webthotics

    webthotics Member


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    Hi,
    has anyone come across squeaking orthotics in the shoe and do they know a cure for this?

    cheers,

    Mark.
     
  2. Try rubbing around the margins of the orthotic with a candle or talcum.
     
  3. Happens a little. its often the device moving up and down in the heel cup of the shoe. Reduce the width of the outside heel of the device, or add talc powder to the shoe before the patient puts on their shoes in the morning.

    Edit cross posting same time as Simon I see
     
  4. Sarah-Jane

    Sarah-Jane Member

    I had a patient recently and you could hear her coming a mile away, the orthotics were squeaking so much. It was actually a bit funny, we both had a bit of a chuckle. She had an intrinsically posted rearfoot on both orthotics so I just added an extrinsic rearfoot balance and the squeaking stopped. Her work colleagues could no longer call her Squeaks after that....

    Also had another patient and they squeaked but not as much. Talcum powder didn't work so I added a forefoot balance according to the degree of forefoot deformity found by the lab and it also worked. Maybe check your posting and see if its balanced.

    SJ
     
  5. Timm

    Timm Active Member

    If the squeaking is from the orthotic shell, sometimes along the lateral border of the orthotic, I have found something as simple as a piece of strapping tape along the plantar aspect of the lateral border of the device does the trick. As does a little felt or as Simon suggested some candle wax.
    The squeaking in this location sometimes happens with 3mm carbon fibre orthotic shells, as the orthtoic deforms somewhat under body weight this causes friction between shoe and device.
     
  6. markleigh

    markleigh Active Member

    I have a patient with the problem & the cause was the width of the device particularly along the medial arch region & it rubbing again the shoe upper. I narrowed the medial border slightly & that fixed the problem.
     
  7. efuller

    efuller MVP

    When I was doing the fellowship at CCPM my orthotics were squeeking and I had a colleague tell me just put a leather strip under the front edge of the orthotic and it will stop. It didn't. I then put something, I don't remember what, under the rearfoot post and it stopped squeeking. I'm pretty sure that sqeeking is a rubbing somewhere and your mission, should you choose to accept, it is to figure out where. Or, just throw some talc in the shoe and hope that gets it.

    Eric
     
  8. RobinP

    RobinP Well-Known Member

    This is probably not the case here as I think you had already established that the orthosis was the cause of the problem but for others reference;squeaking can occasionally be caused by the shank of the shoe.

    It is less common these days but many shoes(and still a lot of orthopaedic shoes) are manufactured with a metal of wooden shank(the bit that reinforces the rear 3/4 of the shoe to stop it flexing in the middle)In particular, if the metal shank detaches from the midsole for any reason, it can rub against the sole unit material and cause squeaking. It is particularly bad if the sole unit is EVA/micro.

    Testing for it is easy. Grab the shoe and simulate forefoot dorsiflexion then apply torquing movements and you should be able to illicit the same squeak as when walking. Solving the problem involves stripping the sole unit off completely and reattaching the shank.....or buy a new pair of shoes!

    Robin
     
  9. Mark:

    As attached is the office handout I have been giving to my patients for the past few decades when they receive their orthoses. You, and the others following along, are welcome to use it, with your practice information added, as you see fit.:drinks
     

    Attached Files:

  10. MJJ

    MJJ Active Member

    I had a patient once who was a librarian with very squeaky orthotics. They drove him and everybody else nuts. I have had luck with either talc or with rubbing a bit of dish soap along the edge of the shell.
     
  11. dsfeet

    dsfeet Active Member

    yes
    i also have been able to stop squeaking with wax and talc. however the occasional shoe/ orthotic combination this hasn't worked. If the patient insists on keeping those shoes then i cover the bottom of the orthotic with pc Vyles (top cover material), has worked every time....well so far.
     
  12. CPedTechie

    CPedTechie Member

    Good point. I've heard a lot of different squeakers. A lot of people put up with it, but a lot of people do not, especially after spending so much on their footwear and orthotics.

    Some of the early Dansko Golden Gate midsoles would squeak. Some people thought the sound was caused by their orthotics as well. The shoes have firm rocker soles that appear to be a one piece construction, but contain an EVA layer in the center. In early runs, this piece came unglued over time. The company seemed to rectify the issue and newer stock didn't seem to squeak.

    Rubbing wax on the shell is a new one for me, but it makes sense. I've done everything else from using powders or adding a layer of 1/16" cushion cork or microcel puff under the orthotic. Curve last or narrow waist running shoes can interfere with an CFO's interface in my experience and also be prone to squeaking.

    Sometimes the noise will only be noticable when someone is walking and weight bearing. Sometimes it's barely noticeable, and sometimes it's all in their heads.
     
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