AnglicareSA’s Allied Health services have stepped into the future, thanks to a 3D scanner which is helping to transform foot care.

In 2022, our podiatry team introduced the 3D scanner from CadCam Orthotics to its service offerings to keep in line with contemporary practice in the sector.

“The industry was moving away from traditional plaster casting for orthotics,” Podiatry Clinical Lead Karen Crawford said.

“We went with the product from CadCam because it is a local business, which meant we could have easy access to training, support, and troubleshooting.”

The portable device, which can be taken to any of our allied health clinics, captures a digital model of a person’s foot in seconds. Customers simply press their foot against the device, which then scans and produces a detailed 3D image that is sent directly to the CadCam lab and used to create custom-designed orthotics.

Podiatrists can also produce scans using a smartphone app, where they can use their phones’ cameras to pan up and down a customer’s foot. This provides flexibility if podiatrists are on a home visit or if the scanner is being used at another site.

 

 

Podiatrist Kristy Thurgood said the scanner was a game-changer for the clinics.

“The 3D scanner provides accurate details of a person’s foot, which means fewer adjustments need to be made to custom orthotics,” Kristy said.

“It is also a lot cleaner and quicker process without needing to use plaster to get a model of a customer’s foot.”

Kristy said it was important for scans to take into account the curve, arch, and length of a foot, in addition to heel width, to be able to base the creation of orthotics on.

“There are lots of things we need to consider when making recommendations on orthotics,” Kristy said.

“We assess everything from the head to toe when they are walking – their foot joints, where they place weight on their foot, if their ankle needs more support, or if we need to redistribute pressure from specific areas of the foot. We consider the size of the customer’s foot and what shoes they need an orthotic for, as some shoes are wider or narrower and require a modified orthotic.

“We use our assessment, coupled with the scan, to add or take away things to a customer’s customised orthotic based on what we think they need.”

Kristy said people tended to forget about how important it was to look after their feet.

“Unfortunately, we tend to forget about our feet a bit,” Kristy said.

“We throw our shoes and socks on and expect them to do the job. For the most part, our feet do what they are supposed to do. But when things go wrong, we really notice it.

“That is why it is really important to look after our feet.”

AnglicareSA offers podiatry services for over-65s at our Grange, Playford, and Westbourne Park Allied Health clinics, or in customers’ homes. For more information, please click here.