Shoe Raise

[Gingerbas]

Hi this the way we do 90% of our shoe raises:-

First using a stab awl check the thickness of the sole right thru to the sock lining, if this is less 1/4", then don't bother trying to cut the sole off.

Draw a line all the way round where you are going to cut the sole off, this will help as a guide to keep you from cutting right thru the sock lining.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEg8GWOgagU.A short video of cutting off the sole.

Now that the sole is cut off add yor first layer of material, We use Medium dens EVA as it is lightweight but not to soft that it will mishape.

We always use a 6mm piece first, this is to ensure a good bond with the shoe, depending on what material it is made from.

Too make the raise even lighter we punch out holes in the next layers with hole punches. make sure the holes are not in the same place on consecutive layers as this will weaken the raise, especially on larger raises.

The raise taken shape.

Now that you have enough material for the raise, mark of the heights to the raise required.

Scour the excess material so that the shoe sits to your marks while using the original sole as a guide to how it should sit.

Please note that when marking the raise at the ball joint, this must sit at a slight angle as indicated (These are where the metetarsal joints sit and are not in a straight line as most people think) this could cause the paient to walk irregular, causing more problems. Also the height for the heel should be marked at the mid point and not the back of the heel as this is where the heel will sit while weight bearing.

Now that the raise is at the correct height it is time to replace the original sole, this must be replaced as not to make the heel kick out at the back, once you have determined where the sole is to go mark it up as above and draw round the sole to get correct aliginment.

Now that the sole is secured in place Scour the job so that the heel is square at the back and blend in the sides.

This is the same principal we use on all raises no matter what height.

Hope this helps anyone out there.

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[ironplanet uk900]

Nice job there Viking. We do that job quite often and very similar,

But there was some great tips which I will use on my next job.

Thanks for sharing your expertise.

[kobblers]

i gotta agree.

[Auto Key Wizard]

Nice one Ginger

I find the Ecco sole unit is one of the easiest to lift, I've never thought of punching holes in the layers, a good tip

[Lee]

Yet another great tutorial, don't forget if you do have a video file you can always email it to me to add to our hosting account.

I will email you the URL straight back. Then the video won't go missing after a few years!

 

Lee

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Nice neat job, thanks for sharing it with the rest of the community.

I used to use Nora Astrals Lunasoft if going over 1", how does this compare with MD EVA. I found that the EVA was less flexible but I did not have to wear the shoes.

 

The punched holes I did over the entire surface, is there a reason why we should not do the forefoot or was this just an example in part?

Apart from the holes making the material much lighter it also makes the shoe more flexible, allowing the customer to bend their foot where before it was a case of swinging it.

 

Saw a pair of shoes this morning quite by chance while sitting waiting for the Nurse to come with my daily medicine

It had a 4" raise, nothing unusual about that but the material was glistening and I could not recognise it. I asked the lady if she minded if I took a closer look and I found that there was virtually no weight to it, light as a feather. the nearest that I could guess at what the material was would be some form of reclaimed plastic or polystyrene. Job was done at the hospital thats all she could tell me.

 

Any idea what this material is ?

Not Rubber or Eva. quite hard and inflexible, rigid as a rock and mystifying.

[ironplanet uk900]

I can't believe you asked a disabled lady if you could have a closer look at her clumpy shoe

bet she thought you were a perv

 

I've seen that material before aswell, they use it at our local hospital aswell, dunno what it's called ether.

[Gingerbas]

The material yor were looking at is called Plastazote. most probably high dens Pz, this is a good material depending on the patients problem. you can use any material eva, astral it all counts where you put the rocker sole to get proper swing phase. All material are available thru Algeos.

http://www.algeos.com

[Auto Key Wizard]

Yes it is a styrene of some kind & it has a name, I have a good client of mine that has an insole raise made of this material, I'll ask him when I see him next

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

It was not a Plasizote that I have ever used, plus I was unaware that Algeo's were dealing with normal Repairers, they stopped some years ago and I gather now only supply in quantity to the Orthotic trade.

Has the situation altered of late?

 

As for the reference to the disabled Lady, some of us cant be so darn choosy, we have to take what we can get, by hook or by crook and dissabled ladies cant run away!!!. Anyway they are more appreciative of the interest , any interest shown in them. She was quite moved when I was handling her leg, made me feel like Paul McKartknee for a minute.

Still all good things come to an end and I had to screw her leg back on,screw hole took some finding though

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

The material looked very porous although you could not make an impression by pressing your finger into it, nearest I can describe is like the inside of a Crunchie bar, full of minute holes but firm to touch.

[Auto Key Wizard]

Plasizote...that's the stuff

[elfman]

correct name for the mat is high density plastzote have been using it for some time as i spent the last 15 years in the orthopeadic trade as a shoe tech it has to be warmed and compressed when raising the shoe or it will not withstand the weight bearing

[Hugh-Candoit (ENG)]

Done my homework and it is Plastizote.

 

What I was thinking Plastizote was is the stuff you mould around the foot using heat. that can be used instead of a oversized slipper or boot, on top of plaster casts. Too long ago though to remember what it was called but it came from Messrs Sheridan at Speke.

[Lee]

And Welcome ELFMAN! good to see you here.

 

Lee

[bkb]

could it be the 2 part foam . a polymer and hardener mixed at a ratio and poured into a upside down shoe with a dam of masking tape around it. let harden, tool to shape , then wrap with a covering of your choice.

 

bkb

kansas usa

[bkb]

sorry,did not realize that thread was 3 yr old. i will mention, as long as ive got you all here, that i use a band saw for all this type of work.

ps

what a great opertunity for usins and youins to share. with Jimmy Mac & Jeff Lipson traveling abroad.

bkb