The Truth About Shoe Inserts:
Store-Bought vs. Custom Orthotics (What Good Feet Won’t Tell You)
If you live around Birmingham, you’ve probably heard of the Good Feet Store at The Summit. Their ads promise pain relief through specially designed arch supports — but what they’re not saying matters just as much as what they are.
Here at Complete Feet, we’ve had dozens of patients come to us after shopping at Good Feet. Many of them are frustrated, still in pain, and surprised to learn that the “orthotics” they bought weren’t really custom — and cost more than ours.
Let’s break down the truth.
️ Store-Bought Inserts (Like Good Feet): What You’re Really Getting
Companies like Good Feet don’t make medical-grade custom orthotics. What they offer are over-the-counter insoles — pre-made devices sold at a premium.
What’s missing?
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❌ No custom impression or casting of your foot
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❌ No clinical evaluation of your gait or biomechanics
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❌ Not covered by insurance
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❌ Often sold by sales staff, not healthcare professionals
And the price?
We’ve seen patients pay $1,200–$1,600 for non-custom insoles — nearly twice the cost of the fully custom orthotics we fabricate right here in our Hoover clinic.
What Real Custom Orthotics Should Include
At Complete Feet, every pair of orthotics is:
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Based on a foam box impression (not just a digital scan)
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Designed to address specific diagnoses like plantar fasciitis, PTTD, leg length discrepancy, and more
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Evaluated and adjusted by a trained professional
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Often reimbursable by insurance
And unlike mass-market arch supports, we build your orthotics with medical precision — right here, in-house.
️ Why Insurance Covers Ours — and Not Theirs
There’s a reason your health insurance may reimburse our orthotics:
They’re prescribed based on medical need and designed for your unique foot structure and function.
That’s not the case with Good Feet or other retail insert chains — and it’s why you end up paying more out of pocket for less effective results.
Ready to Do It Right the First Time?
If you’ve been to Good Feet and still feel pain — you’re not alone.
Let’s give you something that actually works.
Visit us at Complete Feet in Hoover, AL
Call us at (205) 822-1606 to schedule your custom orthotic evaluation
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