Case Studies
Bert Reid, P.T. (Physical Therapist)
The perfect fit is paramount for Bert Reid, Don Levine, and Sam Fischer at Olympic Physical Therapy. Amfit gives the practice the ability to create a far better product in much less time.
Their orthopedic and sports rehabilitation practice sees more than 110 physical therapy patients each day, many of whom suffer from leg and lower back pain that can be alleviated through the use of proper foot orthotics. To produce the most accurate devices for their customers, they rely on The Amfit Digitizer.
“Understanding how a foot “moves” can be married with the easy technical features of the machine to make the perfect orthotic,” Bert says. “This is how we differentiate ourselves from the non-weight bearing/static orthotics of olden days. Amfit allows us to achieve this perfect mix.”
The superior technology provided by Amfit has helped Bert, Don, and Sam to consistently deliver top-level care to their patients. Amfit’s Digitizer enables the staff to quickly capture foot contour measurements, while making adjustments using the computer. It also allows for a weight-bearing representation of the foot, helping to create orthotics that alleviate pain without shifting the problem farther up the body.
Not only has the Amfit system helped them to develop better fitting orthotics; it’s enabled them to boost revenue by selling more high-end running and walking shoes.
“We sell about 60 pairs of shoes per month, and people are absolutely happy and very grateful that they can be given real, informed medical assistance while choosing the right shoe to support a proper orthotic,” Bert says. “We could not be more satisfied with the product. It exactly matches our philosophy of producing a master orthotic.”
Bert Reid and Don Levine own Olympic Physical Therapy in Middletown, Rhode Island. Sam Fischer is the practice’s Certified Pedorthist and fabricates all of the foot orthotics for the practice.
Bruce Williams, D.P.M (Podiatrist)
Bruce Williams, D.P.M., is vigilant about offering his patients the best foot care. When people routinely wear the wrong shoes, walk improperly or suffer from diabetic ulcerations, their feet take a beating. As the owner of his own podiatry practice, Dr. Williams’ goal is to defeat that pain in record time.
Using Amfit’s Orthotic Fabrication System has enabled Dr. Williams to gain more control over the complex orthotic prescriptions.
“You can truly modify the device right on the screen, with or without the patient present,” he says. “I know that it will come out exactly as I have designed it, so there is no possibility of lab personnel either not understanding my semantics or even just plain making a mistake.”
Because Amfit technology allows Dr. Williams to manufacture his orthotics in-house, he’s able to offer his patients extremely quick turnaround times – the same day, if needed. The Amfit Orthotic Fabrication System has also helped Dr. Williams to boost profits. Using this technology has reduced his orthotics’ costs by 60 to 70 percent. It’s also enabled him to capture revenue from secondary sales of orthotic foot beds for sandals and dress shoes.
“We seek to provide a comfortable, fully functional device that relieves a patient’s pain in record time,” Dr. Williams says. “Amfit technology has given me incredible control over the orthotic prescription. There’s no limit to what I can do to modify my devices; I am limited only by my imagination.”
Dr. Williams is the owner of Breakthrough Podiatry in Merrillville, Indiana and serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM).
Bruce Williams, D.P.M., is vigilant about offering his patients the best foot care. When people routinely wear the wrong shoes, walk improperly or suffer from diabetic ulcerations, their feet take a beating. As the owner of his own podiatry practice, Dr. Williams’ goal is to defeat that pain in record time.
Using Amfit’s Orthotic Fabrication System has enabled Dr. Williams to gain more control over the complex orthotic prescriptions.
“You can truly modify the device right on the screen, with or without the patient present,” he says. “I know that it will come out exactly as I have designed it, so there is no possibility of lab personnel either not understanding my semantics or even just plain making a mistake.”
Because Amfit technology allows Dr. Williams to manufacture his orthotics in-house, he’s able to offer his patients extremely quick turnaround times – the same day, if needed. The Amfit Orthotic Fabrication System has also helped Dr. Williams to boost profits. Using this technology has reduced his orthotics’ costs by 60 to 70 percent. It’s also enabled him to capture revenue from secondary sales of orthotic foot beds for sandals and dress shoes.
“We seek to provide a comfortable, fully functional device that relieves a patient’s pain in record time,” Dr. Williams says. “Amfit technology has given me incredible control over the orthotic prescription. There’s no limit to what I can do to modify my devices; I am limited only by my imagination.”
Dr. Williams is the owner of Breakthrough Podiatry in Merrillville, Indiana and serves on the board of directors of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine (AAPSM).
Larry Bain, D.C. (Chiropractor)
A chiropractor for the past four decades, Larry Bain, D.C., firmly believes that foot orthotics can enhance chiropractic treatment. Dr. Bain treats everything from neck, shoulder and back misalignments to numbness in the arms and legs – he finds that effective orthotics help correct many of these problems.
Dr. Bain relies on Amfit’s Foot Printer Foam Casting system because it offers an affordable product at lower cost. Amfit’s Foam Casting system allows him to turn a profit on every orthotic he sells.
“It’s great to be able to tap into a quality product with efficient and quick service,” he says.
Using Amfit’s technology has also enabled Dr. Bain to generate more accurate castings. The semi-weight bearing method allows him to obtain a precise impression of the foot, which he can then modify to ensure the finished insole meets the patient’s exact needs. Once the foot impression has been made, Dr. Bain then sends the kit to Amfit’s Central Fabrication Service, where the impression is quickly digitized and turned into custom orthotics.
Working with Amfit has provided Dr. Bain a low-cost solution for developing foot orthotics without having to invest in equipment. In addition, he’s enjoying the customer service offered by Amfit staff.
“Amfit employees are always willing to provide good assistance, and my questions are consistently answered promptly and accurately,” he says. “They’re polite business people who are really easy to work with.”
Dr. Bain is a chiropractor in Vancouver, Washington and serves on the board of directors of the Washington State Chiropractors Association.
John Brest, C.O., C. Ped (Certified Orthotist and Pedorthist)
John Brest, C.O., C.Ped, is the owner of a busy practice specializing in the design of orthotics and artificial limbs for patients of all ages. Turning to Amfit has allowed him to devote more time to patient care while avoiding the hassles of traditional in-lab orthotic fabrication. Using the Amfit Digitizer, Mr. Brest can now quickly make a 3-D digital impression of the plantar surface structure. He then uses this image with the Correct and Confirm software to easily design his patient’s orthotics.
Mr. Brest is able to provide better patient care by using on-screen diagrams to explain to his customers how the insoles they’re prescribed will reduce discomfort. Sending the digital orthotic design files to Amfit’s Central Fabrication Service has eliminated the need to manufacture foot orthotics in-house without sacrificing his control over the design of the devices.
One of the benefits of working with Amfit is that the company provides a one-piece, full-length, heel-to-toe foot orthosis, Mr. Brest says. This allows him to provide proper posting and control to any area of the foot without the risk of different layers of material becoming separated. In addition, Amfit manufactures low-profile yet supportive insoles that fit into dress shoes, solving a major problem with orthotics.
Not only has Amfit technology helped Mr. Brest provide better orthotics to his clients; it’s leading to more revenue for his business. “Less time in the lab along with faster turnaround times equal the ability to see more patients, which ultimately means more profits,” he says.
John Brest, C.O., C.Ped. is the owner of Total Care Orthotics and Prosthetics in Tulsa, Oklahoma – ph. 918.502.5975
Matt Arciuolo, C.Ped (Certified Pedorthist)
Owner of an orthotic fabrication and comfort footwear shop in southern Connecticut, Matt Arciuolo, C.Ped, understands the value of time. The less time he spends fitting orthotics, the more patients he can see.
Gone are the days when Mr. Arciuolo followed the time-consuming and messy process of analyzing the foot through casting and ink impressions. He now uses the Amfit Digitizer to quickly scan the entire surface of the foot, analyzing pressure points and contours of his patients’ feet in 2-D and 3-D views. Using Amfit has enabled Mr. Arciuolo to accurately determine gait patterns and the center of gravity, ensuring he develops a perfectly-fitted orthotic for every customer, whether it be a patient seeking pain relief or an athlete searching for better performance.
Mr. Arciuolo also turns to Amfit for orthotic fabrication. Rather than manufacturing foot insoles himself, he simply transfers digital representations of the foot to Amfit’s Central Fabrication Service, which rapidly develops and delivers the final orthotic.
Using Amfit’s technology, Mr. Arciuolo is now able to work with a larger number of customers, which, in turn, has led to bigger profits. “Amfit has been a profitable investment for my business because I can handle a larger volume of patients,” he says. “It saves me time so I can concentrate on growing other parts of my business.”
Mr. Arciuolo is the owner of Footstar Pedorthic Center in Milford, Conn.
Danielle Molnar, C.Ped (C) (Certified Pedorthist, Canada)
For Danielle Molnar, flexibility is paramount. A certified clinical pedorthist for BioPed Footcare in Ontario, Canada, Danielle works with a broad customer base that includes children, working adults, seniors, diabetics and athletes. As a result, she needs to produce custom orthoses and off-the-shelf insoles that can tackle almost any foot condition.
Using Amfits Orthotic Fabrication System has enabled Danielle to quickly manufacture a full range of orthoses. “With the flexibility of the Amfit system, we’re able to produce aggressive, corrective orthotic devices to treat severe foot ailments, as well as accommodative, softer orthotics to treat diabetic patients and those with sensitive feet.” she says.
Danielle’s clinic dispenses an average of 120 pairs of Amfit orthoses per month. By moving the manufacturing process in-house, Amfit technology has helped her boost profits, while improving customer care. “With each patient we treat, we strive to provide excellent, customized care.” Danielle says. “The Amfit system provides me the flexibility I need to treat nearly every foot irregularity I encounter. At the same time, it reduces the time I spend in the lab, which allows me to spend more time seeing patients”.
One of the biggest challenges in producing orthoses is ensuring they alleviate pain and increase comfort and stability, all while fitting into the shoes patients need to accommodate their specific lifestyles. Amfit technology helps Danielle meet this challenge by providing her with easy-to-master machines and a wide variety of high quality materials for orthotic fabrication.
Danielle Molnar, C.Ped.(C) is a certified clinical pedorthist at BioPed Footcare, which has more than 45 full service and satelite clinics across Ontario, Canada.