I am unsure whether to get insoles for low or normal foot arches?
Although some people have them, low foot arches are uncommon. You should almost always choose our insoles for normal foot arches if you are unsure. Here is an easy way to find the right Ortolab AFS height for your feet. Stand on the floor without shoes.
Insert a finger under your foot arch.
1. If you are completely flat = no “fingertip” will fit: choose LOW (very rare).
2. If the “fingertip” fits at least partially: choose NORMAL
NOTE! It’s impossible to go wrong here as Ortolab AFS do not “lock” the arches, but rather fall with load.
Seeing as how there are two different thicknesses, how do I know which is the right fit for me? Should I use them with a particular type of shoe, or do they work with any pair?
Ortolab AFS is suited for all occasions and activities. Whether that be at the gym, at work, at school, a day on the town, on vacation, at a party or at the track. Two different thicknesses are available, and the choice comes down to your preferred type of shoe. Slim are for shoes with less space, while Plus + offers extra cushioning. If there are removable insoles in your shoes, it is important to remove them before use.
If I am almost flat-footed and have fallen arches, are "Low" the right ones for me?
No, you should go for “Normal” to keep the arch in the normal position. The AFS (Arch Flex System) is built on the idea of not locking the foot arch and instead it to yield = not expanding and blocking natural movement of the foot arch. Since you have”fallen” arches, the insoles will help keep the arch in its “normal” position. This functionality is unique to Ortolab’s AFS insoles.
I get numbness in the toes of one of my feet when I run. There’s no real pain but the toes grow cold and lose sensation. Do you have an insole that could help?
Ortolab’s insoles have a dynamic front foot pad under the front transverse foot arch. It supports the five metatarsals by relieving their heads by the toe joint, where many nerves also pass through. You may also have a trampled anterior foot arch. Our insoles can usually help with your condition.
Ortolab’s AFS insoles, available at our e-shop, can help you.
I don't have normal foot arches. They are a bit on the higher side. I want good shock absorption. What should I get?
If you have high foot arches and want good shock absorption, buy the AFS Plus + High.
I have knee and leg pain. I need something that works for my body, can Ortolab AFS help me?
If you have knee and foot pain, our insoles can help support your condition. Choose AFS Plus +. They provide maximum shock absorption, which is good for both your feet and knees.
I have pre-existing tendonitis issues, and I also have "inward" pointing feet. Would Ortolab AFS insoles be beneficial to me?
In case of tendonitis, it is always good to get support in the longitudinal arch and a front food pad as well as a shock absorbing heel cup with high edges. Inward pointing feet is an anatomical problem that the insoles cannot affect. However, they won’t make it any worse.
How thick in millimeters are the AFS PLUS + and AFS SLIM respectively?
AFS Plus is 5 mm thick and AFS Slim 2 mm.
If I wear size 38 shoes, what should I choose? I was looking at the Slim variants but they were at 38-39.
If you measure the insole of one of your current shoes and then visit our E-shop and have a look at our size guide, you will find guidance. The AFS insoles are fairly large in size.
Which types of shoes can I use your insoles with?
When it comes to our insoles Ortolab Arch Flex System, we offer two different thicknesses. Ortolab AFS Plus + and Ortolab AFS Slim. Slim is for shoes with less space. They are not intended for use in pumps due to the shoe’s structure, but they go well with most other types of shoes. A useful tip is to use shoes with a removable insole.
I’m having problems with bones/osteoarhtritic pain – can your insoles help?
Ortolab AFS Plus + has very good shock absorption, which reduces stress on the periosteum / lower leg.
I'm a little skeptical about using the "footprint" to find out what foot arch you have. During movement, it’s easy to think that one has a low arch, or even flat foot. When in fact, one could actually have a high arch, as the imprint becomes misleading.
There are always exceptions to the rule. You might have a cavus foot (high arch and high foot back) that gives way upon load bearing. If this is the case, you should choose “high” in order to increase support for the arch. This is quite rare, however.
Can you order differing thicknesses? I need a 3 mm thicker insole on the right leg.
If the length of your legs are variable, you can try our individual orthopedic foot beds Ortolab HGP Individual (approx. SEK 2200). You can also buy a pair each of the Ortolab AFS Slim and AFS Plus + (SEK 499 + SEK 499). They have a 3 mm difference in thickness (unfortunately you can only use them in one pair of shoes at a time).
I pronate on one foot and supinate on the other. Can I still use Ortolab AFS?
Ortolab AFS steers the foot into a neutral position with a high heel cup and correct support in the longitudinal arch. The front foot pad also stabilizes the forefoot. This stabilization is beneficial to both the inward and outward rotation of the foot.
I have heel spurs, which AFS insoles should I get?
Good cushioning is important for heel spurs. For such cases, we recommend the Plus +.
I suffer from pain on the outside of my foot and something that feels like dentist anesthesia from the little toe down, could your products be helpful to me?
A great deal of nerves pass through and around your toes. Our front foot pad can help support and relieve the transversals where they segue into the toe. In this case, choose Plus +, which will also give you robust shock absorption. Choose normal or high arches depending on the shape of your foot arch.
Can I use these if I've had orthopedic insoles before?
Ortolab AFS is as close to an individual moulded orthopedic insole as possible.
I have pronounced supination on one foot. Will the insoles work? I also have high foot arches.
Our individual insoles can help steer the forefoot to counteract supination. But our Ortolab AFS Plus + puts your foot in a neutral position with a solid heel cup and front foot pad. In your case, we recommend you choose HIGH to get optimal support for your longitudinal foot arch. With the proper shoes for additional support, you can reduce supination in the forefoot. Note: It can be somewhat difficult to find shoes that counteract supination.
If I find that the front foot pad is too high, can I lower it with heat or something like that?
If you have issues with your feet, it will take longer to get used to a front foot pad. At first, use them for an hour or so at a time before reverting to your old ones, then continue to increase the use your insoles gradually. This process may take up to a week for some feet. It is highly likely that you will get used to the foot as our front foot pads are dynamic, i.e. forgiving.
I'm a little confused, should I use Slim or Plus in my running shoes? What works best there?
For use in running shoes, we recommend Plus+. They will provide you with optimal shock absorption. Don’t forget to remove the insoles in your running shoes.
I have Morton's neuroma with occasional bouts of immense pain. I own molded insoles that work well but I want to try your product to avoid having to switch between shoes. I’m leaning toward the Slim, but I was wondering what the difference between normal and high foot arches is? Is there also a difference in the size of the front foot pad?
If you have slightly higher / higher foot arches than average, choose high. If you have Morton’s N, the most important feature of the insoles is the dynamic front foot pad. It is equally high / large on all Ortolab AFS insoles.
Do your prefab insoles fit me and my dislocated heel pads? I have high foot arches and a stress fracture in the forefoot...
Dislocated heel pads, stress fracture and high foot arch is a lot to deal with. You can try our prefab insoles Ortolab AFS, but in that case, we would recommend the Ortolab AFS Plus+ High. These insoles have strong cushioning which is extra important for individuals with stress fractures in the forefoot. Ortolab AFS Plus+ High also provides support for high arches. The “cup shape” of the insoles, which holds the sides of the heel together, mimics the function of the heel cushion.
Should there still be room for improvement, we also offer more advanced insoles, thought they come at a higher price. Our top-of-the-line Ortolab HGP Individ (approx. SEK 2200) is tailor-made with artisanal craftsmanship and advanced technology and unique materials to the exact dimensions of your feet. They have fantastic shock absorption and comfort. These insoles are particularly well-suited for anyone with a stress fracture.
I have high foot arches, supinate a lot, am overweight and enjoy walking / hiking. Feel free to suggest suitable insoles.
Our top-of-the-line Ortolab HGP Individ would be your best bet. is tailor-made with artisanal craftsmanship and advanced technology and unique materials to the exact dimensions of your feet. The insoles have fantastic shock absorption and stability which is extra suitable for anyone with overweight. The supination can be counteracted by raising the outside of the front foot when moulding the Ortolab Individ HGP insoles. If you would like to try our best prefabricated insoles for your situation, we recommend Ortolab AFS Plus+ High, which you can find in our e-shop.
I would like to know how much an individual pair of insoles costs?
We offer three different insole variants and they cost:
Ortolab AFS (prefabricated), SEK 499 (available at our e-shop)
Ortolab Individual, recommended price SEK 1290 kr
Ortolab HGP Individ, recommended price SEK 2200
I have measured the insole of my running shoes which came out to 27 cm. Your sizes don't match my insole. 26.5 cm and 27.5 cm are the only alternatives given. What to choose?
In that case, choose 27.5 cm. It’s possible that you may need to trim a few millimeters in the front with sharp scissors. But they should work fine out of the box.
Do you have anything that helps with feet pain caused by Hallux Valgus?
The front foot pad in our insoles supports the front transverse arch of the foot and raises the front foot’s transversals, which helps relieve the big toe joint. The support in the the longitudinal foot arch is also very important so as to avoid concluding the step over the sensitive toe. Ortolab’s dynamic insoles position the foot correctly and allow the foot to work in accordance with its natural movement. Many of our customers find that this reduces the amount of pain.
