Custom insoles

In short: a custom insole is not a pharmacy insole: it is designed based on how you step, using a 3D scanner and pressure platform. We correct the biomechanical cause, not just the symptom —which is why they work. In Martorell and Barcelona.

A custom insole is not a pharmacy insole: it is designed based on how you step. With a 3D scanner and a pressure platform, we see where you load the most and correct your gait, not just the symptom.

They are key in pathologies such as plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, or sports overloads, where the cause is often biomechanical.

Custom insoles vs. store-bought: what is the real difference

A pharmacy insole is a standard product: it cushions, but treats all feet the same. Custom insoles start from the opposite approach: first, we study how you step, and then we design the exact correction your foot needs.

The difference is not the material: it is the criteria. Without a diagnosis, an insole is a patch that may relieve pain for a few days. With a gait analysis beforehand, the insole acts on the mechanical cause of the pain, which is what ensures the improvement is maintained.

That is why at Serven we do not sell insoles: we treat gaits. The insole is the consequence of the study, not the starting point.

How to know if you need custom insoles

There are quite clear signs. Heel pain when getting up or after sitting for a while, typical of plantar fasciitis. Pain under the forefoot when walking or running, as happens with metatarsalgia. Tiredness or overload in the legs at the end of the day. Clearly asymmetrical wear on your footwear.

There are also structural cases, such as flat feet or high arches, where the insole helps to better distribute loads even if the pain is intermittent.

And an honest nuance: not everyone needs insoles. If the study shows that your gait does not explain the pain, we will tell you and look for the cause through another route.

What the process includes at Serven

We start with an examination and biomechanical study using a 3D scanner and pressure platform. With this data, the custom insole is designed (3D) based on your pathology, your footwear, and your activity: an insole for standing for eight hours is not the same as one for running.

The 3D scanner is our usual tool for taking measurements, but not the only one: depending on the case, we also use techniques such as phenolic foam. Technology is at the service of clinical judgment, not the other way around —what decides the insole is the diagnosis, not the machine.

And an important point: custom insoles do not only treat, they also prevent. By properly distributing loads, they prevent small imbalances in your gait from turning into an injury; that is why they are useful even before pain appears, especially in sports and jobs that involve a lot of standing.

Once manufactured, we try them on your foot and perform a fitting review to adjust whatever is necessary. We have been treating gaits since 2005, in Martorell and Barcelona, and we provide follow-up until we confirm that the insole is doing the job we asked of it.

And when the insole is already working, we do not disappear: we review it periodically, because the foot changes over time, with weight and activity. A well-designed and well-maintained insole is one of the most profitable investments you can make for your feet.