Shoe Lifts & Shoe Modifications

Our lab is inside our shop at 924 Park Center Drive in Matthews, NC. Paul Henderson, our board-certified pedorthist, does every shoe and orthotic modification himself, in-house, including the ones your doctor prescribes for a leg length discrepancy, an amputation, arthritis or a gait problem. Nothing gets shipped off to a distant facility, and you can talk to the person doing the work. Consultations are free. Call 704-846-0301 or bring your prescription and your shoes to the shop, Monday to Friday 10 to 6 and Saturday 10 to 4.

Shoe lifts for leg length discrepancy

Having one leg slightly longer than the other is common, and most people never notice. Trouble starts when the difference is large enough, or new enough, that the body stops absorbing it quietly: hip pain on one side, low back ache with no other explanation, a gait that feels uneven or tiring. A hip replacement can change leg length. So can a fracture that healed a little short. When a doctor decides the difference is contributing to pain, the usual prescription is a shoe lift: added height under the shorter leg to bring the pelvis back toward level.

There are two ways to add that height, and the choice depends mostly on how much correction you need.

Inside the shoe. Small corrections can go in as a heel lift, a wedge under the heel inside footwear you already own. Simple and effective, but only up to a point. A shoe has a fixed amount of room. Stack too much inside and the heel rides up, the fit goes wrong, and the top of the shoe presses where it should not.

Built into the sole. Larger corrections are built into the shoe itself. The sole is built up by the prescribed amount, shaped so the shoe still rolls naturally through a step, and finished so it looks like part of the shoe rather than a block glued to the bottom. Done well, most people would never know the shoe was modified.

How it works

Your doctor measures the difference and writes the correction, which is often less than the full difference, especially at first. You bring the prescription and the shoes you want modified. We check that the shoes are good candidates, build the lift to the prescribed height, and check the fit with you when you pick them up. If the doctor adjusts the prescription later, we adjust the lift. Local physicians refer patients to us for exactly this work.

Not every shoe can take a lift. Shoes with a firm, flat-bottomed sole and solid construction modify well; very soft foam soles and thin fashion shoes often do not. We carry brands such as New Balance, Drew, Apex and Orthofeet that tend to be good candidates, and if you are buying a pair specifically to be lifted, tell us and we will point you to the right ones.

A word on doing it yourself: heel lifts sell online for a few dollars, and for a tiny, doctor-confirmed correction that can be fine. Guessing at your own discrepancy, or at the amount of correction, is where people trade one problem for another. For anything meaningful, get the measurement from a doctor first.

Other modifications we do in-house

Toe fillers. After a toe amputation, a filler keeps the foot from sliding forward and rubbing inside the shoe. Usually prescribed, and especially important for people with diabetes.

Rocker soles. When a joint no longer bends comfortably, the natural flex point of a shoe becomes painful. A rocker sole reduces that bend and moves pressure off the ball of the foot. Often prescribed for arthritis and stubborn forefoot pain.

Wedges and flares. Material added to the sole to control how the foot rolls or to widen the base of support. Typically doctor-prescribed and often paired with a lift.

Custom orthotics. When the inside of the shoe needs correcting too, Paul makes the orthotic from a plaster mold of your foot, here in the shop. Because the lift and the orthotic come from the same bench, they are built to work together instead of fighting each other. Read more on our custom orthotics page.

Resoling. A modified or orthopedic shoe is an investment. When the sole wears down, we resole it rather than starting over, which is usually far cheaper than modifying a new pair.

Custom shoes and boots. When nothing off the shelf will work, Paul measures and molds for custom footwear.

Common questions

I had a hip replacement and one leg feels longer. Is that normal? It is a known outcome of hip surgery. Start with your surgeon or physician for a measurement and a prescription, then bring it to us.

How much lift will I need? That is the doctor's decision, and it is often less than the full measured difference to start. We build exactly what is prescribed.

Can you modify shoes I already own? Usually, if the sole and construction can take it. Bring them in and we will tell you honestly.

What does it cost, and is it covered? Pricing depends on the shoe and the amount of correction, so we quote it when we see the shoe. Modifications are HSA and FSA eligible.

Do I need an appointment? Call 704-846-0301 to schedule a free consultation, or stop by during opening hours.

Comfort Footworks, 924 Park Center Drive Ste 101, Matthews, NC 28105. Free evaluations, no purchase required. If you are not sure a modification is what you need, our foot conditions page covers the problems we see most.