Aetrex Women's Premium Memory Foam Orthotics

Aetrex sort their orthotics by arch height and by whether you have forefoot pain, not by shoe size. This one is what they call Fit B: a cupped rearfoot and a neutral forefoot, for medium arches without ball-of-foot discomfort.

The honest answer is that you can't tell your own arch height by looking. Come in and stand on the scanner for twenty seconds, or call (704) 846-0301 and describe where it hurts and what you do all day, and we'll tell you which of the range to take.

Your normal shoe size. Aetrex build these in whole sizes only, and there are no widths.

If you're a half size, go up rather than down. That's Aetrex's own instruction: a 9.5 takes the 10.

No. Aetrex publish no trim line and no trimming instructions for this style, so it isn't an insole you cut down. Some insoles are trim-to-fit and this one isn't, which is worth knowing before you take scissors to a $79.95 orthotic.

If the size is wrong, send it back within 60 days and we'll swap it.

Usually, with one condition: take the shoe's own insole out first. These are a quarter of an inch thick, and stacking them on a factory insole is what makes a shoe feel suddenly too tight.

They won't work in a shoe with a glued-in footbed or no depth to spare, which rules out a lot of dress flats and most sandals. If you're not sure, tell us what you'd be putting them in and we'll tell you honestly.

Same quarter-inch thickness and the same Aetrex arch shape. The difference is what's inside and what it's for.

This one is the plush option: memory foam through the middle, an antimicrobial top cover, and Aetrex recommend it for everyday casual shoes and for people on their feet all day, nurses and teachers and chefs. The Active is firmer, with a moisture-wicking top cover, a cork-blended core and shock-absorbing Pro-Shox foam, built for walking shoes and sneakers.

Standing all day, take this. Walking and training, take the Active.

Only if you have pain in the ball of your foot. The metatarsal version adds a pad that Aetrex describe as redistributing weight to relieve ball-of-foot discomfort. If that isn't your problem, the pad sits under a part of your foot that didn't ask for it, and most people find it noticeable.

Burning or aching under the ball of the foot, or the feeling of walking on a pebble, is the pattern that points to it. Call us if you're unsure.

Aetrex list plantar fasciitis, arch pain, heel pain and high instep among what this orthotic helps with, and a supported arch with a cupped heel is the standard first thing to try.

What an over-the-counter orthotic can't do is replace a custom device made from a cast of your foot, and it isn't a treatment. If your heel pain is new, severe, or getting worse, get it looked at rather than buying an insole and hoping.

Aetrex say they're designed to be worn straight out of the box with no break-in required, but that some people prefer a few hours a day at first and build up. We'd second that, particularly if you've never worn an orthotic before.

On lifespan, Aetrex recommend replacing them every six to nine months depending on how much you're on your feet. The tell is that the support stops feeling as firm as it did.

If you wear them daily, yes. These wear out on a schedule rather than all at once, and the failure mode is that the support quietly stops feeling as firm without you noticing. A standing order takes that decision off your plate and saves 10% every time.

If you're only in them a few days a week, buy the one pair and see how they feel in nine months. You can cancel or change the interval whenever you like.

Yes. Aetrex state that all their orthotics are eligible for purchase with HSA, FSA or HRA funds, and orthotics are one of the clearer cases for it.

If your plan wants documentation, call us at (704) 846-0301 and we'll get you an itemized receipt with everything an administrator normally asks for.

Yes to both. The scan is free, takes about twenty seconds, and you're under no obligation to buy anything from it. We're at 924 Park Center Dr, Ste 101, Matthews, NC 28105, open Monday to Friday 10 to 6 and Saturday 10 to 4.

Call (704) 846-0301 and you reach our fitting team, not a call center.