Plantar
Fasciitis
Reduces fascial tension, cushions the calcaneal attachment, and supports the arch — custom congruent to every patient's foot model.
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Plantar fasciitis starts at the attachment, not the arch.
Every step loads the plantar fascia — the thick connective tissue band running from the calcaneus to the metatarsal heads. When the fascia is repeatedly stressed beyond its capacity, micro-tears accumulate at its calcaneal attachment. Without reducing tension and absorbing heel impact, the tissue cannot heal.
The root cause is mechanical. Without reducing fascial tension and offloading the calcaneal attachment point, every step re-injures the tissue — preventing recovery regardless of rest.
Excessive fascial tension
Tight heel cord, excessive pronation, or poor arch support keeps the plantar fascia under constant load — preventing the micro-tears from healing between steps.
Calcaneal impact overload
Each heel strike concentrates force directly at the plantar fascia's inflamed attachment point on the medial calcaneal tuberosity — perpetuating the inflammatory cycle.
Chain-reaction compensation
Altered gait from heel pain changes loading patterns upward — increasing strain at the knee, hip, and lower back and compounding the overall injury burden.
The P13 reduces tension and absorbs impact — simultaneously.
Custom-fabricated to the patient's exact foot model — heel lift, cushion, and congruent arch support working together to let the fascia heal.
Three interventions.
One precise solution.
The P13 doesn't simply cushion the heel — it addresses the mechanical drivers of plantar fasciitis at the rearfoot, arch, and calcaneal attachment simultaneously.
Heel lift & fascial tension reduction
The extrinsic crepe rearfoot post elevates the heel, shortening the effective length of the Achilles-fascia complex. This directly reduces the tensile load on the plantar fascia at every phase of gait — allowing the micro-tears at the calcaneal attachment to heal.
3mm heel cushion
A dedicated 3mm heel cushion absorbs the impact force at the calcaneal attachment point — the site of maximum fascial stress during heel strike. Reduces the inflammatory cycle that prevents recovery.
Congruent arch support
The custom-fitted arch fill reduces the stretching force applied to the plantar fascia during mid-stance via the windlass mechanism. Fabricated congruent to the patient's exact foot model for precise load redistribution.
It's not just cushioning. It's tension management.
Cushioning alone addresses the symptom at heel strike. The P13 addresses the biomechanical drivers — reducing the fascial tension that keeps the tissue inflamed step after step, while simultaneously absorbing impact at the inflamed attachment point.
- Fascial tension reduction — the heel lift directly shortens the Achilles-fascia functional unit, reducing the tensile stress on the plantar fascia during every phase of the gait cycle.
- Impact absorption at attachment — the 3mm heel cushion absorbs impact forces specifically at the medial calcaneal tuberosity — the plantar fascia's inflamed insertion point.
- Windlass mechanism control — congruent arch support reduces the passive stretch applied to the plantar fascia as the first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsiflexes during toe-off.
- Neurological feedback — congruent plantar contact provides continuous proprioceptive input, improving muscle activation quality and reducing the compensatory gait patterns that prolong recovery.
Shape is everything.
What separates Root from generic heel inserts is the precise morphological shape captured from the patient's foot — held in the exact clinical position the clinician chose. Plantar fasciitis requires this precision: a device that doesn't match the patient's arch will redistribute load incorrectly, perpetuating fascial stress rather than reducing it.
The P13 is built from a positive model of the patient's foot and can be modified at the practitioner's discretion. Every device fits the specific foot it was made for.
Modern Root
Width adjusted considering both borders. Default for all Root models.
Traditional Root
Justified to the lateral border. Used for specific clinical indications at practitioner discretion.
Modern Root shape process
- Forefoot balanced to rearfoot — the forefoot-to-rearfoot relationship is optimised as the first step in shape modification.
- Fat pad expanded ~3mm — ensures the device fills the calcaneal contour precisely, providing consistent rearfoot positioning throughout gait.
- Arch lowered ~3mm — creates optimal heel-to-arch-to-met-head geometry. Not applied to foam impressions.
- Width tuned to both borders — medial and lateral widths are both considered, giving a foundation that matches the patient's actual foot width.
*Subtalar joint neutral is found by palpating the talus head against the navicular. The neutral position can present many joint-on-joint and bone-on-bone relationships and varies from person to person. An everted or inverted calcaneus may be a neutral position for an individual person. Biomechanical evaluation required.
How you hold the foot is what we build.
Root is not just the orthotic — it's the clinician's positioning, captured and preserved in the device. After scanning, FootID Pro asks the questions no other lab asks.
After every scan, we need to know:
- Was the subtalar joint held in neutral?
- Was the midtarsal joint maximally pronated — loading the 5th metatarsal head?
- Was the midtarsal joint maximally supinated — loading the 1st metatarsal head?
- Was the forefoot brought perpendicular to the rearfoot?
- Was a forefoot-to-rearfoot balance bisection achieved at 90° relative to the Achilles tendon vector?
The positioning of those 19 joints in the foot is what gives us the shape.
CAD/CAM fabrication
- Scan or cast captured — clinician captures foot morphology via FootID Pro, holding the subtalar joint in the chosen clinical position.
- Shape modification applied — forefoot balanced to rearfoot, fat pad expanded, arch adjusted using Root's design process.
- Technical staff review — every device reviewed against Traditional Root, Modern Root, Blake Inverted, or Accommodative principles.
- Fabricated to the shape — the frame is vacuum formed over the positive model. Heel cushion, Spenco cover, suede bottom, and Myolite extension are then applied.
See how the scan becomes an order.
Watch Kevin capture a foot, confirm the clinical position, and send a Root order — start to finish.
Variation converted to anatomy-match accuracy by impression & fabrication method
How closely each method preserves the patient’s intended foot shape. Scale: 0–100%, where 100% = optimal congruence.
Plaster bandage is wrapped around the foot in the clinician’s prescribed corrected position, setting into a precise negative of the foot’s contour.
The foot is pressed into a crushable foam box, leaving a negative impression of the plantar surface.
An existing positive model from the patient’s previous orthotics is reused — KevinRoot accepts models from any lab, with frame-contour variance as low as 1%.
A digital scanner such as FootID Pro captures the foot surface as a 3D model.
A fiberglass casting sock is applied over the foot and cures to capture its contour.
Pedobarography captures the patient’s plantar pressure distribution (static or dynamic) at 1:1 scale — used with arch height and shoe size to select a redimold positive model, not to capture true 3D contour.
A direct-molding system using prefabricated, size- and arch-based positive models (33 in total) rather than an individual foot impression.
Heated material is vacuum-pressed over a plaster positive model, drawing it intimately into every contour.
The frame is 3D printed by selective laser sintering (SLS) directly from the CAD-designed digital frame.
A positive model is CNC-milled (CAD/CAM) from an STS, 3D scan, plaster, or foam impression, then the frame is vacuum formed over it.
A CNC machine subtractively mills the frame from a block of polypropylene or EVA per the digital design.
*Redimold has no physical or digital foot impression — patient-foot-to-cast congruent accuracy is unavailable. Variation from positive model to frame is low.
How your foot shape becomes a precision frame.
The journey from clinical capture to finished P13 frame is where Root's expertise lives. Every step preserves the shape and position the clinician chose — ensuring the heel cushion and arch fill land exactly where the patient's anatomy requires.
- Foot impression captured — the clinician captures the foot using their preferred method. The fashion in which the foot is held directly affects the outcome of the Root Shape congruency against the foot.
- Positive model created — the impression becomes a physical plaster model or a digital CAD/CAM model via FitFoot360. Digital models are stored indefinitely.
- Root technicians modify the shape — using FitFoot360, technicians apply the Modern Root shape process. Heel cushion placement and rearfoot posting are confirmed against the clinical prescription.
- Orthotic frame fabricated — the frame is vacuum formed over the positive model. The 3mm heel cushion, 1.5mm Spenco top cover, .6mm suede bottom, and 1.5mm Myolite extension are then applied.
FitFoot360 Foot Model
- Root digital model stored indefinitely → recalled for future pairs
- Root technicians modify the digital shape in real-time: arch, heel, width, postings
- Vacuum formed over CAD/CAM positive model — replicable, consistent, precise
Real-time control over shape, function, and fit.
FitFoot360 gives Root's technicians complete digital control over every dimension of the P13 frame — in real time. Every modification is precise, repeatable, and stored permanently.
Digital positive model — stored indefinitely
Future pairs can be fabricated from the same baseline shape. A new impression isn't always required — helpful for patients who respond well to the P13 and need replacements.
Real-time shape modification
Root technicians control arch fill, heel depth, width, and rearfoot posting directly in the software — every parameter visible and adjustable.
Every parameter per patient
Heel cushion placement, frame rigidity, rearfoot post angle, and cover selection are all set per patient — never per template.
Plaster and foam digitisation
Physical models can be digitised for permanent storage. Note: digitising may not perfectly replicate the intimate contours achieved when vacuum forming directly over plaster.
Built to their spec. Built for their foot.
Every parameter of the P13 is set to the individual patient — frame rigidity, rearfoot posting, heel cushion, and covers are chosen for their anatomy and the severity of their plantar fasciitis.
Rigidity selected per patient weight — providing the structural support required for effective rearfoot posting and arch fill without compromising the cushioned comfort the plantar fasciitis patient requires.
Extrinsic crepe rearfoot post elevates the heel, shortening the Achilles-fascia complex and directly reducing the tensile load on the plantar fascia at every phase of gait. Built into the positive model for anatomical precision.
Deep cup encapsulates the calcaneus precisely as cast — providing the rearfoot stability that supports the arch and positions the heel cushion correctly over the plantar fascia's calcaneal attachment.
Dedicated heel cushion absorbs impact forces at the medial calcaneal tuberosity — the plantar fascia's inflamed attachment point — directly reducing the compressive and tensile load that perpetuates the inflammatory cycle.
Spenco provides the cushioning and surface comfort required for a plantar fasciitis patient — distributing pressure evenly across the plantar surface and reducing the focal loading that aggravates the condition.
Heel-to-toe Myolite extension provides full-length cushioning beneath the metatarsal heads — completing the shock absorption system and ensuring even load distribution across the full plantar surface throughout gait.
What changes when the fascia is allowed to heal.
Addressing plantar fasciitis biomechanically — reducing tension and absorbing impact — creates cascading improvements across the entire kinetic chain and daily function.
- Reduced heel pain — heel lift and 3mm cushion directly reduce the tensile and compressive forces at the plantar fascia's calcaneal attachment — the primary site of plantar fasciitis pain.
- Faster tissue recovery — removing the mechanical cause of re-injury allows the micro-tears to heal progressively rather than being perpetuated by every step.
- Improved daily function — reduced first-step pain on rising in the morning — the hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis — improves significantly with consistent fascial offloading.
- Long-term prevention — structural correction of the mechanical factors driving fascial overload significantly reduces recurrence risk compared to symptom management alone.
Designed to reduce fascial tension and absorb heel impact.
The P13 utilises a heel lift to reduce strain on the Achilles tendon and thus the plantar fascia — reducing the typically constant tension and allowing tissues to heal. It also incorporates a heel cushion to reduce the pain associated with the heel striking the ground at the plantar fascia's inflamed attachment point.
Designed to fit in most standard shoes with removable sock liners or insoles. For aggressive treatment, using this device in conjunction with other modalities such as night splints, ice-water soaking, anti-inflammatories, and stretching is recommended for the best outcome. For more severe inflammation, the Heel Spurs device (P6) is recommended.
The full picture.
Everything you need to prescribe the P13.
- Inflamed plantar fascia
- Equinus
- Heel pain
- Policeman's heel
- Heel pad syndrome
Recommended for
- Plantar fasciitis with moderate inflammation
- First-step heel pain on rising
- Tight heel cord with fascial involvement
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation and micro-tearing of the connective tissue between the calcaneus and the metatarsals. The P13 has been designed for patients presenting these symptoms.
This device utilises a heel lift to reduce strain on the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia. It also incorporates a heel cushion to reduce pain associated with the heel striking the ground at the plantar fascia's inflamed attachment point. Made with a polypropylene frame, extrinsic crepe rearfoot post, Spenco top cover, and suede bottom cover.
- L3000 (UCB)
- L3010 (longitudinal/metatarsal support)
- L3020 (arch support)
- L5000 (filler)
Based on configuration. Final coding and billing are the provider's responsibility.
Delivery Time
- Standard: 2 weeks
- Expedited: Available on availability
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is inflammation and micro-tearing of the plantar fascia — the thick band of connective tissue running from the medial calcaneal tuberosity to the metatarsal heads. It is the most common cause of heel pain in adults, affecting approximately 10% of the population at some point in their lives. The condition is characterised by sharp, stabbing pain at the heel — classically worst with the first steps in the morning or after prolonged sitting.
The plantar fascia and the windlass mechanism
The plantar fascia functions as a tension band, maintaining the medial longitudinal arch and providing the passive stiffness required for propulsion. During toe-off, dorsiflexion of the metatarsophalangeal joints tightens the fascia via the windlass mechanism — storing and releasing elastic energy with each step. When fascial loading exceeds the tissue's repair capacity, micro-tears accumulate at the calcaneal attachment, producing the inflammation and degeneration characteristic of plantar fasciitis.
Contributing Factors
Tight Achilles tendon / equinus — limited ankle dorsiflexion increases the tensile load on the plantar fascia during mid-stance and toe-off, the primary mechanical driver in many presentations. Directly addressed by the P13's heel lift.
Excessive pronation — overpronation increases fascial strain by flattening the arch and lengthening the fascia beyond its resting tension. Custom arch support corrects this at the source.
Overuse and training load — sudden increases in walking or running distance, hard surface exposure, or prolonged standing overload the fascia's regenerative capacity.
Heel pad atrophy — the natural fat pad beneath the calcaneus thins with age, reducing the body's own shock absorption and increasing the impact load at the plantar fascia attachment.
Diagnosis
Clinical assessment includes palpation of the medial calcaneal tuberosity (focal tenderness is pathognomonic), windlass test, and assessment of ankle dorsiflexion range to identify equinus as a contributing factor. Imaging is generally not required for diagnosis but ultrasound can confirm fascial thickening and identify tearing. X-ray may reveal a calcaneal spur, though the spur itself is not the primary pain generator.
Treatment Pathway
First-line treatment includes custom orthotics, stretching (plantar fascia and calf), NSAIDs, and load modification. Custom orthotics are most effective when they combine heel lift, cushioning, and arch support — the three mechanical targets the P13 addresses simultaneously. For aggressive treatment, the P13 should be used alongside night splints, ice-water soaking, anti-inflammatories, and stretching for the best outcome.
The P13 is indicated for moderate plantar fasciitis. For more severe inflammation or calcaneal spur syndrome, the P6 Heel Spurs device provides additional targeted offloading.
Order on FootID Pro →The right device
for the right diagnosis.
P13 is indicated for moderate plantar fasciitis and related heel pain conditions.
Prescribe with confidence across these presentations.
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