Custom orthotics in Dublin: 3D-printed in our own lab
Your feet are scanned, assessed and fitted at our Clontarf clinic, inside Body Med Physiotherapy at 188 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3.
Most clinics outsource their orthotics to a third-party lab. We don't. Every Lower Limb orthotic is designed from clinical 3D scan data and manufactured at our sister company, Réalta Labs, our precision SLS 3D printing lab in Belfast. Every pair is designed and manufactured by podiatrist Paul McMullan, BSc(Hons) MSc FRCPSGlasg MRCPod, with your prescribing podiatrist in full clinical control of the case.
Why we're the go-to clinic for custom orthotics in Dublin
We make orthotics. We don't sell insoles. Six reasons that difference matters for your feet.
Podiatrist designed and manufactured
Most Dublin clinics send your foot shape to an outside lab and see the orthotic for the first time at fitting. Ours are designed and made by Paul McMullan, a podiatrist with fifteen years of clinical practice, in our own lab, Réalta Labs in Belfast.
Diagnosis before prescription
We don't prescribe orthotics for pain we haven't diagnosed. If you have an injury, the Diagnostic Injury Assessment uses on-site MSK ultrasound to find out what's actually wrong first. Orthotics are prescribed only when they're the right tool.
A specialist, not a shop
Your assessment is with Darren Costello, a CORU-registered podiatrist with an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine, a PGCert in Lower Limb MSK Assessment and membership of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. Gait and orthotic therapy are his specialism.
Precision from scan to shell
A clinical 3D scan of your feet, a digital prescription, and a shell printed in PA11 bio-nylon to ±0.1mm. No plaster casts, no foam boxes, nothing lost between your foot and the finished pair.
Reviewed, and fixed fast
Every pair is reviewed after fitting. Because we hold the scan, the prescription and the printer, any adjustment goes straight back to our own lab instead of joining a third-party queue.
Fifteen years of trust
Lower Limb has treated feet in Belfast since 2011, with 700+ five-star Google reviews and an NPS of 97 from 1,500+ patient responses since December 2024. Dublin gets the same clinic, the same standards and the same lab.
One price, published up front: €500 per pair.
Prescribed after an €80 Orthotic Assessment or a €160 Diagnostic Injury Assessment. No hidden lab fees, because there is no middleman lab. And if orthotics aren't the right answer for you, we'll say so at the assessment.
Podiatrist designed. Podiatrist manufactured.
Most custom orthotics are made by lab technicians who never meet the patient or see the problem. Every Lower Limb orthotic is designed and manufactured by Paul McMullan, a podiatrist with fifteen years of clinical practice in sports medicine and biomechanics, at his own lab, Réalta Labs.
Darren assesses you and writes the prescription in Clontarf. Paul designs and makes your pair. Two podiatrists on every orthotic, and nobody guessing in between.
- HCPC-registered podiatrist (CH32404)
- MSc Podiatric Sports Medicine, Queen Mary University of London
- BSc (Hons) Podiatry, Ulster University
- PgCert Diagnostic MSK Ultrasound (Foot & Ankle), Brunel University London (pending qualification)
- Fellow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
- Member, Royal College of Podiatry
- Founder, Lower Limb (Belfast, 2011) and Réalta Labs
From clinical scan to custom orthotic
No foam impressions. No plaster casts. Direct 3D scan data flows from your clinical assessment into the prescription, then to the printer.
Scan
During your assessment, your specialist podiatrist captures the precise geometry of your feet using a clinical 3D scanner. No messy impressions.
Prescribe
The clinician completes a digital prescription (chassis type, shell geometry, posting angles, modifications) based on your assessment findings.
Print & Receive
Réalta Labs prints your orthotics on a Formlabs Fuse 1 SLS printer in PA11 bio-nylon, hand-finishes them, and dispatches within days.
Vertical integration matters in orthotic prescribing
The traditional model
A foam impression or plaster cast is taken in-clinic, posted to a third-party lab where a technician interprets the prescription, mills or thermoforms a generic shell, and posts it back. The clinician sees the orthotic for the first time at the fitting appointment.
If something's off, the cycle repeats. Lead times are 4–6 weeks or longer. Margin and clinical control sit with the lab.
Our model
Your scan goes directly from the clinic to our sister company, Réalta Labs, our precision SLS 3D printing lab in Belfast. Paul McMullan, a podiatrist, designs and manufactures every pair himself; the prescribing podiatrist controls every clinical parameter. Sub-millimetre fidelity is preserved through manufacture. Dispatch within days, not weeks.
If a revision is needed, we own the data, the printer, and the clinical reasoning, so we fix it fast.
Getting custom orthotics in Dublin
Everything patient-facing happens in Clontarf: the assessment, the 3D scan, the fitting and the review. Only the printing happens in our lab. The clinic is on the coast road, easy to reach from Raheny, Sutton, Howth, Fairview, Drumcondra and the rest of north Dublin.
Where
Lower Limb Dublin, inside Body Med Physiotherapy, 188 Clontarf Road, Clontarf East, Dublin 3, D03 C3W0. On the coast road at the end of Vernon Avenue.
Who
Darren Costello, CORU-registered specialist podiatrist (PO067177) with an MSc in Sports and Exercise Medicine. Gait analysis and orthotic therapy are his specialism.
How
Book an Orthotic Assessment (€80) or a Diagnostic Injury Assessment (€160). If orthotics are indicated, your feet are scanned the same day and the pair is fitted at a follow-up visit in Clontarf.
No GP referral needed. Custom orthotics can often be claimed under health insurance appliance benefits; see our health insurance page.
Conditions where custom orthotics may help
Custom orthotics are only effective when correctly indicated. Your assessment will determine whether they're appropriate for your condition, or whether another treatment pathway is more suitable.
Frequently asked questions
Why choose Lower Limb for custom orthotics in Dublin?
Because we make them. Our orthotics are 3D-printed in our own lab, Réalta Labs, from a clinical scan taken in Clontarf, and prescribed by a specialist podiatrist only after your problem has been properly assessed. One published price of €500 per pair, a review after fitting, and fast adjustments because there is no outside lab in the chain.
Where can I get custom orthotics in Dublin?
At Lower Limb Dublin, inside Body Med Physiotherapy at 188 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3. Your feet are 3D-scanned and assessed by Darren Costello, a CORU-registered specialist podiatrist, and your orthotics are fitted at the same clinic. No GP referral is needed.
Are custom orthotics better than off-the-shelf insoles?
Not always. Off-the-shelf insoles suit many people with mild symptoms. Custom orthotics are made for a specific clinical problem from a scan of your own feet, so they make most sense when pain persists, the mechanics are unusual, or a previous insole hasn't helped. Your assessment will tell you which applies, and we will say so if you don't need custom orthotics.
How much do custom orthotics cost?
Custom orthotics are €500 per pair, prescribed after an assessment. The €80 Orthotic Assessment or €160 Diagnostic Injury Assessment is charged separately. Because we make them in our own lab, Réalta Labs, there is no third-party lab mark-up. See all fees on our prices page.
Can I claim custom orthotics on health insurance?
Often, yes, under appliance benefits rather than visit benefits. Vhi lists orthotic insoles on its Approved Medical and Surgical Appliances list, currently up to 4 pairs per year, paid at your plan's appliance percentage. Irish Life Health lists shoe orthotics at 50% up to €200 per policy year. Laya's approved appliance list is in your Member Area. We provide a prescription letter and itemised receipt with every pair to support the claim. Full details on our Health Insurance page.
How long do they take to manufacture?
Réalta Labs prints, hand-finishes and dispatches within days. Specific turnaround for your prescription will be confirmed at your assessment.
How long do they last?
PA11 bio-based nylon is a durable polymer designed for daily clinical use. Lifespan depends on activity, footwear and how the orthotic is used. Most patients get years of use from a well-fitted prescription.
Can I use them in different shoes?
Most prescriptions are designed for general use across multiple shoe types. If you need orthotics for very specific footwear (cycling shoes, ski boots, dress shoes), discuss this at your assessment so the prescription accounts for it.
What if they need adjusting?
Because we own the lab, the data, and the prescription, revisions are straightforward. Follow-up review appointments confirm fit and allow any adjustments to be processed quickly.
Do you take foam impressions or plaster casts?
No. We use a clinical 3D scanner to capture the geometry of your foot directly. This is faster, more accurate, and produces a digital file that goes straight into the prescription workflow without information loss.
Ready to find out if orthotics are right for you?
Start with an assessment. No referral needed.
Book Assessment