Remote gait analysis and custom orthotics for shin splints
Jul 8 – Oct 26, 2026Updated Oct 26, 2026
Reviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky
Which brands AI mentions
Mentioned in
ChatGPTChatGPTGoogle AI ModeGoogle AI Mode
Widest split: UpStep, 4% on ChatGPT and 71% on Google AI Mode.
- #1Stride SolesChatGPT 100%Google AI Mode 57%
- #2tiedFits Perfect OrthoticsChatGPT 74%Google AI Mode 24%
- #2tiedBilt LabsChatGPT 48%Google AI Mode 38%
- #2tiedUpStepChatGPT 4%Google AI Mode 71%
- #5tiedFoot DynamicsChatGPT 22%Google AI Mode 14%
Questions and answers
Google AI ModeOct 26, 2026
If you are looking for custom orthotics combined with remote or mail-in workflow elements (specifically incorporating digital gait tracking or video movement analysis), options have expanded past traditional foam boxes. Shin splints are heavily tied to biomechanics like overpronation, heel-striking impact, or asymmetric stride dynamics, making a gait-informed approach valuable.
Direct Mail-In & Digital Remote Options
- Stride Soles : Unlike older mail-in brands that only use a static foam impression, Stride combines a smartphone-based 3D foot scan with a remote video gait analysis. After ordering, you upload a short video of your walking/running gait alongside a 3D foot capture. Podiatrists use both the dynamic video data and the structural foot map to design custom 3D-printed orthotics shipped directly to you.
- Upstep : A major player for mail-order custom orthotics designed by podiatrists. They mail you an at-home foam impression kit that you step into and mail back. Note: Upstep relies primarily on the static foam mold and your questionnaire/activity details rather than a video gait analysis, but they do offer specific custom lines tailored for sports and overpronation.[2][3]
- Bilt Labs : Similar to Upstep, Bilt Labs operates on a direct-to-consumer mail-in foam impression kit workflow where you capture the physical shape of your foot at home and send it back for custom fabrication. They do not feature an active remote video gait assessment component.
Alternative Hybrid Route
- Local Running Specialty Stores : If you prefer an in-person dynamic gait analysis (running on a treadmill while recorded on camera) paired with custom or semi-custom insoles, national chains like Road Runner Sports offer in-store fitting and custom arch support molding, which bypasses the mail-in delay entirely if you live near a brick-and-mortar location.
To help narrow down the best path, would you like to know more about the pricing and turnaround times for these options, or do you want tips on other running adjustments that help prevent shin splints?
Sources cited in this answer5
ChatGPTOct 26, 2026
If you're prone to shin splints, I'd look for a service that combines running gait analysis, foot-strike and lower-limb mechanics assessment, and custom orthotics that can be ordered remotely.
One important distinction: some companies analyze your feet using a phone video or a home impression kit, while others provide a more comprehensive running assessment. Since shin splints can be related to training load, footwear, biomechanics, or muscle capacity, orthotics aren't necessarily the solution on their own.
Best mail-order and remote options
1. Stride Soles
(Best overall match)
Complete a questionnaire, scan your feet using the app, and record your gait. The company says its podiatry team designs custom orthotics and ships them to you, typically in 2–3 weeks.
Best for: a single remote process combining foot scanning and gait recording.
2. Fits Perfect Orthotics
Offers running-specific orthotics through an iPhone 3D foot scan or a foam impression kit mailed to your home. Its website advertises delivery within about two weeks for its app-based process.
Best for: choosing between digital scanning and a physical mail-in impression.
3. Bilt Labs
Makes custom insoles from at-home foot molds, with oversight from a board-certified podiatrist. Its products emphasize structural support and cushioning. Its standard process is more focused on foot shape and support than a full running-gait assessment.
Best for: a mold-based custom insole with podiatric oversight.
4. The Running PTs
This is a useful add-on if gait analysis is your priority. Doctors of physical therapy review videos of your running from the side, back, and foot level. The virtual analysis costs $150, with a video consultation or written report. Orthotics are a separate consideration.
Best for: understanding running mechanics and injury-prevention strategies before buying orthotics.
Which would I choose for shin splints?
I'd start by comparing Stride Soles and The Running PTs. The first combines remote foot scanning with gait recording and custom orthotics; the second offers a more explicit running-form assessment by physical therapists. They address different parts of the problem.
Before ordering, ask each provider:
- Does your gait assessment evaluate running, rather than just standing or walking?
- Can the clinician assess possible causes of shin splints, not just arch height or overpronation?
- Can the orthotics be adjusted or remade if they worsen discomfort?
- Do they recommend exercises or training changes alongside the inserts?
Recurring shin pain can also result from increasing mileage too quickly, inadequate recovery, or a bone stress injury. If pain is sharply localized, occurs when walking or at rest, or keeps returning despite reducing your running, get examined by a sports-medicine clinician before running through it.
One question that would help me narrow this down: Are you looking for a completely mail-order solution, or would you be open to a virtual consultation with a running-specialist physical therapist before ordering orthotics?
Sources cited in this answer8
- stridesoles.comCustom Orthotics and Insoles with Gait Analysis | Stride Soles
- stridesoles.comCustom Orthotics and Insoles with Gait Analysis | Stride Soles
- fitsperfectorthotics.comFits Perfect: Custom Orthotics | Order Now!
- fitsperfectorthotics.comFits Perfect: Custom Orthotics | Order Now!
- biltlabs.comCustom Orthotics & Insoles for Comfort & Relief | Bilt Labs
- biltlabs.comCustom Orthotics & Insoles for Comfort & Relief | Bilt Labs
Google AI ModeOct 16, 2026
Yes, there are direct-to-consumer and teledentistry-style podiatry servicesthat allow you to get medical-grade custom orthotics entirely from home.How At-Home Custom Orthotics Work
Instead of visiting a physical clinic for a plaster cast or physical pressure plate, these companies use smartphone apps or mail-in foam impression kits:
- The Assessment: You complete an online intake questionnaire detailing your specific pain (such as shin splints/medial tibial stress syndrome), activity levels, and footwear.
- The Scan / Impression: You either use a smartphone app (which guides your phone's camera to map your foot in 3D) or the company mails you a foam box to press your bare feet into and mail back.
- The Prescription: A lab or affiliated podiatrist reviews your foot shape and history to design a corrected, custom-milled orthotic.
- Delivery: The finished orthotics are shipped to your door.
Notable Providers
- Upstep: A well-known provider that lets you use an app (like the Upstep 3D Scan App on Apple App Store ) to capture a precise 3D model of your feet using your smartphone camera. They have specific options designed for various lower-limb issues and are managed/reviewed by professional podiatrists.
- SolesRX: Offers custom 3D-printed medical-grade insoles mapped through an iOS app scan.
- Stride Soles: Uses a smartphone 3D foot scan paired with a questionnaire to design personalized orthotics aimed at targeted pain relief.
A Quick Word on "Gait Analysis" vs. "Foot Mapping"
True gait analysis involves watching you physically walk or run—evaluating how your knee tracks, how your heel strikes, and how your ankle rolls dynamically on a treadmill or force plate.
At-home apps cannot truly analyze a dynamic walking/running gait; instead, they perform static 3D structural mapping (capturing your arch height, width, and weight-bearing shape) and infer your biomechanical needs based on the pain symptoms you report in your intake form. If your shin splints are stubborn or severe, a virtual consultation via video with a sports podiatrist or physical therapist alongside a 3D-scanned orthotic can bridge that gap.
Would you like to share how long you've had the shin splints or what type of shoes you plan to wear them in so I can help you evaluate if a specific arch profile or firmness is right for you?
ChatGPTOct 16, 2026
Yes. There are several providers that let you get custom orthotics from home using a phone scan, a mailed foot-impression kit, or a remote consultation. A few specifically market their products for shin splints and running-related pain.
There is one important distinction, though: a foot scan is not the same as a full gait analysis. If you want orthotics designed to address the mechanics contributing to your shin splints, prioritize a provider that reviews your running or walking pattern and offers clinical input—not just one that measures your arch.
Best online providers to consider
1. Stride Soles
(Best match for gait-focused assessment)
Online assessment · phone scan · shipped orthotics
Stride combines a questionnaire about your pain and activity goals with a 3D foot scan using its app. It markets podiatrist-designed orthotics and says delivery takes around 2–3 weeks.
Why consider it: A structured assessment before ordering, rather than simply choosing an insert by shoe size.
2. Bilt Labs
Shin-splint-specific offering · mail-in kit
Bilt Labs explicitly markets custom orthotics for running and shin splints. You take foot impressions at home, mail them to the lab, and receive orthotics that the company says are approved by a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM). Its listed price is $225.
Why consider it: The clearest match if your main goal is running-related shin pain and you don't mind mailing physical impressions.
View Bilt Labs running orthotics
3. SelfScan3D
iPhone or iPad scan · mail-in alternative
This service uses a phone-based foot scan or a home impression kit to make custom insoles. It says its designs are informed by a board-certified podiatrist and offers a 180-day money-back guarantee.
Why consider it: A convenient option if you prefer scanning at home and want an alternative to traditional clinic-based casting.
4. Orthotics Direct
Digital foot scan · remote review · shipping
Orthotics Direct offers guided digital scanning or a foam impression kit, followed by review by its orthotics team. Its collection starts at $289.
Why consider it: If you want custom-made orthotics with a remote review process and no clinic visit.
Which one would I choose?
Your priority My pick Online assessment before ordering Stride Soles Orthotics explicitly marketed for shin splints Bilt Labs Phone scan and a simple home process SelfScan3D Remote review of a custom orthotic order Orthotics Direct These are provider claims about their processes, not proof that one product will resolve your particular shin pain. Also, none of the information I found establishes that all four perform a comprehensive, clinician-reviewed dynamic running gait analysis remotely. I'd ask that question before paying.
What matters for shin splints
Custom orthotics may help some people, particularly where foot mechanics contribute to symptoms, but they aren't a guaranteed fix. Training load, footwear, running technique and strength can also matter.
For a better assessment, look for a service that will:
- Review a side and rear video of you walking or running.
- Ask about your mileage, recent training changes, shoes and exact pain location.
- Explain what biomechanical issue the orthotics are intended to address.
- Offer a fitting or adjustment process if the inserts worsen your symptoms.
If the shin pain is sharply localized to one spot, occurs at rest or at night, or persists despite rest, get an in-person medical assessment before relying on orthotics; a bone stress injury can resemble shin splints.
Let me narrow this down for you
One question: Are your shin splints mainly caused by running, or do you also get them from walking or standing?
That will help me prioritize the providers and the type of gait assessment most relevant to you.
Sources cited in this answer14
- stridesoles.comCustom Orthotics and Insoles with Gait Analysis | Stride Soles
- stridesoles.comHow it Works
- stridesoles.comCustom Orthotics and Insoles with Gait Analysis | Stride Soles
- biltlabs.comCustom Orthotics & Insoles for Running & Shin Splints – Bilt Labs
- biltlabs.comCustom Orthotics & Insoles for Sports & Athletic Performance
- biltlabs.comCustom Orthotics & Insoles for Running & Shin Splints – Bilt Labs
Also asked as
- Which companies provide remote gait analysis and custom-made orthotics by mail for someone suffering from shin splints while running?
