Wearing a walking boot? Even things up.
A walking boot leaves one leg longer than the other, and your hips and back end up feeling it. Make a free, custom lift for your other shoe here. All you need is a sheet of paper, a marker and a photo.
- 1
Trace your shoe
Stand it on a sheet of paper and draw around the sole with a marker.
- 2
Take a photo
From straight above, with the whole sheet in view, and upload it here.
- 3
3D print it
Download the file and print it, or send it to someone with a 3D printer.
Your photo
Use a flat-soled shoe: running shoes with curved soles won’t work. Until you upload yours, you’ll see an example photo.
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Outline not right?
How much higher?
How do I know how much higher?
- With a ruler: standing up, measure from the floor to your heel with the boot and with the shoe. The difference is the height.
- With books or magazines: stand with the boot on one foot and the shoe on the other, and slide thin books or magazines under the shoe until you feel level. Then measure how thick the stack is.
- Ask someone to look at you from behind: both hips should be at the same height. If they rest their hands on your hip bones, it’s easy to tell.
- Hold on to a table or the wall while you try it.
- Best of all, have your doctor, physiotherapist or podiatrist confirm it.
Here’s your lift
Turn it with your finger or mouse.
- Footprint
- –
- Foot
- –
- Total height
- –
Download it
First, a quick test fit
A thin frame that prints in about an hour, to check your shoe fits before you print the real lift.
Then, the lift
Printed in TPU, a flexible, cushioning plastic. It takes about half a day; the instructions are inside the file.
The finished TPU lift: an 18 mm base, with the strap slot under the laces.
The PLA test fit (blue) on the shoe: the rim wraps around the sole.
From below: the sole fits snugly in the frame. The TPU lift has the same shape, with a solid, taller base.
No 3D printer? Download the files and send them to someone who has one: a friend, a local 3D printing shop or a makerspace. All the instructions are included.
For whoever prints it: settings and measurements
On the bed: –
- Feed the filament straight to the print head, not through an automatic feeder.
- 0.2 mm layers, print slowly.
- 20% gyroid infill.
- 4 walls and 4–5 top and bottom layers.
- Supports off, no brim or skirt. Ignore the overhang warning for the strap slot: it prints as a bridge.
- Print on the textured side of the bed so the base comes out rough.
- For reference: an 18 mm lift on a Kobra 3 takes about 147 g and 11–12 h.
You’ll need about 60 cm (2 ft) of 25 mm (1 in) double-sided Velcro to strap it to the shoe.
Advanced settings
Frequently asked questions
Why do my hip or back hurt when I wear a walking boot?
A walking boot has a much thicker sole than a normal shoe, so you walk with one leg higher than the other. Over several weeks, that can strain your hip, knee or back. A lift on the shoe of your other foot evens out the height.
How much height do I need to make up?
The difference in height between the sole of the boot and the sole of your shoe. Step 2 explains how to measure it with a ruler or with books. Check it with your doctor, physiotherapist or podiatrist.
Do I need a 3D printer?
To make it, yes. If you don’t have one, download the files and send them to someone who does: a friend, a local 3D printing shop or a makerspace. The instructions are inside the file.
What material is it printed in?
The lift is printed in TPU, a flexible plastic that cushions and grips better. Print the PLA test fit first, a thin frame that takes about an hour, to check your shoe fits.
Does it work with any shoe?
With flat-soled shoes. Running shoes with curved soles or a big heel-to-toe drop don’t sit well on the lift.
Is it free? Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
It’s free, with no sign-up. Your photo is processed in your own browser and never sent to a server. We only count, anonymously, how many lifts are downloaded and at what height, with no cookies or personal data.