A couple of things I've learned about the Good Feet Store over the years (it's a chain, they have them all over the place in this country).
They'll play a little applied kinesiology trick on you to demonstrate how much better your balance and core strength response works with their orthotics than without. That part of the sales process is a sham. They do the same trick on people at the Church of Scientology to demonstrate that you have inner trauma that they can help you resolve, and the same trick at some chiropractor offices to demonstrate how badly your spine is misaligned.
That said -
Orthotics CAN improve your balance. Better quality fully supportive shoes that fit properly and with appropriate insoles can also improve your balance for a lot less money. Good Feet actually sells some of those shoes. I have a pair of Brooks from there. All leather, thickly padded, with a firm flexible foam medium arch insole. Very lightweight even though they look stupidly clunky (old lady shoes, yup they sure are). Super super comfortable. I got the D width because three of my toes are the same length and I have a neuroma on one foot. A normal width shoe or any shoe without a box-toe construction always pinches my toes together and makes walking painful.
If your podiatrist recommends actual prescription orthotics but you want to try out the idea first, you could spend a few bucks on some firm Dr. Scholls inserts. Look for ones with "post" support and metatarsal support, and a firm or even rigid arch. Whatever shoes you use them in have to have a removable insole.
Real prescription orthotics can cost between $400-900. Crappy inserts off the shelf run around $10. Better quality shelf-stuff might be up to $30. Shoe-store specialty insoles made for specific brands might run around $50. Good Feet's cost between $200-500.
Good Feet orthotics are not prescription but they are custom. Personally, if I was going to spend that much on orthotics, I'd pay the extra couple hundred and get prescription ones. Plus insurance might cover the RX but not the custom (your insurance coverage may vary).
Edited to add: When I went to Good Feet I told them I wasn't interested in checking my balance (they always offer). I just wanted a good solid super-sturdy pair of real-leather black shoes that were suitable for standing for many hours a day. They pointed out the Brooks, they were some insane amount like $150, and they fit so well I wore them on my way out of the store with my old shoes in a bag.
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