John Olin, Director of Bracing Programs at Stride Pedorthic Center, Middlebury, Connecticut

John Olin had never even heard of an orthotist when he started working. 

Then, at his firstborn’s first birthday party, Olin met someone who explained that line of work. At the time, he had poured hours into earning a chemistry degree, teaching at a New York prep school and working in landscape design. 

Suddenly, at 30, he found himself in graduate school, with the promise of a job awaiting him upon graduation. This job offer came from the same person who told him about orthotics—the practice of designing and fitting anatomical bracing for patients with various medical needs. 

Twenty-five years later, things began to change. When the COVID-19 pandemic shed a different light on the industry, Olin said he was looking for new direction in his life. 

So, he reached out to a friend who owned a practice dedicated to custom foot orthotics and shoes, and asked what they thought about combining their skill sets. The friend said yes, and Olin came aboard the practice as a test run for a year, before joining full-time in 2022. He has been with the Stride Pedorthic Center—which specializes in custom orthotics, shoes and bracing—ever since. 

“We’ve expanded: New offices, new exam rooms, I have a new lab,” Olin said. “We’ve done a beautiful lab where we do our own manufacturing. I would say about 90% of what we do is in-house.” 

Stride works with age groups from children to seniors, making and adjusting orthotics on-site. Because Olin works in anatomical bracing, he collaborates closely with patients, doctors and physical therapists to ensure his patients’ needs are thoroughly met so they can have the easiest experience possible. 

Olin goes above and beyond to make it happen, said his nominator, Renee Chapman. 

“There have been many times that John will go out of his way to see patients at home, at the gym, at summer camp or wherever is the most convenient place for them, to evaluate, cast or deliver the product they need,” Chapman wrote. “I’m sure his patients would attest to the superior care they receive from John.” 

One of the biggest perks of the job is seeing the look of excitement on a child’s face when he is able to fit them with a life-changing brace, Olin said. 

“I love kids,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun to work with them. It’s just so great, because the kids will come in and say they have something called drop foot, which is where the foot just drops and they have no control over it. I’ll get a brace on that and all of the sudden, they’ll start running up and down the hall, so happy. It’s incredible to see that.” 

Olin also works with children who are quadriplegics, use a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy or other reasons or have developmental delays. Some of his clients are nonverbal, but that doesn’t stop him from forming a bond with every single one of them. 

“People will ask me all the time, ‘How do you do it? It must really get to you,’ and the answer is no, it doesn’t get to me,” he said. 

“I see the potential in these kids. The worst thing is when people forget these kids have brains. They may not be able to communicate like you and me, but they have brains and they think like we do. It’s very uplifting to work with them and form a relationship with them.”