Displaying items by tag: orthotics

#5- Orthotics (custom arch supports) Are A Great Remedy For Many Foot And Ankle Problems

According to research, approximately 85% of foot and ankle conditions improve or are cured by Orthotics. Please understand that we’re referring to custom-made inserts (for your feet only) NOT store-bought arch supports.

What Orthotics can do, that store bought inserts can’t, is get your feet to function how they were meant to. We call it STABILITY and CONTROL. They eliminate any extra movements the foot makes but isn’t supposed to. Extra movements lead to many foot and ankle conditions such as Plantar Fascitis, Bunions, Bone Spurs and Arthritis; just to name a few.

What’s more, Orthotics often eliminate knee and back pain. Fixing the foundation, your feet, often fixes other parts of the “temple” (your body). 

Orthotics can be made to fit any shoe type. The more they’re worn, the less chance there is of having the foot condition recur. We make Orthotics for children and adults. Besides eliminating foot or ankle pain, they also can help prevent many common foot and ankle conditions.

Although ankle sprains may not be as serious as a broken ankle, they should be given immediate attention and care. An ankle sprain can lead to a significant amount of pain, as well as limited mobility. They are often characterized by the swelling and discoloration of the skin. This occurs when the ligaments are stretched beyond their limits.

The simple act of walking can sometimes cause a sprain, which makes ankle sprains a very common injury that can happen to anyone. They occur when the ankle twists in an awkward way or rolls over itself, causing a pop or snap in the tendons around the ankle. Some people are more at risk than others. These include athletes who continually push their bodies to the limits and also people who have previously suffered accidents to the feet, ankles, or lower legs.

Most of the time, an ankle sprain is not severe enough for hospital attention. There are many at-home treatment options available, including propping the leg up above your head to reduce blood flow and inflammation, applying ice packs to the affected area as needed, taking over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medication, using an ACE bandage to wrap and support the injured ankle, and most importantly, remaining off your feet until the ankle has fully healed.

Despite this, an ankle sprain can turn into a severe injury that might require hospitalization. If the ankle ligaments or muscles are damaged from a tear or rip, that is one sign that the sprain is severe enough for hospital attention and possibly for surgery. Even after the surgery, the recovery process can be long. You may need to have rehabilitation sessions administered by your podiatrist to get your ankle back to full health.

The severity of your sprain might become apparent if you are unable to stand or walk, consistent pain occurs over a prolonged period of time, swelling is much more severe than initially present, or if you start to experience tingling or numbness. These signs may indicate that your ankle sprain might actually be a broken ankle, an injury that requires immediate medical attention.

Although they are not completely avoidable, ankle sprains can be curbed with some preventative treatment measures. These include wearing appropriate-fitting shoes that not only provide a comfortable fit, but also ankle support. It is also recommended to stretch before doing any kind of physical activity, as this will help lower your body’s chance for an injury.

Some kids have an extra bone near their arch that can become painful. The extra bone can be on one foot or both. Of course, the extra bone stays with you for life.

Most people who have this extra bone have flatter arches, otherwise known as flatfeet. The extra bone can be prominent enough that shoes will rub on it.

If a parent brings a child in because of pain in the arches, we always take x-rays to determine if an extra bone is part of the problem.

Custom inserts (orthotics) that raise the arches and prevent the heels from turning in are often the best solution.

Surgery is only necessary if the condition is severe.

Addressing any pain in a child’s feet early on can help to prevent problems in adulthood.

An adult’s arch pain could also be from an extra bone.

Custom orthotics are just as effective for adults as they are for kids.

Wearing shoes with a sturdy heel counter (the back of the shoe) can help to relieve this type of pain. We specialize in making orthotics for kids and adults who have arch pain from an extra bone or any other reason.

Our entire team is here to serve you. Please feel free to contact our office at 954-455-9404.

One of the most incapacitating injuries is chronic low back pain. The problem is so severe that one-half of all adult Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year. According to the American Chiropractic Association, chronic low back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. In fact, more than $50 billion is spent each year on treating low back pain.

Recent research suggests that back pain may be closely linked to poor or improper biomechanics. Many researchers, in fact, agree that chronic or low back pain may be significantly related to how you walk (gait style), a reason we are shifting our focus to the feet to treat hip and back pain.

Everyone knows that low back pain is a recurrent problem. Why? Because most doctors do not look at the way you walk. One flaw in your gait style can lead to strain on your back. Using custom foot orthoses to change the mechanics of foot function may improve hip extension and create prolonged relief of low back symptoms.

Using foot orthotics to effectively treat hip and low back problems has been studied extensively by Dr. Howard Dananberg, a renowned podiatrist in Bedford, New Hampshire. Through computerized in-shoe pressure testing, he found that a specialized orthotic eliminates the flaw that causes strain on the back. Getting the feet to function exactly as they are supposed to allows the hips to extend properly. Normal hip extension during gait eliminates strain on the back.

We have witnessed countless cases of custom foot orthotics relieving hip and back pain. In our opinion, anyone who suffers from chronic hip or back pain should be evaluated by a podiatrist to assess their feet. Since your doctor may not consider your feet as a possible cause of the pain, you’ll have to take it upon yourself to be proactive.

Medications, rest, exercise and weight loss may all be effective in relieving hip and back pain. Unfortunately, they are not a cure in most cases. Eliminating the cause of the pain should be the ultimate goal. Since faulty foot mechanics are often the cause of back pain, using custom foot orthotics can be worth a lifetime of relief from this otherwise chronic condition.

It’s astonishing how many things can go wrong because of flat feet. Of all the foot types this is the one that leads to the most foot conditions. Count your blessings if you have normal or high arches. If you have foot pain and aren’t sure of the cause it may be because of flat feet. This can be determined by a simple exam and more importantly x-rays.

Foot pain from flat feet left untreated can lead to permanent deformity, avoidable surgery, pain elsewhere in the body such as the knees or back, and even a permanent deformity.

Some of the most common foot conditions caused by flat feet are:

• Bunions
• Hammertoes
• Tendinitis
• Arthritis
• Plantar Fasciitis and Heel Spurs

Some arches get flatter over time, however, most people who have flat feet are born this way. Since flat feet are hereditary, then the conditions named above are as well.

Beware Of Store-Bought Arch Supports

If you know your feet are flat and you’re experiencing foot pain it seems logical that getting shoes with better arch support or purchasing arch supports would help. Sometimes that’s true but more often it is not. If the arches from the shoes or store-bought arch supports don’t match perfectly to your arches, it can be uncomfortable.

One of the best things to do if you have flat feet, especially if you’ve experienced foot pain, is to avoid flat shoes. You should also minimize going barefoot or wearing flip flops.

Flat feet are often incredibly unstable causing the bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons to move excessively. Feet that move excessively and are unstable can lead to many different foot problems.

A Simple Solution

The number one treatment for flat feet is Custom Foot Orthotics. These inserts are the only way to effectively control and stabilize unstable flat feet. Store bought arch supports aren’t effective. Orthotics align the feet better which allows the bones, joints, ligaments and tendons to move optimally.

Many people who have had pain because of flat feet experience tremendous relief from orthotics. Not only do orthotics relieve foot pain, they can also prevent many foot conditions from recurring.

Bunions, hammertoes, bone spurs, tendinitis, and arthritis can be prevented by custom orthotics. Children who have flat feet and experience foot pain also benefit greatly from orthotics. Many active kids are brought to our office by their parents complaining there is pain when playing a sport. Most often they have flat feet. Orthotics relieve the pain almost 100% of the time.

Flat Feet Causes Knee and Back Pain

Since flat feet can also cause knee and back problems, wearing orthotics has solved many knee and back symptoms. Not everyone who has flat feet will ultimately have foot pain but many foot problems are from flat feet. A simple solution such as custom foot orthotics can help relieve the pain and prevent a recurrence.

Maybe most importantly, treating painful flat feet early enough can avoid foot deformities and major surgery.      

Dr. Strimbu can make you custom orthotics for your foot deformity.