As we spend more time during the day on our feet, leading longer active lives, the shoes we wear can make a difference in how we feel. As Jeff Yastine reports, that’s a key strategy in the growth of the Foot Solutions chain. PBS Nightly Business Report’s Jeff Yastine recently interviewed CEO and Founder of Foot Solutions, Ray Margiano, on Foot Solutions’ business model… view the entire interview below!

Today, August 25th 12pm EDT is the official launch date of the ‘Breast Cancer 3-Day Giveaway‘ National Sweepstakes!  We’re celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month by giving away a walking package to one lucky Susan G. Komen for the Cure team!

Each team member can enter on behalf of their team to help increase their odds of winning!  Because the 60-miles can be so hard on the feet, we wanted to give a little something extra for all sweepstakes entrants. Every person who enters will also receive an offer for a complementary full foot and gait analysis at their nearest Foot Solutions!

Sweepstakes Details:
•   Enter anytime August 25, 2010 12:00pm EDT – September 24, 2010 11:59am EDT
•   The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Winning Team will be announced 9/25!
•   Share the sweepstakes with your Susan G. Komen for the Cure community on Facebook and Twitter!

The Sweepstakes package includes:
•    One set of Pink Pole Balance Walking Poles (up to 25 sets)
•    One pair of Thorlos Pink Distance Walker Socks (up to 25 pairs)
•    One Balance Walking Book
•    One Balance Walking Training DVD

Take a look at a newborn’s feet, and you’ll notice they are prominently flat and arch-less.  As a parent, how do you know the difference between what’s normal and what’s not, and when should you become concerned about your child’s flat feet?

Today’s contributor, Jack Maypole, MD, is the Director of Pediatrics at the South End Community Health Center and will help put all your worries to rest with his vast knowledge on children…and their flat feet.

“Newborn feet are extremely flexible, made of softer bones, and looser ligaments with a pad of fat across their bottom. These qualities allow infants to tuck snugly inside the womb. They appear flatfooted and have no discernible arch. This continues into toddlerhood, when the bow-legged stance and stretchy ligaments make for flattened soles of those little feet.

The arch of the foot does not express itself until well after child begins to bear weight, most often between 2 and 4 years old. Growth, changing posture and anatomy, maturing muscle and gravity tone, sculpt, and shape the tarsal bones and connective tissues that bridge the midfoot. When it all occurs sweetly, they make an arch.

In the late 1950s, a  researcher illustrated this idea by studying the footprints of children. He found 90% of two year-olds had flat feet, but that by the time children were 10, flat feet were seen in only 4% of the children. (More recent tallies put the prevalence of pes planus in kids around 10-15%)”

….Continue Reading Jack Maypole’s Article

Jack Maypole, MD is the director of Pediatrics at the South End Community Health Center and Director of the Comprehensive Care Program at Boston Medical Center. His interests include caring for children with chronic and complex illness, integrative medicine, medical education, advocacy for underserved populations, and getting his morning cup of coffee right.

As most of us know, walking is often cited as a safe and effective form of exercise.  However, the energy expenditure associated with walking is generally modest (unless, of course, you’re a professional speed walker). But, if you want to get a little more out of your morning trek, take a look at the new research study performed on Balance Walking!

Kennesaw State University recently performed (and is under peer review) a study on the physical benefits of Balance Walking compared to regular walking, such as:

* Significantly greater oxygen uptake
* Higher Heart Rate
* Greater RPE than regular walking (at all walking velocities)
* An increase in oxygen uptake and heart rate at all walking velocities when wearing Chung Shi

Read an excerpt from the Balance Walking research study:

“The US Department of Health and Human Services and the American College of Sports Medicine has recommended that most adults accumulate between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate physical activity every week, though current statistics compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that fewer than 50% of US adults are reaching that threshold, and further, over 24% perform no leisure-time physical activity. It may be that lack of physical activity explains part of the explosive growth in rates of overweight and obesity.”

Now get out there and try it! Balance Walking classes and information are available all across the country- just call our Balance Walking Director to get started- Happy Walking!

Most of us have experienced an unwelcome blister or two, sometimes bringing a fun activity to painful and abrupt halt.  The good news is, with a little knowledge on how blisters form, you can learn how to prevent blisters before they start!

First, what you need to know about blisters:

1. The epidermis protects your body from outside threats. When the epidermis is subjected to repeated contact friction or shear forces (shear is a tearing process in the skin caused by tissue layers moving in opposing directions), a blister typically results.

2. Ill-fitting socks and shoes are a primary cause of blisters is sports activities, and every day situations because they cause excess moisture on the feet.

3. 9 out of 10 Americans wear improperly fitted shoes.

By investing in well-constructed socks, you remove the possibility of excess moisture, preventing blisters from forming.  The combination of proper socks along with properly fitted shoes greatly reduces the risk of developing blisters for many people.

However, blisters can be a symptom of  more serious medical conditions. For example, Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a rare yet debilitating disease that causes blisters on the skin’s surface.
According to the Mayo Clinic, EB is a group of skin disorders where the skin blisters (most commonly on the hands and feet) in response to friction, heat, rubbing or scratching.  Most types of EB affect infants and young children, some infants are born with blisters, and some people don’t develop signs and symptoms until adolescence or early adulthood.

What Causes Epidermolysis Bullosa?
In most cases, EB is inherited.  Researchers have identified more than 10 genes involved with skin formation that, if defective, may cause a type of epidermolysis bullosa. Your skin comprises an outer layer (epidermis) and an underlying layer (dermis). The area where the layers meet is called the basement membrane zone. Where and when blisters develop depends on the type of EB.

While there is no cure for EB, some affected by the disease have found relief through Thorlo Socks- the specific design of the socks let the feet breathe while reducing friction and against the skin, reducing pain for some.

“I have a skin disease (E.B. for short) which causes very bad blisters on my feet.  There are various degrees of this skin disease.  There are several research centers across the US studying this disease to find out what causes it and what helps control….The closest one to me, UNC Chapel Hill, recommended [Thorlos] socks and they are a God-send!  Before the socks, if I went to an amusement park for the day I would come home with 20 blisters on each foot (I am not exaggerating at all)  This past year I was able to run a 5K and only get one or two….which is a miracle. ” C.K.

Want to learn more about EB? Visit  www.debRA.com (Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association)

Now go take care of your feet and prevent blisters before they start!

(disclaimer: Foot Solutions does sell Thorlo products, but we are not compensated in any way for the mention of any product on our blog)

Women…we love our high heels, pain or no pain. Stilettos and other wonderfully beautiful high heels can cause major (and sometimes long-term) damage to your feet, possibly keeping you from wearing heels ever again. So let’s put a stop to it before it starts!

I just read a wonderful article from MyGloss.com every woman should familiarize herself with: How To Curb High Heel Pain. Author Aly Walansky gives great tips any fashionista will love. My favorite tip from the article? Invest in good heels… yep- shoe shop ’til your heart (or feet) are content!

No more excuses, ladies- get out there and find heels that are good for your feet! They do exist (visit one of our stores to see) and your feet will thank you by staying healthy.

We want to hear from you… what’s your secret for curbing high heel pain?

Learning body language can be helpful in everyday life (I’ve heard much of communication is non-verbal).  But don’t stop at facial expressions and hand gestures… a person’s feet can be a great insight at what’s going on upstairs!

Carol Kinsey Goman explains more in her article on Forbes.com

“If you see a lot of high-energy foot jiggling, or notice a slight bounce in the shoulders that results from such movement, you can almost always assume that the person is feeling pretty good about his bargaining position.” Carol also says feet say a lot about Self-Confidence- if you stand with your feet close together, you appear timid or hesitant. Who knew?!

And how about this? “If your seated opponent rocks back on his heels and raises his toes, he probably thinks he has the upper hand” (unless they’re wearing Chung Shi!)

Read Carol’s entire article here- what do your feet say about you?

We’re excited… there’s big news!!  Chung Shi Rocker Bottom Shoes have been registered with the FDA as a Class I Medical Device. Very cool, but what does this mean?

Simply that Chung Shi is registered as a corrective shoe that supports the alignment of the body structure for function improvement. If you haven’t felt the Chung Shi experience, or have never even heard of them, learn all about them here or by visiting your nearest Foot Solutions!

The Peachtree Road Race is almost here and it’s an exciting time as over 55,000 runners, walkers and joggers prepare for the country’s largest 10k race! The Peachtree Road Race is an event we love every year, especially because our world headquarters is located in Atlanta- but this year w e are uber-excited this year as we’re sponsoring one incredibly motivated mom as she aims to win this year’s Women’s Masters Title.

Stephanie Herbst-Lucke, 44 year old mother of three left her NCAA records behind to pursue an MBA, an illustrious career in marketing- with some of the nation’s largest companies, including AT&T and IBM- and to raise a family of five. But she’s still running… running her own company, Marketing Introductions; running her household, in Atlanta, GA; and running- usually in the lead- in US Championships and in many of the world’s premier distance races.

Cheer on Stephanie this weekend at the Peachtree Road Race and learn more about the Get Out Get Active program- tips on healthy habits, injury prevention, motivation and advice straight from Stephanie to keep even the busiest women motivated, active and healthy!

The summer season is in full swing, which means play time for kids everywhere. But along with summertime fun often comes foot and heel pain in children- and it is more prevalent now than ever.

The most common cause of heel pain in children is Sever’s disease - an inflammation of the growth center at the back of the heel:

Treating heel pain in children

Treatment is geared towards:
1. mechanically sound shoes
2. Achilles tendon stretching (see stretches below)
3. arch supports

Most sports shoes with cleats have very little arch support and need to be supplemented. Ice applied topically after activity and occasional over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication (as long as there is no contraindication) can also be considered. In some cases custom orthotics are needed and in the most severe cases, cast immobilization to rest the heel is employed.

Children will outgrow the condition as the growth center fuses to the main body of the heel bone (calcaneus). If symptoms do not respond to stretching, ice, changing of shoes, and arch supports, see your local foot professional.

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Dr. Richard Bellacosa, DPM is a podiatrist with San Antonio Podiatry Associates, P.C. and is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association. Dr. Bellacosa is also an associate professor with the Podiatry Service of the Department of Orthopedics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.