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.

Our feet are fascinating, yet complicated. Exactly how complicated?  For starters, there are 100 muscles, 26 bones, 33 joints, 3 different arches in each foot and with each step you take, 3x your body weight is forced on your feet!

That’s why treating your feet to a foot analysis can do wonders to your feet- and if you’ve ever experienced plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, ball of foot pain (or any type of foot pain), you’ll understand why its important to take care of your feet! So, What is a Foot Analysis, anyways?

There’s much more to it than taking a glance at your bare feet, which is why About.com guide Wendy Bumgardner dedicated an entire article to this area. Read Wendy’s article- What is a Foot Analysis?

Premier parties of Sex And the City 2 have women everywhere dressing up in their best sky-high heels and gearing up for round two of Miranda, Carrie, Charlotte and Samantha.   In the movie, rarely will you ever see a frown or moment of discomfort associated with wearing those lovely high heels…but in reality, pain is a part of the high heel shoe game.  Read more on what the fuss is all about in the Atlanta Shoe Shopping Examiner’s latest article!

So go, have fun with the girls at Sex and the City 2 and wear your stilettos if you want! But make sure to save your ticket stub and bring it in to Foot Solutions!! Show your ticket stub to any of our stores for complementary extra-special foot treatment including:

* 3-dimensional foot analysis with state-of-the-art technology
* gait analysis (the movement of your feet and ankles when you walk)
* pressure mapping scan of your feet (to see the areas of high pressure when standing)
* shoe analysis (bring in your shoes and we’ll take a look at them!)
* foot-measurement (believe it or not, 90% of the population wears the wrong size shoe!)

Find a Foot Solutions Location near you, and strut your way into our store for happy, sexy feet!

Extreme High Heels… Would You Wear Them? A recent article from AOL Health features the top trends in fashion footwear- everything from ’sticky sandals’ to ‘high-heel sneakers’…seriously. But before jumping on the fashion bandwagon, there are a few things you should know about wearing high heels-explained by Dr. William Faddock, DPM, C.Ped, BOC.Ped:

“The foot is placed in a position where the wearer is walking tip toed with all her weight on the metatarsal heads. This not only damages this area but also causes damage to the metatarsal joints. This miss-alignment of the entire bony structure can cause pain and joint damage to all of the joints of the feet but also to the ankles, knees, hips, low back, shoulders, neck and even cause TMJ problems.

In general, high heeled shoes should be worn with extreme caution. The instability of the shoe due to the pitching of the bodies center of gravity forward makes the shoe not only dangerous from that point of view but other considerations must be addressed.”

If you do wear high heels, just try to limit the amount of time spent in them and try to wear them at an event where you can sit most of the time. Your foot can take shape of its environment, so try to avoid the pointy-toed and restricting high heels!

How often do you slip on a pair of flip flops before heading outside? You may have  never thought twice about what you put on your feet, but its time to give your feet the TLC they deserve by following these must-know foot care tips!

Q: Are there any special precautions that I need to take concerning my feet in the summer?
Absolutely. Warmer weather means freeing our feet from confining shoes. However, there are many dangers to going barefoot or wearing a flimsy flip flop-feet must be protected at all times- even in the summer.  Danger comes from many directions:

- Sharp objects
- Hot surfaces
- Insect bites and stings
- Infections and bacteria from tiny abrasions
- Bacterial, fungal and allergic reactions to plants or other substances

Q: If all those things can happen what should I do to protect my feet?
A well fitted sandal is your best line of defense from these problems.  Your feet can enjoy the warm summer air while still being protected from injury. A well fitted sandal offers the support your foot needs, especially if you have had problems with your feet.
- Look for a sandal with extra depth (so you can easily wear your custom orthotic in them) or a stylish sandal with a built in orthotic.

- Look for sandals that provide more protection for your skin especially when walking in the city, at ballparks or other areas of high traffic.

Q: You mention flip flops- why are they a bad thing to wear?
The construction of many flip flops is flimsy and very unstable. Wearers can easily stumble or trip in them. The thong between the big toe and the second toe can lead to irritation, blistering and even infection, ruining summer time fun. They have no support and are unsuited for anyone with health problems such as diabetes or circulation problems.

Q: I play a lot of sports in the summer what do I need to know about my foot health?

Well, would you go for a run in soccer cleats? Anyone playing any sport needs the proper shoe for the particular sport in which they are involved- and the shoe must be well fitted. Runners, joggers and walkers need the type of shoe designed for their specific activity. You shouldn’t wear a walking shoe to run in or a running shoe to play tennis. The wrong shoe means there is a potential for injury. The feet also need the proper sock, one that cushions the heel and forefoot area and wicks away perspiration, helping to prevent both shock and shearing forces. This combination of a proper fitted shoe and the well designed sock will help to prevent injury, blisters and burning, tired feet.   The use of the custom orthotic can be a great asset in the prevention of strains, sprains and serious injury.

Over 18,000 people turned out for Atlanta’s 20th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure this past weekend! We were proud to walk with our Susan G. Komen Pink Poles, and enjoyed meeting many passionate walkers and runners impacted by breast cancer. Watch the event on video and come out next year!

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