Think you have bad luck? Try having a car drive completely through your store- TWICE in one month.  It really happened. Earlier this month, a car jumped the curb in front of the Foot Solutions of Alexandria, VA and hit the front of the store. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Then again just last week, a 1999 Toyota Camry hit the store, this time driving completely into the store- thankfully (again) no one was injured.

Nothing stops our customers from finding relief from their foot pain…but next time, give us a call and we’d be happy to arrange a, well,  safer meeting.

News Channel 8 in Washington, DC explains the full story on video:

Balance Walking is quickly catching on around the country- haven’t you seen it on Modern Family?? (Watch Phil’s mad Balance Walking skills at the 1:35 mark in the video).

In fact, Phil is right- you really can get in great shape by Balance Walking, but you have to do it properly! Its a great activity and fun to do as a group activity. With the Balance Walking poles, you burn up to 46% more calories, you work 90% of the muscles in your body, and can do it all in just 15 minutes a day…watch the video tutorial below to learn the technique of Balance Walking!

Metatarsal Pain, Metatarsalgia, pain in the ball of the foot- However you say it, its still painful!

Hans Christian Johannsen, Certified Pedorthist and Manager of Foot Solutions of Vancouver, BC stars in this video and explains just what you can do to help relieve that nagging pain in the ball of the foot.

We asked that same question to Dr. Gary Saff, M.D.- founder of Integrated Pain Solutions of South Florida.  Many thanks to Dr. Saff for answering this question we hear so often- if you have a question about today’s topic, leave it in the comment box below.

“The inherent stability of a structure is dependent upon the soundness of its foundation”

This analogy applies to the foot and the entire skeletal structures it supports. The foot is a complex unit composed of 26 bones that bears your entire body weight  on standing and transports the human body over all kinds of terrain. The 26 bones are divided into 3 functional segments:

1. The posterior segment- lies directly under the tibia and contains the ankle bone (talus) and the calcaneus (heel).

2. The middle segment- contains the  tarsal  bones (the 3 cuneiforms, the navicular and cuboid). This anterior segment consists of the 5 metatarsal and 14 phalangeal bones (see picture to the right).

3. The  arch of the foot- provides an elastic springy connection so that the stress of weight bearing is dissipated before it reaches the long bones of the leg and thigh.  (It also improves locomotion  by adding speed and agility to the gait).

Excluding  the  obvious foot abnormalities present at birth, the basic underlying  cause of a weak or pronated foot is a structural instability found in  so-called ‘normal’ feet. There is a natural tendency  of the heel to tilt outward into a valgus posture (this valgus posture  of the heel initiates pronation) .

Pronation, therefore, to a limited degree is natural and normal. When this pronation  becomes more exaggerated and extends into the toe-off phase of gait, it becomes abnormal and creates  symptoms and instability of the entire skeletal structure.

Appropriate footwear, at the base of the complex skeletal relationship, is critical in maintaining alignment and minimizing the presence and worsening of lumbar spine pathology.

-Gary Saff, M.D.

….You can also connect with Dr. Saff’s office on Facebook and Twitter

Renee Mclaughlin, Certified T-Tapp trainer and Health Coach has, for years, implemented balance in her daily life- balancing nutrition, balancing activity, balancing life and work. Recently, Terry Kennedy, Director of the Worldwide Balance Walking Program, introduced Renee to the Balance Walking Concept and she was instantly intrigued… well, I’ll let her tell you the rest of the story! Read more about Renee’s Balance Walking experience here… and if you’re in the Atlanta area, grab some poles and give Renee a call!

As you know, many of our Foot Solutions retail locations have become official ‘drop off sites’ for Soles4Souls- over 100 of our stores have signed up and the number keeps growing!  Our experience with Soles4Souls has been….well, simply amazing.  Every time we call with questions (and we call often), we’re greeted with an enthusiastic voice excited to help.  To say thanks, we put together a short video of our journey with Soles4Souls- hope you enjoy it and find a few pairs of shoes in your own closet that you can give to someone who needs them.

If you need an excuse to stay in shape, try running in the ‘Marathon Bahamas’ each year! It looks so beautiful, I may have just convinced myself to sign up (side note-I’m a very casual 5k jogger…. on a good day)

One lucky lady actually lives there- Bernadette Gibson, Board Certified Pedorthist and owner of Foot Solutions in Nassau looks forward to the race each year, but has great concerns for the feet of all those racers.

“My greatest concern is how ready are the feet of the participants? Choosing the right shoe and support, regardless of whether you are running or walking in a marathon, depends on a lot of factors.”

Bernadette sees a lot of feet, but put together this checklist that runners or walkers should consider before hitting the pavement…or sand

The Best Shoes:
The best shoes depend on whether you are running or walking the marathon. For example, if you are walking the marathon, you should purchase a ‘walker-sneaker’ because the pressures on the foot would be very different than if your were running. Similarly, if you are running the marathon, you would select a running shoe. Marathon shoes are built extra strong, durable, sturdy and highly responsive to the terrain you are running on.  All of these attributes help with speed.

Finding the right shoe for your biomechanical needs:
There are many shoes built for marathon running nowadays. However, when addressing your biomechanical needs it is important that you know your feet type. There are three types of feet, namely flat feet, high-arched, and normal or medium-arched. All three types require different biomechanical support and control. The flat feet usually pronate, while the high-arched feet tend to supinate and the normal feet call for a neutral support. If you can’t answer this question about your feet type, seek the help of a specialty footwear store where the expertise is available to properly assess your feet.

Protection against blisters and other skin related problem of the feet:
The use of a well made socks that are padded in the forefoot and the heel area is also very important to the health and function of the foot. Such socks add protection to the feet against blisters and numbness. Another added benefit that these socks provide is wicking away of moisture, so there is absolutely no need to wear two pairs of socks. They also have cool max to control temperature.

Many sports-related injuries occur as a result of extrinsic factors such as footwear and surfaces.  Sprains, heel pain, interdigital neuroma, runners’ knee and stress fractures of the foot are common results that runners and walkers suffer in relation to these factors.

What protection can be considered to avoid injuries?
Custom orthortics/inserts are specially made supportive devices that fit into your shoe and support your feet. When properly fitted in your shoes, the insert acts as an interface between the foot, the shoe and the ground. A custom made orthortic/insert is the ultimate solution to proper accommodation to support your feet.  Not only do they help protect your feet from pain and deformity, they give you the edge in power and endurance!

The combination of the right shoes, inserts to protect your arches against stress, strain and excess pressures with the correct socks to provide protection against blister and numbness will give you the edge for the challenge ahead!

Are rocker sole shoes the greatest footwear ever invented or are consumers getting set up for the 2010 version of the popular 1970’s Earth shoe?

Joe Dyament, Certified Pedorthist and Owner of Foot Solutions in St. Clair Shores, Michigan gives a rundown on the history, benefits and other must-know tips before purchasing your rocker sole shoes.

Background
Rocker shoes have been around for a long, long time. As pedorthists, we use a variety of rocker soles to help people with foot problems Rocker soles can be:
* a negative heel to help unload the forefoot (like an Earth shoe)
* a double rocker to help relieve mid-foot arthritis
* a heel-to-toe rocker to help replace lost motion at the ankle (MBT) or hybrid like a negative heel/forefoot (Chung Shi) that uniquely accomplishes results for a variety of foot pathologies.

Below are three brands of rocker sole shoes (L to R): MBT, Chung Shi, and the newly introduced Skechers Shape up- but Joe warns consumers that despite what advertisers may tell you, rocker sole shoes cannot be worn by everyone.

Since the shoes mimic the experience of walking on soft, natural terrain, pressure is reduced on your back, knees and hips- but before investing in a pair of rocker sole shoes, Joe advises consumers to do their research and follow a few guidelines:

* Stability: If you have balance issues, a leg length discrepancy of ” or more or experience vertigo, it’s best to consider other options.

* Excessive Pronation: If your ankles and feet roll in a lot and you’re not wearing good orthotics you’re asking for BIG trouble. This will cause more stress on your feet, knees and hips and could complicate physiological issues.

* Heavy Lifting: If you lift heavy objects on a regular basis you need more stability not instability. The natural instability of rocker sole shoes will make work more difficult and increase your chance of injury.

* Workout shoes: These are NOT workout shoes! Rocker shoes are made to help you walk in a straight line. Any side-to-side movement should be avoided. Do not wear them for aerobics, running or weight training, for example.

Learn more about rocker sole shoes (and more) by reading Joe Dyament’s Blog.

Socks…We’ve all worn them, and we’ve all got our favorite pair.  But few of us think twice before pulling on our socks in the morning- heck, its an accomplishment if we can get them to match.  So why are companies heavily investing in the research of a product we don’t really think about? Does it matter what kind of socks we wear on our feet? Absolutely.

Your feet suffer from an overwhelmingly amount of wear and tear throughout the day- and by age 40, many people with healthy feet lose up to 50% of their fat pads.  Improperly fitted shoes, hard surfaces and poor support only quicken that process…unfortunately, once those fat pads are gone, they’re gone.

What causes the fat pads in our feet to become thin?

-Situations where the soft tissue and/or skeletal structure may be compromised due to systemic disorders (diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)

-Situations where tissue degradation may already have taken place (fat pad displacement)

-Performance situations where the feet are subjected to stresses by a sport or activity.

-The inherent issue of a dynamic foot inside a static shoe.  When you walk or run, your foot moves and changes in significant ways.  It flattens, changes plane, lengthens, and changes from weight bearing receptor to a lever that pushes us forward, and repeats that process thousands of times each day.  Because shoes have firm boundaries that limit the movement of the feet, the natural range of motion of the foot is limited.  Even the best shoes in the world have this limitation.

Couple that with the fact that most people wear shoes that are too small, and you have an ideal recipe for foot pain and problems.

The right engineered padded sock helps cushion your foot to give you that extra padding needed to protect your feet…..  Properly fitted with a well-made pair of shoes and inserts or orthotics as necessary, the sock allows the feet to be fitted with shoes that are large enough to allow a fuller, healthier range of motion of the feet, at the same time preventing skin damage from the movement of the feet inside the shoe.  This leads to fewer foot problems, stronger foot muscles, and an overall better state of foot health!

For all of us businesswomen suffering through the pain of high heels- there’s a must read article in PINK Magazine’s Lifestyle section on how one woman deals with the pain of her ‘killer stilettos’.  Lisa Earle McLeod is a self-named 5-foot-4 slightly frumpy mother that sacrifices pain for beauty with her 3-inch purple python power pumps.

Unfortunately for us, looking good comes at the price of pain.

“Vanity, vanity. We may have come a long way, baby, but for many of us fashionistas, high heels are the new corsets. What our grandmothers’ generation did to their innards, we’re doing to our feet – pushing and squeezing them into a shape nature never intended so we can look more feminine and sexy….read Lisa’s entire article on PINK Magazine’s website

Too good not to share! Lisa’s 5 Tips for Avoiding The Stiletto Syndrome

1. DON’T OVERINDULGE. If you insist on going over 3 inches, don’t wear them for more than a few hours at a time or more than a few days in a row.

2. CREATE A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. Podiatrist Jaquelina Sutera recommends a stable heel that holds your own heel firmly in place and, if possible, an ankle strap.

3. SOFTEN THE SLAM. Padded shoe inserts like Dr. Scholl’s Sole Expressions reduce the pressure on the ball of your foot and your heel, thereby reducing strain.

4. PREVENT HANGOVERS. After a day in heels, you should stretch out your Achilles tendon. Five quick minutes of stretching will keep it from tightening over time.

5. SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP. Most women don’t see a podiatrist until they’re already in pain. If you’re a frequent heel user, have a professional monitor your condition.