Your Foundation: Starts at your FEET

Your Foundation:   Starts at your FEET It's been established that your feet are your foundation. It's important your feet are structurally stable for optimally function of your body. The arch of your foot, when biomechanically correct, should provide full support when walking, running, and standing. The arch allows for shock absorption, to conform to variable terrain, and provides leverage as it propels the body forward onto the next step. If the arch of your foot is too great or less then optimal it creates a poor foundation, which leads to poor function of the foot and for the rest of your body. What causes someone to develop a poor foundation? First of all, the majority of us our arches flatten too much (flat feet) and do not re-stiffen enough for efficient propulsion from each step to step.   About four percent of us are with high, rigid arch structures, creating poor shock absorption and weight-bearing pressure concentrated in a few spots. There are a number of reasons why most of us have some degree of flat feet, but mostly it comes down to body weight, gravity and concrete. The first two are constantly flattening the foot down against the hard surfaces we live on. The ligaments that support the bones of the foot get stretched out and our arches drop. This leads to a poor foundation and leads to loss of optimally function at the feet and then goes up to the spine.                                      What kind of problems result from someone having a poor foundation? If you are like the majority of people with some degree of arch loss, either from birth or over time, there are some critical facts you need to know: Pain and deformities can arise in the feet such as bunions, plantar fasciitis, corns, and hammertoes, etc. are usually caused by the lack of enough arch in the foot when we are standing, walking, and running (weight-bearing activities).  Because foot function affects the entire chain of bones leading to the spine, pain, and dysfunction in the knee, hip and low back often result as well. In all, there are over thirty common diagnoses related to poor foot function. Can the problems be prevented or corrected with the use of Sole Supports? Yes,  If the problem is caught early enough, pain and deformity can often be prevented. Regular use of these unique orthotics can often reverse deformity development or at least, prevent surgery. How? Because when you restore normal function, you give your body what it needs to heal itself. A typical orthotic only masks your symptoms temporarily –until further deformity makes things worse. When you restore healthy foot function other treatment or therapies are more effective and last longer. What is an orthotic? An orthotic is a supportive device which is placed inside footwear, to change the mechanical function of the foot. Ideally, it should provide full, custom and corrected arch contact so that the foot works in a biomechanically correct way. To date, only Sole Supports manufactures full arch contract orthotics, calibrated to flex for your weight and foot type. The reason for this is simple: they are more difficult to make because they must actually change the way your foot works and need to be comfortable at the same time.  Other orthotics are either just cushions or have a one-size-fits-all, poor arch support that is not customized to your foot.  These orthotics may feel fine but, by failing to actually change foot posture and function, they will not prevent or alleviate the usual painful deformities or syndromes. Dr. Bryan has been certified in making custom orthotics, specifically  Sole Supports. If you feel that you may need orthotics or want to ask questions feel free to email Dr. Bryan or call. P: 717-263-6101 or drbryan@fifthavechiro.com If you like Fifth Avenue Chiropractic's BLOG and feel it is informative, feel free to pass along the link to friends and family members.  Dr. Gary Dockery story about Sole Supports! www.fifthavechiro.com www.chambersburg.bstrong4life.com

Fun Foot Facts: The foot is an intricate structure containing 26 bones. Thirty-three joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and tendons hold the structure together and allow it to move in a variety of ways.   The American Podiatric Medical Association says the average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Those cover several miles, and they all add up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime -- more than four times the circumference of the globe. While walking, each step can exert a pressure on your feet that exceeds your body weight and when you're running, it can be three or four times your weight -- which adds up to a cumulative force of over 500 tons a day. With certain sporting activities this force can go up to 7 times bodyweight. Three out of four Americans will experience foot health problems of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in their lives. Women have about four times as many foot problems as men; lifelong patterns of wearing high heels often are the culprit. Your feet mirror your general health. Such conditions as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet.  Foot ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems. About 19 percent of the US population has an average of 1.4 foot problems each year. Eighty percent of the population will suffer from back pain due to a problem starting in their feet. This can be caused by biomechanical imbalances, abnormal stresses or structural problems