The pandemic has changed life for many Canadians for over a year now. While the restrictions have been slowly loosening, people are still spending much more time at home than ever before. Previously, people went out to work, socialize, run errands, dine at restaurants and other personal interests. Nowadays, people are working from home, shopping online, ordering take-out and making zoom calls. This increased indoor home time has led to more time spent walking without shoes In addition, most of that walking is on a hard surface thanks to the modern hardwood floor trend. Walking on a hard surface with no protection or support for the foot can lead to many issues. Furthermore, those who wear orthotics are obviously not wearing them because they aren’t wearing their shoes.

Walking for prolonged periods on a hard surface can lead to many foot issues from calaneal apophysitis to plantar fasciitis. It can also cause knee and back problems. Our feet are designed to walk on uneven surfaces similar to what’s found int he wilderness. However, walking on a cold, hard surface is usually what we walk on instead. Shoes give us shock absorption, motion control and support but without them can lead to foot, knee and back pain.

So how do we prevent foot, knee and back pain when this pandemic doesn’t seem to be nearing an end? Buy a pair of indoor shoes and try to wear shoes as much as possible, not just slippers. The shoes should provide adequate support, rigid heel counter, stiff soul, lace-up mechanism and shock absorption. Also, wear your orthotic if you have one. The pain should subside in time as your body adjusts. 

If you have pain in your feet, knees or back, please contact us and make an appointment.

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It is often believed that back pain worsens during the colder months. Do you feel that your back pain gets worse during the Winter months? Many people believe that cold weather exasperates the pain from back issues. and we will discuss whether this is true.

Several studies have found correlations between cold weather pain. One study found that when comparing workers who worked in colder temperatures to workers who worked indoors, the workers working in colder temperatures reported more instances of back and neck pain.

Why Does Colder Weather Cause Back Pain?

During cold temperatures a process called vasoconstriction happens in the body. Vasoconstriction causes blood vessels to narrow in the extremities so that extra blood is diverted to the heart, lungs, brain and bowels to keep them warm. This process causes some of the muscles, tendons and ligaments to stiffen due to receiving less blood.  Back pain is mostly caused by strains and injuries to the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support it rather than injury to the spine itself. Therefore, when the muscles, tendons and ligaments are stiff, there is additional strain put on the spine and sensitive nerve roots thereby causing pain.

The darker, colder Winter months also increase the occurrence of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Research has also shown that people with SAD also have aggravated back pain during the colder months.

How to  Avoid Back Pain During the Colder Months

If you want to avoid or reduce back pain during the colder months try to keep yourself warm at all times, indoors and outdoors. When outdoors, wear extra layers and keep your back and neck covered by wearing a scarf and tucking in your shirt. At home, be sure to keep the heat turned up and even invest in an electric blanket if need be. Finally, exercise is a great way to ward off back pain and seasonal depression. Make sure to stay active during the Winter months with activities such as swimming, walking or indoor aerobic activity.

If you have back pain come and see us in our office and we can help you. Make an appointment here!

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Custom orthotics are personalized to fit your foot and can help rid or alleviate various foot symptoms relating to numerous medical conditions. Custom orthotics are more than just a foot or heel pad you buy at the sports or drug store which are mass produced with no personalization. Custom orthotics are also made of durable materials so they will last much longer than over the counter products. So, how can custom orthotics help me?

Custom orthotics can reduce or eliminate the pain and discomfort related to various medical conditions such as :

Bunions – orthotics with a wide toe box can help to reduce pressure and minimize bunions

Bursitis-inflammation of fluid-filled sacs in the heels and toes can cause bursitis pain and discomfort. Orthotics with heel and arch support can help to reduce bursitis discomfort from inflammation of fluid filled sacs in the toes and heels.

Flat Feet– Custom orthotics can help to provide proper support and foot positioning for those with flat feet.

Back Pain– proper support and alignment using custom orthotics can lessen back pain caused by inward rolling arches and lack of cushioning.

Arthritis-proper support and positioning of the feet using custom orthotics can help reduce discomfort caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Diabetes-custom orthotics can reduce the excess stress and pressure on the feet that can lead to foot ulcers in diabetics

Heel Spurs-custom orthotics can help to support the foot and reduce inflammation caused by excess bone growing on the back or bottom of the heel.

High Arches-custom orthotics can help feet stay stable and keep them from rolling inward or outwards due to high arches.

Plantar Fasciitis-supporting the heel and foot with custom orthotics can help alleviate the heel pain related to Plantar Fascilitis.

Doctors may also prescribe custom orthotics for people who have positional concerns with their feet or legs. This can include those with underdeveloped leg and foot muscles. Custom orthotics may also be recommended for athletes to prevent injuries. If you think you need custom orthotics, contact us to get measured.

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This is a question I often get asked by patients and my answer is YES, custom orthotics do work for lower back pain. They can work on their own, but in my experience as a chiropractor, I often combine chiropractic treatment with custom orthotics for my patients with lower back pain. Frequently, custom orthotics will at the very minimum decrease the lower back pain and very often completely eliminate it. The effect is gradual but most patients report much diminished, or eliminated, back pain after a few months of custom orthotic wear. If you experience lower back pain after standing or walking for extended periods of time, custom orthotics will most likely work for you.

Most lower back pain patients come to me after already exhausting other strategies suggested to them from other health professionals. Many of these strategies are usually directed at the back which could include exercise, core strengthening, ice and heat, pain medications and more. Once many of these are tested with no results patients start searching for alternative treatments and many are surprised to start looking at the foot for solutions to back pain.

So, why do custom orthotics work for lower back pain when you are wearing them on your feet? Well, the musculoskeletal system is a connected entity starting from the feet to the neck so naturally all its parts will affect one another similar to chain links. This phenomenon is known as the Closed Chain of Links. The feet are the foundation of this chain and is the point where the rest of the body can align and stabilize itself. Subsequently, if support is lacking in the feet other parts of the body could endure additional stress leading to pain.

Imbalances in the feet, ankles and knees can also lead to an abnormal gait. These lower extremity imbalances contribute to pain in other parts of the body including the lower back. The best treatment to correct abnormal gaits is a combination of chiropractic adjustments and custom orthotics. The chiropractic adjustments will correct any alignment issues in the spine and the custom orthotics will help retain it by properly supporting the feet.

Custom orthotics will correct any foot imbalances for improved weight distribution. Once foot imbalances are addressed the lower extremities will be returned to their proper alignment. With the lower extremities aligned the pelvis can then return to it’s balanced location. Once the foundations for the spine are restored pain caused by poor body mechanics is eliminated. If you have back pain and would like to be fitted for custom orthotics, please contact us.

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Custom orthotics can be pricey ranging from $400-$600 in costs but very often they are covered by medical insurance policies. It’s best to check with your coverage provider. The cost covers your visit to a professional Pedorthist where they will examine your lifestyle, body composition, body time, health issues, foot issues and gait. The cost also includes the creation of a custom cast or mold of your foot which is used to create your custom orthotic. Custom orthotics are made of a more durable material than the generic orthotic inserts found in drug stores. They will last much longer and are custom fitted to your body!

Because they are custom fitted to your body they will ensure your bones in your feet, ankles, and knees stay in the proper position. The specially designed angles can help alleviate stress on the ligaments of overweight people as well as reducing the pain caused by diabetes, arthritis and previous injuries. Custom orthotics also enhance mobility and performance while playing sports. Lastly, muscle fatigue is minimized because custom orthotics support connective tissues.

Custom orthotics can last up to anywhere from 2 to 5 years. When they need to be replaced will depend on the materials used to construct the custom orthotic, how they are cared for, your activity level and weight. Also, if you body or health changes you may need to be fitted for a new pair to answer your most current health conditions. Be sure to check annually with your pedorthist to see if your feet or alignment has changed

If you have any of the following you can benefit from custom orthotics: diabetes, foot pain, knee or back pain, obesity and arthritis. Also, if you work on your feet, are an athlete seeking to improve performance or just would like to take preventative health measures. Contact us for more to get fitted for your custom orthotics

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Custom orthotics have many benefits to the wearer. Some of the benefits of wearing custom orthotics are:

Custom Orthotics Provide Pain Relief

Custom orthotics can help those who suffer not only from foot pain but also from back pain, pain in their hips or knees, arthritis-related pain and those with a diabetic foot. Orthotics are typically designed to ensure that the bones, ligaments and tendons in your feet and lower legs are aligned and positioned properly. This helps to ease pain and stress on the feet, and can improve the functioning of the muscles over time.

Custom Orthotics Improve Sports Performance

People who are active in sports may find that a custom orthotic may help them to increase endurance, strength and performance abilities by keeping the foot in its most efficient alignment, allowing the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments to work at 100% efficiency. This would also prevent injuries as well.

Custom Orthotics Make Standing Jobs More Comfortable

You might also consider foot orthotics if you simply have a job that requires you to be on your feet all day. Constant pressure on your feet and consistent tasks performed while standing on hard, uncomfortable surfaces can leave you with recurring pain

Custom Orthotics Relieve Stress of Additional Weight

Being overweight or heavy places extreme force on your feet. This can lead to pain in the
heels, arches, ball of feet, ankles and knees. In addition, the force placed on the feet when carrying excess weight can cause long-term foot and ankle damage, including arthritis.Orthotics can counteract the high forces that damage the feet and ankles helping to relieve pain and prevent long-term damage.

Custom Orthotics Protect the Diabetic Foot

Diabetes frequently results in neuropathy (nerve damage) in the feet which can lead to sensation loss which can leave a patient unable to feel pain, heat or cold. As such, diabetics need to wear foot devices that protect their feet at pressure points where the skin can break down and allow bacteria to enter the body. By wearing custom orthotics, a diabetic has adequate motion control in high friction areas of the foot where the skin tends to break down and ulcerate, Orthotics for diabetics can also provide support and shock absorption to lower the overall risk of developing Charcot foot.

Custom Orthotics Relieve Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is a destructive condition which affects the body’s joints. When it strikes certain joints in the body, a variety of painful conditions can arise. In many cases, foot orthoses can be employed to help patients retain and enhance mobility. Up to 85 percent of people with Rheumatoid arthritis will experience painful feet or ankles at sometime during their life with this disease. One way to minimize problems, and pain, caused by arthritis in the feet or ankles is to correct misalignments and poor biomechanics in the feet with custom orthotics. Custom orthotics work by redistributing weight and relieving pressure on the areas of your feet that hurt. They can also help correct your gait

If you think your quality of life could be improved with custom orthotics, please contact us to make an appointment.

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Orthotics, also called orthoses, are devices that are worn in shoes to correct foot and ankle problems without surgery. Orthotics can be very helpful for a variety of foot ailments, including flat arches and foot and leg pain. They can also cushion your feet and provide comfort.

It is believed that only 10% of the population have what experts call “normal” or “neutral” feet. This means that 90% of the population could benefit in using orthotics. Orthotics help to maintain the foot’s shape as they support the body’s weight. This is accomplished by providing adequate foot arch support and balancing the imperfections in the patient’s legs.

Feet support the entire skeleton, so if they are unbalanced, the entire body will be misaligned. Furthermore, when these imperfections are not corrected, they can lead to abnormalities in the lower limbs, pelvic and lower back, especially if the patient makes repetitive strains or overuses these zones (like runners or athletes).

But, how do you know whether or not you really need to use orthotics? Try answering the following:

Analyze the Pattern of Wear on Your Shoes

The pattern in which your shoes wear out can offer clues about your stride. If one side shows more wear than the other, you are exerting more pressure on this side of the foot. You are either pronating (rolling the foot inward) or supinating (rolling the foot outward, so the ankles turn out) your feet. If one shoe wears out quicker than the other you may have a leg longer than the other.

Test Your Arches

Try this simple test to determine what kind of arches you have. Stand up in bare feet and then transfer your weight all to one leg. If that foot maintains the arch you do not have any structure problems of pronation or supination. If you have no arch and the foot is flat, you have pronation on that foot. Alternatively, if the arch becomes bigger or more prominent, you have supination on that foot. Supinators and pronators can both benefit from orthotics.

Another test you can do is called the Wet Test. Simply step onto a piece of paper with a wet foot and then view the silhouette of your foot. If you do not have a C curve this could mean you pronate and if your C curve is pronounced you could supinate.

Sore Feet and Heel Pain

This one may seem obvious, but so many people suffer from sore feet but yet don’t do anything to remedy it. In most cases, sore feet are caused by uncomfortable shoes that do not fit the foot properly. High heels and pointed toes shoes are especially bad. Repeated exposure can lead to permanent damage to the feet structures. Heel pain is not normal and can be signs of a foot condition such as Plantar fasciitis that should be medically treated.

Prior Injuries in Lower Limbs

If you have experienced a lower limb injury it is important you align your gait or otherwise you may have issues aligning the rest of your joints.

If you are presenting any of these signs we recommend visiting us for an evaluation of how we can best treat your situation.

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Injuries sustained by individuals while playing high intensity sports or participating in demanding physical activities, such as a marathons, are usually more serious in nature compared to someone who just hurts themselves at home. More people increasingly participating in physical activities to better their health but at the same time they are also subjecting themselves to injuries. Many people live with with pain from injuries sustained while playing sports or other physical activities because they don’t want to give up the activity.

So how do we reduce our risk for injury? We all have been exposed to various techniques such as warming up, stretching, wearing protective equipment or not performing dangerous moves. But what many people don’t know is that footwear plays a large role in the occurrence of injuries Many people unknowingly wear the wrong footwear for their foot type or activity. If you are participating in an activity with fast, vigorous movements the type of footwear you wear is a very important decision. Contact us and we will be able to help you determine what shoe best fits you.

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Can back or knee pain be caused by issues in your feet? The answer is absolutely! But how do you determine when foot issues are the cause of back or knee pain. Well, that answer isn’t as simple. Although, most causes of pain stem from the body part in pain (ie back pain is usually related to muscles in the back or an alignment issue in the back). Some complex causes of back pain or knee pain can be a result of abnormal biomechanics in the feet.

Do you answer YES to these questions it may be time to check your feet to see if they are causing your back and knee pain.

Have had knee pain or back pain for over 6 months or even years?
Have you had treatment for the issue without any relief or does the treatment only help for a short period of time but the pain eventually returns?

The feet are the structural support for the entire body. How many hours do you spend on your feet? I’m guessing a lot! The way you walk maybe causing stress to specific joints ie the knees or backs, leading to back pain or knee pain. Correcting the underlying issue with orthotics and supporting the proper alignment in the foot can often result in relief of issues up the kinetic chain. What is the kinetic chain? This is referring to the link between your feet, ankle, knees, back and neck. The chain begins at your feet and goes all the way up, and the other joints are links in the chain. If there is a kink in the chain beginning at the feet it can cause issues or problem up the link or into other joints. Therefore any one who has chronic issues in their back or knees without a specific injury should have their feet examined. Contact us to make an appointment.

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