Isn’t that what a Podiatrists Do?
Are you one of the many people who have foot complaints, as well as knee, hip, low back or other spinal aches and pains? Often, along with ball of foot pain (metatarsalgia), or arch/heel pain (plantar fasciitis), you have knee pain (Jumpers knee, Runners knee, Osgood-Schlater’s etc), hip pain(Iliotibial Band Syndrome – ITBS, gluteal medius syndrome, etc), sacroiliac or low back pain, with sciatica, scoliosis, and even upper back or neck pain. This is because of the imbalance created in the pelvis and spine from faulty foot mechanics. Once your feet are balanced with properly prescribed biomechanical orthotics, the foot / arch pain will resolve – along with the other symptoms in the body. This requires a working knowledge of how all of the weight bearing joints in the body function together, what it looks like when they are faulty, and how to fix them, with a combination of custom orthotics and treatment to RESOLVE the underlying problem, rather than simply treating the symptoms. As a Chiropractor, my combination of skills is uniquely suited to address these complex issues.
Orthotics that are true custom dynamic functional biomechanical devices, will have an influence on every weight bearing joint in the body when they are placed under a moving foot. Therefore, as a Chiropractor, when I put a custom orthotic under a patient, I understand and anticipate how the devices will affect not only the foot, but the entire kinetic chain. The kinetic chain is the linkage from the foot, through the ankle, knee, hip, pelvis and spine. A pair of properly prescribed, designed and manufactured orthotics will change the way that all of these joints function. This is why a Chiropractor is uniquely trained to appreciate this, and therefore can provide custom orthotics for a wide variety of complaints from ball of foot pain to neck pain, and everything in between.
As such, every patient who receives custom orthotics, needs to be monitored to attend to the effects up the kinetic chain that can occur during adaptation to the orthotics. Once the orthotics are dispensed and fitted to the footwear, the patient requires a short course of follow up Chiropractic care to help the body to adapt to a new and better biomechanical environment. After just a few weeks of decreasing frequency of care, your body finds balance and healing. Once your body is stable in the orthotics, the need for ongoing physio, chiro, osteo, massage, acupuncture care diminishes dramatically, or is simply no longer needed, as your body heals and then remains strong, flexible, balanced and stable.
Orthotics, typically provided by a podiatrist, are limited to controlling the foot while standing. This is why they assess you when either lying still on the bench, while the foot is plastered to make a mold, or by pressing the foot into a foam box to make an impression. These are both good methods for obtaining a 3D image of the foot, but does not give any indication about how the foot moves while standing or walking, which is when and how you need it to function. Furthermore, podiatrists are not trained in the anatomy, physiology, biomechanics or other aspects of the functional movements of the other joints of the body outside of the foot/ankle – let alone how the biomechanics of the foot impact the rest of the kinetic chain. Therefore, if the “podiatric” orthotics eventually cause unexpected effects in the foot, or other joints, the podiatrist modifies the orthotics. Whereas, with Chiropractic Orthotics, the very precise digital data from the GaitScan pressure plate analysis, along with a clinical exam, that includes consideration of the biomechanics of the entire kinetic chain, the orthotics rarely require adjustments. Instead, we gently adjust the patient, and allow the body to adjust to the new biomechanical environment as it adapts to the orthotics.
So, if you have symptoms such as those listed above, I can help you to resolve these problems in 6-8 weeks. If you have had helpful treatment with a physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor, acupuncturist or massage therapist, only to find that the symptoms return once the treatment stops, I can help you resolve the problem. AND, even if you have had orthotics before from a podiatrist or other provider, and the either don’t work, or you can not wear them because they either don’t fit into your shoes, or are simply too uncomfortable to wear, I can help you. I can make custom orthotics for you that will be comfortable, work extremely well, and will fit into virtually almost any type of shoes.
Contact the clinic today to schedule an initial visit. 09 889 2880 Gait Doctor Albany.
Remember that when you do schedule your first appointment, you are not obligated to purchase orthotics. We are simply conducting a history and examination to determine if you are a candidate for Functional Orthotic Therapy. Mention that you found me on the internet to get a 15% discount on the first visit. ($153 rather than $180) By the end of this initial 90 minute visit it will be abundantly clear to both you and I whether or not you are a candidate for custom orthotics. If so, we go forward. If not, I will advise you as to whether you need to see a specialist, or other type of health care provider to attend to your problem.
I sincerely look forward to seeing you at the clinic to see if I can help.
Dr. Cherye Roche – The Gait Doctor