The clanging of cowbells, the cheers of supporters, the slapping of rubber against pavement as one by one runners crossed the finish line, exhausted but exhilarated, triumphant and often emotional — these are just a few of the sights and sounds from this weekend’s Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon. The mercury surged to 80 and the sun was unrelenting, but the air hummed with excitement. Click on the images below to enjoy the short videos.
Month: April 2015
Think back pain only affects the middle aged and up? Think again. The British Chiropractic Association (BCA) found almost half of 16-24 year olds are living with neck/back pain. This is a worrisome trend, one that is linked to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, much of it work related. What can we do to combat it?
For folks of any age…
- Sit up straight while working, web surfing, reading, gaming;
- Adjust your screen to healthy position;
- Take breaks from sitting every 20-30 minutes.
Consider custom-made orthotics for help with back and neck pain; the research shows they’re effective. For workers who stand for long periods of time, orthotics can also help by reducing associated symptoms (leg swelling, tingling, low back pain).
Nine days and counting until the Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon! We’re pleased to introduce Laura, one of our most enthusiastic marathon volunteers. Laura helps man the Mill Mountain aid station where runners refuel with water and snacks around mile 12.
Name: Laura Ash
Years with Foot Levelers: 17
Role at Foot Levelers: “Layout Technician. When 3D foot scans or foam casting kits arrive [with foot impressions from patients], I look at the image and what the doctor says, and I design the orthotics,” based on Foot Levelers’ proprietary method.
It’s in less than 2 weeks: Runners from all over the world descend upon Foot Levelers’ hometown of Roanoke, Virginia for The Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Marathon. With over 7,430′ of elevation change through the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains, there’s a reason it’s called America’s Toughest Road Marathon.
We’ll be spotlighting a few of our company’s runners and volunteers as the event draws near. So without further adieu, meet Brandon…
Name: Brandon Harmon
Age: 25
Years with Foot Levelers: 7

‘Flip’ Your Spring/Summer Footwear: Choose Healthy Support Instead
Warm weather has arrived, and inevitably you’ve kicked off your winter boots in favor of sandals and flip-flops. But choose your footwear carefully. Flat-as-a-board summer sandals and traditional flip-fops can cause serious harm to your feet and the kinetic chain, as research shows.
Consider this: the average American takes 5,117 steps a day (though really, we should be taking more, between 7,000 and 10,000 steps according to experts—but that’s another post for another time). With each step, improper footwear can reinforce (and sometimes cause) degenerative changes in the muscles, joints and connective tissues of the feet. With the body’s foundation compromised, joint movement, circulation and proprioceptive input throughout the entire body may suffer.
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