Category: Dr to Dr (Page 1 of 2)

Uncovering and Treating the Causes of Female Low Back Pain

Low back pain is among the most common conditions for which patients seek medical care¹. Low back pain is defined as pain, muscle tension, or stiffness localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds, with or without leg pain. Low back pain can begin in childhood and continue to plague the patient throughout their life. It is a disorder with many possible causes and many explanations, occurring in many groups of populations.

Research indicates that more than 80% of people experience low back pain during their lifetime with its prevalence being slightly more common in females than males across all age groups. Women have increased lower back pain during their menstrual cycle or at the time of ovulation. The resultant inflammation and uterine cramping can increase the intra-abdominal pressure and flare up a preexisting lower back condition. read more

How off-the-shelf insoles undermine your adjustments and care

4:38 pm / Foot Levelers

3 ways low-priced support comes with a high price for your practice

Generic insoles and retail orthotic footwear may seem like an affordable addition to your pain management protocol. Be aware – their one-size-fits-all arch support can throw your patients’ bodies right out of alignment … as soon as they walk out the door. Their poor design and cheap construction can wreck your adjustments and make pain worse, impacting patient satisfaction.

Make Foot Levelers top-quality custom orthotics your stabilization solution instead

For over 70 years, successful chiropractors have used Foot Levelers products to help them grow their practices and achieve optimal care. You can count on us to help you deliver the best treatment results for every patient. read more

Help Stop Summer Sports From Leading to Patient Pain

1:39 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

Reducing the stress and strain through chiropractic care

In warmer weather, many patients use the longer, sunnier days to spend more time outdoors playing sports and being more active. This can add up to increased strain on their bodies. As chiropractors, we can partner with our patients to help take the stress out of the summer activities they love. This supports adjustments that hold better and enhances the success of ongoing chiropractic care while helping boost athletic performance and lowering injury risk. read more

Standing Posture and Pain – What’s the Link?

4:31 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

May is “National Correct Posture Month” and its purpose is to shed light on the importance of the posture of the human body. Another goal is to increase awareness regarding the strategies people can follow to improve their posture. Bad posture will have a great impact on quality of life. It can also lead to certain painful health conditions such as persistent upper and lower extremity and back pain.

The Dangers of Sitting Posture:

Sitting has been called “the new smoking” when it comes to the wide-ranging health problems it can trigger. In fact, one in four American adults sits for more than eight hours a day, according to federal research from investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).¹ Some figures indicate that the average American sits 7.7 hours per day. Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. They include obesity, increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and elevated LDL and reduced HDL cholesterol levels. read more

Help Reduce Pain by Correcting Posture

12:13 pm / Foot Levelers

Revolutionize your care with these three crucial steps

Poor posture can be the catalyst for pain throughout the body. For the most effective adjustments and care, identify and address poor posture where it begins: dysfunctional feet. Stabilizing the body from its foundation with Foot Levelers custom orthotics is the key to optimal posture and balance. This helps adjustments hold better and supports healthy gait patterns, weight distribution and function of the Kinetic Chain, to help reduce pain, increase mobility and improve overall health. Make custom stabilization part of every patient’s treatment plan, starting with the three steps below. read more

Elevate Your Protocol by Addressing Foot Function

9:50 am / Kathy Weidner

Educate Your Patients About The Benefits of Foot Stabilization

National Foot Health Awareness Month is a great opportunity to address foot function as a key element in proactive wellness. It’s estimated that about 20% of Americans experience foot issues like bunions and plantar fasciitis each year. The common cause of many of these conditions is an unstable foundation created by dysfunctional feet.

Foot issues can contribute to lower back and spinal issues because the feet are the foundation of the body and spine and can affect overall alignment. When we walk or stand, the weight of our body is transferred through the feet and up the legs to the spine. Imbalance or misalignment in the feet can cause compensation in other parts of the body, including the lower, mid and upper back. Patients don’t often realize the root cause of their back pain could be their feet. It’s up to us to educate them, beginning by adding foot assessment to every patient’s care plan. read more

Are your patients stabilized around the clock?

11:57 am / Foot Levelers

For the most effective adjustments and care, ensure that your patients have support for all their activities.

When patients are continuously supported, it helps their bodies sustain proper balance and alignment. Adjustments hold better, chiropractic treatments are more effective, patients experience a higher quality of life and have greater satisfaction with their care.

For optimal health, a patient’s body should be properly stabilized all day, every day. Like a pair of prescription eyeglasses, custom support has to be used all the time to maintain the desired correction (this comparison will resonate with patients too). read more

Standing – It’s Not as Simple as it Seems

12:22 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

Dictionary.com defines standing as when a person is in an upright position on the feet. Notice that in this definition, the feet are directly referenced as the structures the body is standing on top of. We have come to understand that the 26 bones, 29 muscles (10 foot/ankle, 19 intrinsic) and 3 arches of each foot form the foundation of our body and are integral to its overall proper function.

As Chiropractors, we spend multiple hours of the day standing on our feet. Our patients are no different. Many of them have daily activities requiring short to long standing periods. Cooking and housework are just a couple of the tasks that incorporate standing for varying lengths of time. read more

Help Your Patients Start the New Year on the Right Foot

The Prevalence of Back Pain in Our Society

2:15 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

Previewing the breakthrough article “Impact of Back Pain in the Workplace” by Foot Levelers Chairman and CEO Kent S. Greenawalt – how chiropractors can partner with employers to provide more effective and affordable healthcare.

As chiropractors we have the opportunity to treat a myriad of health conditions. On a regular basis we serve patients who are complaining of neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, hip pain, knee pain and the list goes on. What is so interesting about the many ailments that we can help patients with is the relationship that all of the body parts have with each other. You have observed how the feet are the body’s foundation and dysfunction of the foot’s three arches can set the body up for a whole host of pain and problems at the time of patient presentation or down the road. read more

Total Body Health Starts with Stabilization

2:07 pm / Foot Levelers

Why custom flexible orthotics and orthotic pillows should be part of every healthcare provider’s protocol.

Keeping the body properly supported when it’s weight-bearing and at rest lays the foundation for the very best chiropractic care. Using the proper custom orthotics and pillows in tandem is essential.

Foot Levelers, the global leader in total body stabilization, can help. Our non-invasive solutions are based on over 70 years of proven science and shown to help doctors achieve optimal results when used as part of their care. There are a wide range of orthotics and pillows available online and in stores, some of them very expensive. However, they can be ineffective or even hinder your care because they are not designed for your patient’s specific needs. read more

The Three Arches of the Foot

2:17 pm / Foot Levelers

Why they’re key to your care – educating patients about the 3-arch difference

Most people know that their feet have arches. However, many of them incorrectly believe that each foot only has just one. It’s crucial to successful care that your patients know each foot has three distinct arches, all with a unique role in balance and stability. Without proper support for all three arches, the patient will not be in optimal balance, which could compromise the success of your care.

In addition, each arch supports the proper function of a specific primary or secondary muscle group: read more

Custom Flexible Orthotics Designed for a Modern Woman’s Body and Active Lifestyle

8:27 am / Foot Levelers

Experience comfort and support in your flats, 1″ or 2″ heels with the New 5th Ave Custom Orthotics.

A woman’s unique physical structure requires special support to help them stay posturally healthy in the shoes they love, while doing the activities they enjoy. Foot Levelers 5th Avenue Collection offers custom flexible orthotics to align women’s feet and balance their bodies, to help keep them feeling great
throughout their busy days. Custom stabilization helps reduce pain and fatigue and contributes to better overall health.

WOMEN AND FOOT PROBLEMS

A woman’s foot is structurally different from a man’s, and their knee alignments and gait styles are not the same. Research shows that these structural differences cause women to be more likely to develop foot problems such as bunions, hammer toes, callus formation, interdigital neuromas, and metatarsalgia.¹ As women age, these issues tend to be more severe. read more

Help Your Patients Start the New Year on the Right Foot!

1:36 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

We are getting to that time of year again. Some folks are preparing to make resolutions and goals for 2023. It’s a yearly tradition for many folks to conjure up various New Year’s Resolutions for health and other aspects of their lives. It sounds great initially coming up with inspiring things on a “To-Do List for My Life Beginning Next Year”. But the success rate of following through is not great.

According to a 2016 study, of the 41% of Americans who make New Year’s resolutions, by the end of the year, only 9% feel they are successful in keeping them. An earlier study in 2007 showed that only 12% of people who set resolutions are successful even though 52% of the participants were confident of success at the beginning¹. The reasons cited for failing include the goals needing to be more realistic; forgetting about making the resolutions and having too many resolutions to follow. read more

How To Make Your Chiropractic Adjustments Hold Better

11:41 am / Foot Levelers

As a chiropractor, your primary goal is to help minimize and eliminate the pain and discomfort your patients experience daily. According to one clinical trial, 94% of chiropractic recipients experienced a 30% reduction in pain, compared with only a 54% reduction from medical care recipients.¹

This is why many patients are now turning to chiropractors as their first line of defense when treating back, neck, and shoulder pain as opposed to opioids and surgeries. The national opioid dispensing rate has significantly declined in the last ten years. In 2010 the Centers for Disease Control reported 251,088,904 prescriptions were dispensed in the United States. In 2020, it was reported a total of 142,816,781 opioids had been prescribed.² read more

I didn't know Chiropractic could help that

I Didn’t Know Chiropractic Could Treat That!

5:10 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

The longer we field chiropractors are in practice, the more we observe how patients do not understand the breadth of the areas of the body and health conditions that we can treat. Many folks have never grown up with chiropractic so they did not have the benefit of getting adjusted in their younger lives. Others in various stages of adult life who are struggling with pain wonder if they should finally give chiropractic a try.

Depending on the medical professionals they consult or they people they get advice from, potential patients don’t often understand how chiropractic actually works. This lack of knowledge will not give someone the confidence to schedule that first appointment. Often, it’s one of our patients who has experienced the help we are providing them who reaches out to a friend or relative to encourage them to give chiropractic a try. read more

Getting the most out of your Scanning Technology

11:28 am / Dr. Kevin Wong

Since introducing the world’s first Chiropractic foot scanner, the FAS Scan (or Foot Analysis ystem) in 2001, Foot Levelers has endeavored to push the technology forward. The 3-D Kiosk we have come to know more recently was originally introduced in 2017. The current version of the scanner is the product of multiple versions where each one has been an improvement upon its predecessor. The Kiosk is truly state-of-the-art.

I made the switch from foam casting to scanning after the FAS Scan was introduced in 2001. I have had the opportunity to use each of the following iterations of the scanner as they have been released. As an early adopter of scanning technology through the 21 years of its existence, I have enjoyed watching it become an extremely powerful patient education tool. I have also been impressed to see how the ease of use and functionality has improved. read more

Pain Management without Prescription Drugs Using Custom Flexible Orthotics

4:35 pm / Foot Levelers

Often, patients and their doctors will address pain by masking it with the use of prescription drugs. While these drugs can be used to manage pain, they do not locate and treat the source of the pain. In other words, they are simply covering up the issue, not healing it. Additionally, such drugs can be addictive and dangerous, leading to worse outcomes than the original pain. When discussing pain—both directly related to the feet (like plantar fasciitis) and because of imbalances—it is important to convey the advantages of treating pain via custom orthotics rather than masking it with prescription drugs. read more

What to Cover When Talking to Student Athletes

10:36 am / Foot Levelers

Student athlete visits can go beyond checking the boxes on a sports physical form–this is the perfect time to ask the right questions to ensure you’re offering comprehensive care that can benefit them in every area of their life. To make sure every session is as productive as possible, we’ve compiled a tip sheet you can use when talking to student athletes.

Student Athlete Checklist and Conversations

Talk about the why behind the check-up.
- It’s one thing to ensure the student athlete has an up-to-date physical and that they are in good health–it’s another to break down the necessity of the check-up. Why? This can empower them to understand the need for ongoing care for better overall health.
- If they need a physical exam, talk about the importance of the exam and what they can expect.
- Discuss the different sports they play and how this affects their ongoing care.
Ask about previous injuries, the effects, and their road to recovery.
- This can help you determine what—if any—precautions or assistance a student athlete may need to play at their highest level.
- A conversation about injuries can also unearth lingering issues, both physical and mental, a student athlete may be experiencing.
Evaluate injury risk based upon health history and the sport in question.
- Use this to segue into a conversation about injury prevention and staying healthy in and off-season.
- Specific injury prevention techniques may be useful here, including proper conditioning and rest.
- Emphasize the importance of listening to their bodies and prioritizing longevity over “powering through.”
Ask about the student athlete’s physical aspirations.
- What do they hope to achieve in their sport and in their life?
- This can open the door to a conversation about optimizing their athletic performance.
- Discuss setting realistic goals, finding a balance between intense training and sustainability, and caring for their bodies long-term.
Explore what happens in the event of an injury.
- This subject creates an opportunity to discuss the value of establishing and maintaining relationships with healthcare providers.
- You can also emphasize the confidence that accompanies a healthy dynamic between a student athlete and their healthcare provider. In the case of injury, having trust that their treatment and recovery will be exceptional is essential.
Introduce the concept of a multidisciplinary approach.
- One area of their life affects the others, and vice versa.
- For example, their daily posture will influence optimal movement and healthy weight bearing.
Creating Better Student Athletes as a Healthcare Provider
One thing that’s crucial to talk to patients–especially student athletes–is injury prevention. When talking to patients, try offering a more holistic view of how injury prevention won’t just benefit them now but in the long run, too. In other words, discussing longevity (for their sport and for their health) is key. Offer helpful conversation starters like: read more

Leg Length Discrepancy: the Long and the Short of It

10:28 am / Dr. Kevin Wong

In daily clinical practice, we can utilize leg length checks on just about every patient presenting with lower extremity, spinal and upper extremity complaints. In our Foot Levelers community, we understand the role the feet play in many ailments that patients present with, and we know that foot function has a powerful influence on the entire body. The exposure that we have had with leg length discrepancy (LLD) beginning in chiropractic college and then expanding out into the seminars and classes we have taken during our years of practice offers solid support for how important LLD is in everyday patient care. read more

Addressing Functional Scoliosis Through Foot Stabilization

10:00 am / Dr. Kevin Wong

June is National Scoliosis Awareness Month. So, in the spirit of education, detection, and fostering more awareness of scoliosis, let’s understand how chiropractic plays such an important role in this condition. Recall that the classic “structural scoliosis” is a sideways, abnormal curvature of the spine that can range from being hardly noticeable to so severe it affects people’s posture and height. The appearance of scoliosis is generally in 3 forms:

The spine could curve to the side as a single curve to the left (levoscoliosis)
The spine could curve to the side as a single curve to the right (dextroscoliosis)
The spine could involve two curves (shaped like the letter S).

Structural scoliosis causes can be from certain neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy, birth defects affecting the development of the bones of the spine; injuries to or infections of the spine; or spinal cord abnormalities. read more