Foot Levelers

Leading Provider of Custom Orthotics

Category: Educational (Page 2 of 6)

Educational articles on how to relieve foot pain, knee pain, hip and back pain, plus so much more.

Laying the Foundation for a Healthy Pregnancy

2:48 pm /

Chiropractic Care and Pregnancy – A Conversation with Caitlin Haley Corona, DC

Dr. Caitlin Haley Corona became especially interested in addressing the unique Chiropractic benefits of pregnancy in 2019, when she was expecting herself. Now a mother of two, she has continued her education in pregnancy and pediatrics and is certified in the Webster Technique.

As a busy doctor at Bledsoe Chiropractic in Conway, AR, Dr. Corona treats women throughout all stages of pregnancy. In this blog, she shares her insights about the importance of Chiropractic care during pregnancy and after baby’s arrival.  read more

Four Steps to Success in Teaching Patients the Foot-Spine Connection

10:45 am /
Crooked Man body stresses

It’s a marvel how little patients understand about the bodies they inhabit. In the healthcare arena, pain and discomfort are big factors for going to the typical medical doctor. Most patients have been trained to seek this type of healthcare practitioner from their early days of going to the pediatrician and then to their adult GP. It comes as no surprise to us that patients become frustrated when they are told to take medication, give it 4-6 weeks of rest, or get referred for therapy and exercises that don’t work as well as the patient hopes. They feel like they are spinning their wheels. read more

3 Arch Support

All Orthotics are NOT Created Equal

2:10 pm /

Custom Orthotics vs. Generic Insoles

By Kevin Wong

One of the biggest challenges I have found over the last 25 years with being an extremity-based doctor is the general lack of public knowledge regarding the feet and how they affect the rest of the body. Starting from a very young age, we are not properly taught about our anatomy and how different body parts work with and affect each other. This comes into play when incorporating the use of orthotics into patient care.

When patients need medical care, the majority of them will begin with allopathic medicine. This is because they believe that pain is the indicator of when to seek treatment.  It’s common to only treat the pain of conditions like plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, and Achilles tendonitis, rather than identifying and correcting the foot/arch dysfunction and biomechanical problems that are their underlying cause. Interestingly enough, many patients with faulty foot biomechanics live their lives without having any foot pain at all. However, in my experience I have seen that upwards of 87% of all human beings in a standing posture exhibit signs of flat or pronating feet that that can lead to pain and disfunction in the knees, hips, pelvis, neck, and spine. Even common conditions like shin splints and sprained ankles can stem from unhealthy foot function. read more

Plantar fasciitis and heel spurs

Plantar Fasciitis vs. the Heel Spur: How Are These Conditions Related?

2:15 pm /

Are you experiencing foot pain near a joint that worsens with movement? You could be suffering from tendinitis. Tendinitis (also spelled tendonitis) is inflammation or irritation of a tendon—the thick, fibrous cords that connect your muscles to your bones. The condition can cause dull, aching pain, tenderness, and mild swelling around a joint and can affect your ability to partake in certain activities.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the various types of tendinitis, what causes them, and, most importantly, how they can be treated so you can get back to doing all of the things you love. Let’s get started.

achilles tendinitis

Tendinitis: Types of Tendinitis, Causes, and Treatment

2:38 pm /

Are you experiencing foot pain near a joint that worsens with movement? You could be suffering from tendinitis. Tendinitis (also spelled tendonitis) is inflammation or irritation of a tendon—the thick, fibrous cords that connect your muscles to your bones. The condition can cause dull, aching pain, tenderness, and mild swelling around a joint and can affect your ability to partake in certain activities.

In this article, we’ll be discussing the various types of tendinitis, what causes them, and, most importantly, how they can be treated so you can get back to doing all of the things you love. Let’s get started.

3 Arch Support

All Orthotics are NOT Created Equal

4:00 pm /

Custom Orthotics vs. Generic Insoles

By Kevin M. Wong, DC

One of the biggest challenges I have found over the last 25 years with being an extremity-based Chiropractor is the general lack of public knowledge regarding the feet and how they affect the rest of the body. Starting from a very young age, we are not properly taught about our anatomy and how different body parts work with and affect each other. This comes into play when incorporating the use of orthotics into Chiropractic care.

When patients need medical care, the majority of them will begin with allopathic medicine. This is because they believe that pain is the indicator of when to seek treatment.  It’s common to only treat the pain of conditions like plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, and Achilles tendonitis, rather than identifying and correcting the foot/arch dysfunction and biomechanical problems that are their underlying cause. Interestingly enough, many patients with faulty foot biomechanics live their lives without having any foot pain at all. However, in my experience I have seen that upwards of 87% of all human beings in a standing posture exhibit signs of flat or pronating feet that that can lead to pain and disfunction in the knees, hips, pelvis, neck, and spine. Even common conditions like shin splints and sprained ankles can stem from unhealthy foot function. read more

Forward Head Posture and Neck Pain (Cervical Kyphosis)

12:52 pm /

How Forward Head Posture Affects Your Spine

Your time on digital devices can hurt your health – addressing tech neck with custom orthotics will help

These days, cell phones are used for much more than just making calls. They’re multi-tasking tools used in place of watches, alarm clocks and maps. Are you among the 63% of Americans who keeps their cellphones within arm’s reach at all times, and checks them hourly (or more)?1 Handheld digital devices like cell phones sure make life a lot more convenient. But the way we use them can cause undue stress on our bodies. Over time, that stress can lead to pain and increase your risk for a neck injury. read more

Social Share Marketing

Social Media Marketing: Promote the Sharing of Your Facebook Posts and Tweets

5:43 pm /

When you post on Facebook and Twitter, do you sit by and watch as the crickets play their tune (meaning you typically receive no shares and maybe a few likes)? It’s time you give your posts a boost to jump-start the organic share and interaction process and see some fruit from your labor.

One way to give your social media a marketing push is to make it extremely easy for your followers and clients to share your posts. Say you’re sending out an email newsletter that highlights a recent Facebook post or Tweet. Instead of the reader having to go through multiple steps to share your post, simplify the process by adding a “Share” button directly in your email, webpage, or PDF that provides a 1-click solution to open the social media’s share function for that specific post. Let’s get started! read more

Heel Spur relief

Healing the Pain of Heel Spurs

3:59 pm /
Heel Spur relief
Are you looking for relief from a painful heel spur?

What is a heel spur? 
A heel spur is a bone growth that develops on the back or bottom of the heel. While anyone could get a spur on the heel, they’re more common in women than men and in people aged 40 or older.1  
 
Heel spur pain can vary from a sharp, stabbing sensation to a mild ache. In many cases, spurs on the heel are present for some time but don’t hurt until they grow to the point that they press on the nerves and soft tissue of the foot. 
 
Dorsal spurs form on the back of the heel, and plantar spurs appear at the bottom. It’s possible to have multiple spurs on one heel. 
 
What causes heel spurs? 

These factors increase the risk:  read more

Overpronation

Overpronation – Feet Don’t Have to Hurt to be Hurting the Rest of Your Body

5:42 pm /
Overpronation and flat feet affects the whole body

You are probably an overpronator and don’t know it! Overpronation is a common and natural condition where the feet roll excessively inward every time you take a step. Most people overpronate to some degree, and a slight inward motion is part of the foot’s proper gait cycle. However, during overpronation, both the degree of the inward angle and length of time the foot is in that position is too much for the body to support naturally.  

Your feet may not hurt, but overpronation is throwing your whole body off balance with every step. When your ankles, knees, hips and back are out of alignment, the excessive stress and wear can cause pain. Over time, it can even lead to injuries. To get to the real source of the issue, start with your body’s foundation – the feet.   read more

Supination severity diagram

Down and dirty differences between pronation vs supination?

11:51 am /
Supination severity diagram
Diagram showing difference between supination vs pronation.
Illustration: © 2014 Dennis Homack, DC, MS, CCSP

It is extremely rare for someone’s feet and their stride to be perfectly balanced and equally weighted. Some people have feet that visibly turn inward or outward, while others have a subtler inner or outer weight distribution.

It’s hard to see, unless you look at the bottom of your shoes or have your feet scanned with the Foot Levelers Kiosk or other Foot Levelers scanning technology. (Click here to find a provider near you.)

Pronation vs Supination

When bodyweight is placed on the outside of the foot while walking or running, it is known as supination. When the weight is placed more on the inside of the foot, it’s referred to as pronation. An easy way to differentiate and remember the difference is that supination has “up” in the word. In a proper stride, the foot should move from heel to toe with a person’s bodyweight evenly distributed on their feet, giving them neutral pronation. read more

flat feet infographic

How to Ease Pain Caused by Flat Feet and Arthritis

10:23 am /

Many people think they are born with flat feet and that some people are simply, flat-footed. While it’s true that some people are flat-footed for most of their life, over time we all become more and more flat-footed since our arches collapse as we age. It’s possible that someone with flat feet feels no pain. However, if your arches collapse over time, causing your feet to become flatter, you will likely experience pain and discomfort.

Arthritis is another contributing factor to foot pain (as well as pain in other joints throughout the body), and flat feet and arthritis are often co-occurring issues. What many people do not realize when they are experiencing pain is that the source of their pain could be their feet, even if they’re having knee, hip, or neck pain. So, let’s discuss how custom orthotics are one of the best ways to ease pain caused by flat feet and/or arthritis. read more

best orthotics

Why Foot Levelers Custom Orthotics are the Best

5:52 pm /

The best custom orthotic

When you’re seeking out the best orthotics, whether you’re a healthcare provider looking for a reliable orthotics supplier, or a patient looking for pain relief, Foot Levelers is your best option. Let’s explore some of those reasons.

Results

Our patented orthotics get results. Noticeable, long-lasting results.

Foot Levelers is a family-owned company that was born in 1952 when Dr. Monte H. Greenawalt invented Stabilizing Orthotics (that’s the technical name of our orthotics, more on that later). read more

Social Media Influence

Using Social Media to Grow and Sustain Your Practice

1:10 pm /

Social Media InfluenceMore than half of the entire world population is a Facebook user today, according to HootSuite. Facebook and its sister company Instagram are two of the leading social media platforms that can provide endless potential (and revenue) for business owners including chiropractors. These two networks are now our first stop for news, entertainment, communication, and purchasing. It’s no wonder that being an influencer is now a full-time career that can amass more than six figures a year. But as a chiropractor, you also have a major influence and strategically leveraging that on social media can help maintain and grow your practice. Here are some tips to help you. read more

3 Causes of Knee Pain and How to Get Relief

1:06 pm /

3 Causes of knee painAccording to WebMD,

Knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint that brings people to their doctor.

The knee, in addition to bending and straightening hundreds of times each day, carries all of the weight of our body along with our hips and ankles. The knee is also distinctly different from other joints of the body because it also twists and rotates, making it even more susceptible to injury and discomfort. Additionally, the knee is made up of bones, joints, ligaments, and cartilage, so there are a lot of different areas that can be injured and irritated. read more

Opioid alternative through chiropractic adjustments and treatments

How Chiropractic Adjustments and Other​ Treatments Can Help the Opioid Epidemic

11:22 am /

Chiropractic is a drug-free approach to pain relief and pain management

Opioid alternative through chiropractic adjustments and treatments

Currently, more than 2 million Americans are dependent on opioids. For many people, their addiction stems from seeking pain management for an injury or chronic condition, such as back or knee pain. The opioid crisis has become a national emergency causing overdose remedies to be sold over-the-counter for greater availability. Although some opioid abusers turn to hard drugs like heroin, many people develop dangerous addictions to prescription drugs originally provided to them by doctors they trust for treatment. However, opioids are not the only option for treatment and seeking chiropractic care provide patients with pain relief, but also aids in reducing the negative effects of the opioid epidemic on American society. read more

Whole Body Health with Custom Orthotics

Have Low Back Pain? Look to Custom Orthotics First

4:07 pm /
Whole Body Health with Custom Orthotics

At least 80% of the U.S. population will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, and more than 3 million reported cases of lower back pain occur each year. Lower back pain is also one of the biggest reasons why people miss work due to the intensity and sometimes sudden onset of discomfort and pain. However, there is a solution that doesn’t include endless trips to the doctor, arguing with insurance agents, prescription medications, and inconvenient physical therapy appointments.

Understanding Low Back Pain read more

Kevin Durant Achilles Injury

Kevin Durant Achilles Tendon Rupture Most Likely Caused by Calf Injury

10:43 am /
Kevin Durant Achilles Injury

In case you hadn’t heard, the world’s best basketball player, Kevin Durant, recently went down with an Achilles injury. It’s looking like (as we write this) it’s a ruptured Achilles tendon. That’s a devesting injury for anyone, let alone a world-class athlete.

Durant had been dealing with a calf injury, on the same leg, for a few weeks before this Achilles injury. He missed several games because of the calf injury and was in his first game back in action.

In a press conference after the game, the President of the Warriors, Bob Myers commented, “The initial injury was a calf injury. This is not a calf injury,” Myers said. “I’m not a doctor, I don’t know how those are related or not, but it’s a different injury.” read more

Whole body health

5 Reasons Orthotics Help Your Entire Body

4:36 pm /
Whole body health

Our body is an interdependent system and when one part is not functioning properly, it can negatively impact other parts leading to over or diminished use. Physicals exist because it is necessary to be examined from head to toe, literally, down to each and every toe, and specialists alone cannot effectively treat our entire body. Chiropractic medicine takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to the body to help ensure and optimize functioning so that we can live our daily lives more easily.

  read more

5 Terrible Things People Do to Treat Plantar Fasciitis

1:21 pm /
5 Terrible Things People Do to Treat Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammation of the tissue in your foot and nearly 2 million Americans suffer from the discomfort of plantar fasciitis. Although many people think that plantar fasciitis affects only the heel of the foot, it can actually affect any part of the bottom of your foot since all of that tissue is at risk for inflammation. Early morning foot pain and/or stiffness is typically a good indication that you’re experiencing plantar fasciitis, as is pain or discomfort after spending long periods of time on your feet.  read more

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