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Elevate Your Protocol by Addressing Foot Function

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

Where to Get Custom Orthotics | Where to Get Custom Insoles

3:11 pm / Foot Levelers

Where to Get Custom Orthotics

Custom orthotics are unique inserts specifically tailored to cushion and support your feet. They can reduce the ache and distress caused by various foot issues, including plantar fasciitis, overpronation, and flat feet. Custom insoles must be crafted to precisely fit your feet to achieve optimal comfort and support. Keep reading to find out where you can obtain custom orthotics.

Who prescribes custom orthotics?

If you’re trying to figure out where to source custom insoles, begin by consulting an expert who can guarantee your orthotics will have a precise fit and deliver optimal support tailored to your feet’s shape. Healthcare professionals, such as doctors of chiropractic and physical therapists, can prescribe custom orthotics. They may also be prescribed by chiropractors and other healthcare specialists with expertise in treating issues affecting the feet, ankles, legs and other parts of the body. 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

The Foot Levelers Kiosk’s NEW Option

12:08 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

How to Utilize it for Optimal Practice Success

The Foot Levelers Generation 3 Kiosk was released in October 2020. Although there have been various software updates to bring it to its current operational state, the guiding principle has been the same. This three-dimensional, digital, laser scanning device gives the healthcare provider incredibly accurate clinical data about their unique foot function through the Report of Findings (ROF). It’s also an outstanding educational tool for engaging patients and helping them understand the foot-spine connection. 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

Are Custom Arch Supports Worth It?

2:37 pm / Foot Levelers

If you experience discomfort in your feet or legs, you might wonder whether custom arch supports are worth it, as they do not come cheap. However, custom insoles made for your specific feet can lead to increased mobility and quality of life if you are experiencing foot pain, deformities, or conditions such as plantar fasciitis. Arch support inserts can also correct functional problems and prevent foot conditions from worsening. After all, you cannot put a price on being pain-free.

How Much Can You Expect to Pay for Custom-Made Arch Supports? 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

The Redesigned 5^th Avenue Collection is Here!

3:14 pm / Dr. Kevin Wong

As chiropractors who analyze and treat the feet on a daily basis, we get exposed to tons of people so it is very easy to observe the types and styles of shoes they are wearing.

We know that patients feel their best and get better results from their chiropractic care when their bodies are properly supported through custom stabilization. However, many popular women’s shoe styles don’t comfortably accommodate custom orthotics due to their tight-fitting, low-profile designs. For the purposes of this discussion, I want to hit on a topic that can be a sore spot, especially for female patients. This has to do with wearing “high heels”. read more

A Guide to the Medical Benefits of Custom Orthotics

11:10 am / Foot Levelers

Do you suffer from foot, knee, hip, or back pain? Medical conditions or structural abnormalities elsewhere in the body may be responsible. While medical therapies can help to mask the pain and address the symptoms, custom orthotics may be able to correct the underlying cause.

Individuals with overpronation, over-supination, plantar fasciitis, leg length differences, and numerous other conditions can benefit from arch support insoles customized to their particular foot shape and complaint. Arch support inserts also provide cushioning and stability while, at the same time, distributing the pressure on your feet more evenly. 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

FIR+ Technology in Custom Orthotics

9:56 am / Barbara Meyer

As breakthroughs are made in science and medical technologies, the onus falls on the innovators to translate those breakthroughs into practical products that can benefit patients.

Fresh, new ideas are the backbone of effective treatments, and today’s cutting-edge idea could very well be tomorrow’s dominant technology. All it takes is an understanding of the research, a little creativity, and the willingness to take a leap of faith toward a promising concept.

This is exactly the case with Foot Levelers’ new InMotion+^™ custom orthotics. They incorporate numerous proven features to provide patients with the foundation they need to live their fullest, most active lives possible, and they complement those reputable attributes with new, extremely promising technologies. 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

Orthotic Insoles Guide

3:00 pm / Foot Levelers

Orthotic insoles offer essential support and pain relief for individuals suffering from foot and ankle conditions. But with so many types of insoles available, choosing the best ones for you can be tricky. Read on to learn more about what the right custom orthotics can do for you.

What Are Orthotic Insoles and What Do They Do?

Foot orthotics are also sometimes called “arch supports” or simply “orthotics.” They can be made of different materials and vary in quality. However, their purpose remains the same: orthotic insoles are designed to support your feet and ankles so that you can stay active without experiencing pain and discomfort. Orthotics guide your foot in maintaining natural and healthy motion and can prevent over-pronation or over-supination. read more

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