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.
Foot Levelers Custom Orthotic featured on “The Doctors” TV Show
Whose custom orthotics are under that tape?
So, our custom orthotics got some national exposure last week, but because of pesky little sponsorship restrictions, you wouldn’t have known it!
There was a segment on the syndicated TV show The Doctors about relieving back pain — which products work, and which don’t.
What’s best for your shoes, insoles or custom orthotics?
The guest on the segment was Dr. Fab Mancini, a huge advocate of Chiropractic. He used to be the President of Parker University (Chiropractic college) and has appeared on Dr. Phil, ABC, CNN, FOX, and many other national platforms getting the word out about all the benefits Chiropractic offers.read more
Becci Holcomb is a strong woman. At age thirty, she has a retired USA Powerlifting deadlift record of 501 pounds and can squat 644 pounds. This is the equivalent of deadlifting a dumpster and squatting a large vending machine. In a sport dominated by males, Becci is stronger than many of the men.
Holcomb got her start in powerlifting while enrolled at Life University. She saw a flyer at school for the powerlifting club, and it got her interested. From there, a fellow student and powerlifter got her started. Becci quickly found out that she was a natural for which she credits to genetics and her upbringing.
Originally from the small town of Blanchester, Ohio, Holcomb comes from a family where she and her siblings are naturally tall and strong. Her father, Mike Holcomb, was an All-American wrestler and a member of the 1984 Olympic wrestling team. She grew up on a small family farm where carrying fifty-pound bags of feed was a regular chore. This helped her develop her physical strength even before she knew what powerlifting was, but it is Becci’s training and hard work that has gotten her to where she is today.
Becci trains 15 hours a week and works full-time as the Assistant Wellness Center Director at Life Wellness Center. For her, that means late nights and early mornings. She lifts five days a week and on Saturday’s commutes two hours, round trip, to train with her powerlifting coach. She also maintains a rigid diet, eating six small meals throughout the day. Holcomb is the first to admit that balancing work, training, and personal life takes a lot of discipline and commitment, but it has led to her success.
In her first competition, Holcomb placed second and qualified for nationals in her weight division. She broke and set new Georgia state records in squat, deadlift, and total. She would go on to win the USA Powerlifting Open Nationals three years later and qualified for the World Championships in Europe. Holcomb was ecstatic. She had placed second and third in both national and international competitions, but she had never won a national championship.
After returning home, Becci started to experience pain in her feet, hips, and back. Her joints were under a lot of stress. Becci sought out Dr. Joseph Haezebrouk and Dr. Paul Donaldson at Life University for advice and treatment. They recommended Foot Levelers custom orthotics which provide comfort for the feet, support for the whole body, and are clinically proven to help reduce pain. “The key to lifting, making the weight stick, and holding onto it is good stabilization and support from the ground up,” said Dr. Haezebrouk.
Holcomb’s feet were scanned and, upon reviewing the patient report of findings, the scan showed one arch was higher than the other with the left decreased in function. She was fitted with a pair of Foot Levelers custom orthotics and felt immediate relief. “I noticed a definite difference in my low back pain when wearing my custom orthotics. They are comfortable, and my feet, hips, and back don’t hurt,” said Becci.
“Having the proper support and alignment that Foot Levelers custom orthotics provide helps with the downward compression from the weight when your feet are off balanced and holding too much weight,” Dr. Haezebrouk added. “With Foot Levelers custom orthotics, Becci’s stability and posture improved and so did her pain. She used to take several minutes to get off the exam room table, and now she slides right off.”
Holcomb wears her custom orthotics from the moment she wakes up in the morning to when she goes to bed at night, having multiple pairs of custom orthotics to fit her different types of shoes. During the day she tries to live an active lifestyle. “I do a lot of hiking and walking and am always sure to wear my Foot Levelers custom orthotics,” Becci said. She even squats and bench presses wearing her Foot Levelers custom orthotics. “During training and competition, my squats are much more even when wearing my Foot Levelers than they were before.”
Competing in powerlifting is one of the most exciting things Holcomb has ever done. She says it is an adrenaline rush to lift heavy weights in front of cheering crowds. When she first started powerlifting, she did not know she would love it so much. Powerlifting has changed her life.
The most noticeable change has been in her body composition as fat mass has been replaced with muscle. However, the most significant difference has been in how she sees herself. Powerlifting has helped Becci develop a level of self-confidence and respect for herself. When she started lifting, she hated just about everything about her body. “I was always bigger and did not fit the mold for the average person. I went through some hard times as everyone does, but powerlifting has helped me grow and appreciate who I am as a person,” said Holcomb.
Not long ago, Becci finished second at the USA Powerlifting Open Nationals to secure a spot in the World Championship. However, for Holcomb, powerlifting has become more than winning championships or setting records. It is about being a positive example to women, especially her younger sisters, and letting them know that true strength is not how much you can lift but about being able to love yourself and your body. “I have younger sisters. I want to be able to instill in them that you don’t have to look a certain way to be valued and appreciated,” said Holcomb. “I want them to know that they are capable of so much and can-do amazing things.”
ROANOKE, VA—September 18, 2017—Celebrating 65 years of serving Chiropractic, Foot Levelers has introduced its latest advancement, the single-foot Kiosk. This revolutionary scanning device is designed to help healthcare providers save time, ensure all patients are scanned for orthotics, and increase referrals to their practice.
Patients Scan Themselves, Orthotic Usage Increases: Statistics prove that the Foot Levelers Kiosk helps doctors increase the number of patients they fit for custom orthotics, which leads to better patient results. Ideal for placement in a practice’s reception area, the Kiosk allows patients to scan themselves, before the doctor’s exam even begins. This saves staff time, allowing them to spend more time reviewing the comprehensive Report of Findings with each patient.
Shareable Report of Findings, Increase Referrals: The Foot Levelers single-foot Kiosk offers two Reports of Findings. The most comprehensive is the doctor’s version, which should be reviewed with every patient.
But new to the Kiosk software is a Report of Findings that is emailed to each patient, before they even step off the scanner. This new report is shareable on several social media platforms. When the report is shared with friends and family, referrals to the practice increase.
Invitation to Foot Levelers Practice Xcelerator: With each single-foot Kiosk comes an invitation to one of Foot Levelers’ FREE Practice Xcelerator events. The Practice Xcelerator is an extensive, half-day training session that focuses on improving outcomes through increased orthotic usage.
The new, single-foot scanning Kiosk is part of an ongoing story of growth for the 65-year-old company. Started as a small, family business in Dubuque, Iowa in 1952, today Foot Levelers serves thousands of providers and millions of patients in over 85 countries. In 2014, Foot Levelers opened an office in Sydney, Australia, followed by a second in Belgrade, Serbia in 2016. Foot Levelers has long been the leader in orthotics for Chiropractic patients, with an expanding presence in Physical Therapy, Podiatry, Family Medicine, Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture, among other health disciplines.
In September, the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation published a watershed studyproving that Foot Levelers custom orthotics,
particularly in conjunction with Chiropractic care, significantly reduce Low Back Pain (LBP)—by 40.4 percent. This study is critically important because the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports 80 percent of adults experience LBP. LBP is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, with many patients taking dangerous opioids for relief. “Foot Levelers and Chiropractic can make a difference in the opioid crisis,” says Kent S. Greenawalt, Foot Levelers CEO.
AboutFootLevelers, Inc.: Foot Levelers, Inc., the world’s leading provider of custom-made functional orthotics and other therapeutic products, has been serving healthcare professionals for over 65 years. Visit FootLevelers.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter (@FootLevelers).
In our world–in the world of safe, effective pain management and the fight to save lives as the national opioid emergency rages on–it’s a new, major research study that proveswhat we’ve know for over 65 years:
Foot Levelers + Chiropractic caresignificantlyreduce Chronic Low Back Pain
—by an average of 40.4 percent.
Published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Foot Levelers custom orthotics, like Chiropractic care, are safe, painless, non-invasive and cost-effective–in stark contrast to risky, expensive surgery. It’s important to note that Chiropractic is, and has always been, a drug-free approach to care.
ROANOKE, VA—A conclusive study, “Shoe Orthotics for the Treatment of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial” conducted by National University of Health Sciences and published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation shows that Foot Levelers custom orthotics, particularly in combination with chiropractic care, significantly reduce Low Back Pain (LBP). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports 80 percent of adults experience LBP at some point in their lifetime and it’s the single leading cause of disability worldwide, with many taking prescription drugs for pain relief – which often leads to long-term drug abuse and addiction.
“The study unequivocally confirms what we have known for over 65 years: Foot Levelers custom orthotics are a powerful first-line treatment in the battle against LBP,” says Kent S. Greenawalt, CEO of Foot Levelers, the world’s leading provider of custom-made functional orthotics and other therapeutic products. “There is significant scientific evidence that explains the foot-spine connection, but the bottom line is that using Foot Levelers to balance and support the feet—the foundation of the body—helps balance and support the spine. This study is another striking development in the case for evidence-based, conservative care of LBP, which in the face of America’s ongoing opioid crisis, is more important news than ever.”
A Chiropractor resident treats a patient in Hayward, California
Key Findings
Foot Levelers orthotics significantly reduce Low Back Pain 34.5 percent
Foot Levelers orthotics plus chiropractic care reduce Low Back Pain 40.4 percent
Foot Levelers alone or in conjunction with chiropractic care improves function: 18.5 percent and 32.3 percent, respectively
And not just because the design of our custom orthotics is based on it. Not just because research proves again and again that our custom orthotics help Low Back Pain, plus a ton of other pain and performance issues.*
Wellllllll... OK. That’s a big part of it.
But we also like science because our patients like it. Nay, our patients demand it! As well they should–health is “kind of a big deal” and folks want to make sure they’re making the right decisions for their body, well-being, and longevity.
That’s why today (!) we released a BIG, whopping, dare-we-say thrilling update to our Patient Report of Findings… Check out the latest and greatest below!
This new Report of Findings–available on the cloud-based Kiosk only–reveals detailed info and images about the health of your feet and their three arches, plus how arch collapse may be contributing to problems throughout the body. It helps your doctor determine if you’re a candidate for custom orthotics.
Our 3D BodyView generates a fantastic Patient Report of Findings too–but this version is more in-depth than ever. You and your doctor are armed with…
Sections your doctor can customize with her or his practice information so you’ll always have your doctor’s info handy should you have questions or want to schedule a follow-up
Team Foot Levelers was honored to kick off an unprecedented partnership with the brave men and women of Roanoke Fire-EMS this week, our hometown’s first responders. One-hundred and sixty-five of the Star City’s finest will be product-testing a new Foot Levelers orthotic top cover, designed for the toughest jobs and lifestyles!
The Roanoke Press Corps was also out in force to help share the news with our community. Check out some of their recent stories:
1. The feet are the body’s foundation. Just like a building, fixing problems in the foundation can help with problems throughout the structure.
“…I have to load 5,000 pigs every 4 months. This entails many hours of walking on cement alleyways. I couldn’t help load without my Foot Levelers!” –Farmer Donita Koberg Platz of Minnesota
2. “Bad” feet are linked to bad backs—the research proves it. Fixing bad feet can make a huge difference in the treatment of low back pain.
3. Your feet may feel just fine—but they could be causing problems up above. Foot imbalance or dysfunction is often “silent,” but it can have ripple effects, transferring problems (and pain) to the low back.read more
It may seem counterintuitive–at first. But if you’re suffering from low back pain, your feet may be to blame.
Say what??
The research is compelling: “bad” feet are linked to bad backs. And fixing bad feet–even if they don’t hurt–can make a huge difference in the treatment of low back pain.
Consider this. Your feet are critical to your body structure. They support your entire weight; they balance and propel you; they adapt to and absorb walking stresses. If your feet are problematic–and that’s the case for 3 out of 4 adults, research tells us–they can’t do their job(s) correctly. That means some of the stress and shock that should have been absorbed by the feet travels up the legs, through the spine, impacting everything above (even headaches have been tied to foot problems–that’s right, headaches!). It also means your body may be thrown off-balance, even if that’s imperceptible to the naked eye. Step after step, day after day–symptoms worsen as these problems are reinforced.
Is it any wonder that a major study conducted in 2013 concluded that women with flat feet are 50 percent more likely than those with normal feet to suffer from low back pain?
The health of your body’s foundation matters. In fact, it’s critical. Just like a building, if the body’s foundation is problematic, eventually, inevitably, problems will appear throughout the entire structure.
If you experience low back pain, have your Chiropractor examine your feet. Correcting problems down below can do wonders for low back pain–indeed, for your quality of life–and custom orthotics are research-proven to do just that.
Join us in celebrating World Spine Day and help spread awareness about spinal health! From www.worldspineday.org:
“Every year on October 16th people from around the world join together to raise awareness on World Spine Day as part of the Bone and Joint Decade’s Action Week. The World Spine Day (WSD) theme for 2015 is ‘Your Back at Work,’ focusing on the importance of education related to good spinal health and prevention of injuries in the workplace – help promote WSD by sharing a ‘spine selfie’ of ‘Your Back at Work’!
Spinal disorders, such as back pain, neck pain, scoliosis and disc disease, to name a few are common, and they can have a profound effect on a person’s overall health.
Research has demonstrated that poor postures and inactivity can contribute to the development of back pain and other spinal disorders.
Back and neck pain is one of the most common reasons for workplace sick leave.
50% of the working population will experience back or neck pain symptoms at least once per year.
In a recent study low back pain ranked as one of the most ‘disabling’ conditions and sixth in terms of usage of health funding.”
Your spine does more than keep your body upright: it’s the way that Command Central (the brain) “talks” to everything else. Chiropractic care helps you maintain a healthy spine by eliminating subluxations; custom-made orthotics are designed to help the benefits of that care last longer and stronger. Don’t have a Chiropractor yet? You can find one here, and be sure to ask for a pedal exam to find out if orthotics are right for you.
“I absolutely love my Foot Levelers’ custom orthotic flip-flops. The first time I tried them on was the day I was flying to Orlando for a convention. I put them on that morning, walked through the entire airport and still had them on late into the evening. My feet, knees and low back felt great and that never would have happened in any other kind of flip-flops. I have worn Foot Levelers orthotics for over 20 years so I understand the importance of wearing the right shoe with the right correction.”
It may be lurking in your bedroom closet. Or hiding in the hallway by the front door.
It may have even have made its way into the shadowy depths of….. Your back pocket.
We’re actually talking everyday items here: the oversized handbag. The workplace or evening heels. The elegant briefcase or its more modern counterpart, the laptop bag. Even the seemingly innocuous leather wallet… The things you wear or carry on your body may secretly be conspiring to cause you serious pain and problems down the road.
We’ve talked about high heels in previous posts, but here’s Foot Levelers’ quick list of common fashion faux pas (faux pases? faux pie?) when it comes to health:
Large purses or handbags
Heavy briefcases or laptop bags
Too small shoes
High heels
Pointy toed shoes
…Even the traditional pocket wallet
Let’s “unpack” this, shall we? Big bagsor heavy briefcases may carry all your essentials, but they also shift a majority of your body’s weight to one side. Our bodies are meant to stand upright–not tilt–and the addition of a large bag or purse works against this. The result: Strain to the lower back, knees, hips, and spine.
Shoes that are too small, too tall, too pointy or fit poorly can add stress to the body and disrupt your natural gait (walking) pattern. When your walk is “off,” stress occurs in places it shouldn’t. On your feet, you may see calluses or painful bunions. Again, strain radiates disproportionately throughout the body and joints.
And that “innocent” wallet? Many men sport it in their back pocket during the day, and sit on it without much concern. But sitting on a wallet creates an uneven foundation for the body in the seated position – which may cause sciatica or even a herniated disc.
There’s good news: small and simple changes will help you avoid pain and strain. If you frequently carry bags or briefcases, alternate sides. (And strengthening the muscles that are used to carry these accessories can help hold their weight while maintaining good posture). Guys, carry your wallet in a front pocket whenever possible.
With shoes, make sure you purchase ones that fit (one study found that 88% of women wear shoes that are too small! Eighty-eight percent!!). They should also have good support–ideally, custom-made orthotics. When wearing heels, try not to do so for any longer than 2 hours.
Keep in mind: your body is like a building. By protecting its foundation, and taking care of the overall structure, it will look better, last longer, and feel better, too. To your health!
Mounting evidence against acetaminophen, sold under common brand names like Tylenol: a report in the prestigious British Medical Journal provides shows it’s ineffective for reducing pain intensity, disability, or improving short-term quality of life for those with low back pain. Nonetheless, the drug is widely used in an attempt to relieve symptoms, which is concerning—it’s one of the most commonly overdosed drugs in the world. Sixty-thousand Americans end up in the hospital every year due to overdose, and several hundred die. Overdose can cause liver failure.
Want safe, effective relief from low back pain? Chiropractic treatment is clinically proven to help with low back pain, and orthotics can help. Even the traditional medical community is on-board; the American College of Physicians has stated that spinal manipulation is the most effective treatment for acute and chronic lower back pain.
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;
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).
You’ve finally made an appointment to see your Chiropractor. Perhaps it’s low back pain that brings you in, or bouts of throbbing headaches and you’re tired of popping pills. Or maybe you’re a runner who’s training for a big event and you’re hoping your Doctor can help you stay in tip-top shape to avoid injury. All of these are great reasons to see a Chiropractor, and some of the most common.
Appointment day arrives and the Doctor begins her exam. Suddenly, she’s asking to see the bottoms of your shoes (wait—what?) and then tells you to remove your shoes and socks completely. She leads a now-barefooted you over to what she calls a “3D digital foot scanner.” You’re instructed to “step right up.”read more
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lifts five days a week and on Saturday’s commutes two hours, round trip, to train with her powerlifting coach. She also maintains a rigid diet, eating six small meals throughout the day. Holcomb is the first to admit that balancing work, training, and personal life takes a lot of discipline and commitment, but it has led to her success.
The things you wear or carry on your body may secretly be conspiring to cause you serious pain and problems down the road.
And that “innocent” wallet? Many men sport it in their back pocket during the day, and sit on it without much concern. But sitting on a wallet creates an uneven foundation for the body in the seated position – which may cause sciatica or even a herniated disc.
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