Parents, don't neglect the well-being of your children's feet!

The new school year is fast approaching and undoubtedly, many parents are already thinking about the agony of having to purchase new school shoes for their children again. However, I need to point out that parents shouldn't neglect the well-being of their children’s feet.

I think it is great that children are encouraged to be active all the time, whether they are playing sports, in the playground or outside of school; and yet parents often forget that the feet are like other parts of the body, it is just as important for their childen's feet to get strong and healthy, too.

Many parents unfortunately have a misconception that comfort, cushioning and heavily supportive footwear are the best for their children because they spend at least 10 hours everyday in shoes. Parents don't realise that those conventional shoes and orthotics actually brace the feet and don't allow muscles to be used and exercised properly.

When foot muscles are strengthened and correctly utilised, not only can the child’s posture and gait pattern be improved, they will also have fewer injuries, less muscular soreness and fatigue, especially benefitting those who are going through growing spurts.

I have always believed that having strong and healthy feet should be a goal for all and this is the reason to why I "de-orthoticise" my patients, in order to restore natural foot function. It is a good idea to have a good habit to start in the young, to minimise weight bearing joint and muscle problems later in life.

If your child is having troubles with their feet, how about booking in an appointment to see me before school starts in two weeks' time?

Barefoot is the Best Way to Rehabilitate

Sore, tired and achy feet are the long standing problems for nurses who must spend long hours on their feet on flat, hard floors everyday at work. 

It is important for nurses to take preventative measures of protecting their feet as part of their occupational health and safety and yet most nurses are often given the wrong advice in combating this problem.

They are often advised to wear cushioning insoles or conventional “comfy” shoes at work, which may feel good on the feet initially but not beneficial for the health of your feet in the long term. These conventional footwear and orthotics have stiff components that may correct your alignment, but they do not allow the muscles to strengthen and the foot muscles end up becoming weaker through inactivity. 

However, this is how BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ foot strengthening system can help.

With 20 years of clinical research, BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ is the only insole system that works along minimalist or barefoot lines, and safely stimulates neurosensory input or “biofeedback”, without bracing or cushioning the feet like conventional footwear and orthotics.

It features a distinctive “posture dome” design that assists the foot muscles to re-educate, remodel and strengthen. This allows foot muscles to be placed in a correct position during walking and standing, but also improve the alignment up through the body, and resulting in a better posture. 

In fact, a recent clinical study conducted in Canada shows that over 96% of the ER doctors and nurses reported pain and reduction in both feet, ankles, lower legs, knees, hips, lower back, upper back and shoulders, and an overall reduction in fatigue by 22.7%.

BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ also significantly helps to improve movement patterns in patients whose balance and movement patterns are impaired, where traditional splinting/ bracing orthoses are unable to help, including head injury, stroke and M.S. In effect, this dynamic support of the “posture dome” eases tension on the feet and improves the circulation by massaging it with each step, providing ideal rehabilitation for both nurses and patients.

If you are a nurse or healthcare practitioner who spends long hours on your feet, why not come by and experience the benefits of BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ for yourself?