What are your goals for 2012?

Happy New Year! I trust that many of you have had a relaxing and enjoyable break during the festive period!

While it’s still early in the year 2012, have you thought about what you would like to achieve this year? Many of my patients tell me of their New Year resolutions and most of them are reachable, like visiting their children and grandchildren overseas, going for a hiking trip or simply getting fitter. However, their foot, hip and back pain holds them back.

They say they have seen many specialists, they have been prescribed expensive custom made orthotics and footwear but their problems persist. I must point out that although there are cases where only custom made orthotics could help, many healthcare practitioners fail to understand that orthotics and shoes actually brace the feet and restrict the foot muscles functioning naturally to gain strength.

Like any other part of the body, the soles, muscles, ligaments and tendons in the feet need to be used, otherwise they atrophy. Over-cushioning and support make the feet weak over time and support often addresses the symptoms but not the cause!

This is why it is important to build strong feet and restore natural foot function. Once our feet are properly aligned, it encourages better alignment through the body, and results in better posture and gait pattern.

I “de-orthoticise” my patients by prescribing them physiological footwear like MBT, FitFlop and Skechers to strengthen their core muscles, buttocks, rear thighs and intrinsic muscles in their feet. In the last two years of my practice, I have also been using BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ Foot Strengthening Insole System to treat my patients. The clinical results are overwhelming and it’s great for patients with plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, flat feet, pre and post hip and knee surgery to strengthen and rehabilitate, as well as posture correction.

BAREFOOTSCIENCE™ has a “posture dome” designed to safely stimulate foot muscles to function correctly as you walk. By increasing the level of insert once you become comfortable with that level of intensity, you become stronger with each step you take.

So what are the goals you want to achieve this year? Why not let me help you and start from your feet up?

Don't neglect fitness in your feet!

My apologies for not blogging for a few weeks. I have been busy attending conferences and sharing the benefits of BAREFOOT SCIENCE™  with many healthcare practitioners around the conntry.

With Summer already here, it is great to see so many people to be aware of getting and staying fit by joining the gym, training with personal trainers and staying active, but not many of them actually realise that muscles in their feet need to get fit, too.

 

Recent research shows that 60-85% of runners are injured every year, and conventional sports shoes are to blame. They are deemed to be too restrictive by bracing the feet and not allowing enough movement for the foot muscles to strengthen naturally.

These alarming figures have prompted major sportswear companies like Nike and Vibram to develop minimalist footwear to “tackle” the problem-- Nike has removed support from their fastest growing sports model since 2005, while Adidas is scheduled to launch its first barefoot shoe in 2012. This phenomenon is growing especially after a considerable amount of discussion in the media in past few months along with several prominent running events.

It is great to see such an awareness of barefoot walking and running developing, but I can't stress enough that consumers should be careful when making the change over.

This is because Conventional footwear and orthotics have stiff components and do not allow the muscles to strengthen, so your feet end up becoming weaker through inactivity, and runners and walkers can aggravate their injuries further if they change to those minimalist shoes straight away.

I have been using BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ to treat my patients for the last seven years and I see that results have been positive. It is an insole system that stimulates and activates intrinsic muscles in the feet, while promoting better movement patterns and posture.

Backed with 20 years of research, BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ is clinically proven to build strong feet and stimulate neurosensory input or “biofeedback”. It is the only insole system that works along barefoot lines, enhancing proprioceptive input and resulting in better foot placement and less risk of injury. I believe this is the future of healthy feet. 

BAREFOOT SCIENCE™ acts like a gym for neglected postural muscles of the foot and stimulates weaker muscles to increase resistance level as they become stronger.It allows runners and walkers to transition from fully supportive shoes, whether sports, casual or dress to minimalist or no support footgear safely and pain-free.

Why not book in an appointment to see me and let me help your feet get fit this Summer?

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?