FEET: THE FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHY MOVEMENT AND FITNESS
April is Foot Health Awareness Month and the perfect time to discuss proper body alignment and how misalignment can cause strain, resulting in pain, because proper foot health is one of the most important aspects to address when it comes to proper body alignment. The pain can appear at any level in the body whether it be the back, hips, knees, legs, ankles, or feet, it just depends on where the body’s weakest link is along the kinetic chain. Strain causes pain. And it all begins with the feet.
A balanced structure means a reduced chance of injury, improved stability, increased confidence, endurance, and overall athletic performance. That said, it is clear how important it is to take care of your structure - especially your feet which are the body’s foundation.
This article will discuss the feet and ankles, where most movement begins, and much like a building’s foundation it determines stability, holds up the structures (including all its weight), and connects it.
After years of standing, walking, and wearing shoes, the arches of your feet gradually weaken and cannot provide the necessary support for your body. Many problems we see in the office such as hip pain, back pain knee pain, and Achilles tendon pain are not related to any pathology in those areas but are related to poor mechanics of the foot and ankle.
The most effective and simplest way to correct those painful conditions is with a custom orthotic. Custom orthotics are inserts that fit into your shoe that are custom-molded to correct your faulty mechanics. They help to reduce abnormal motion while you walk or run and equally disperse pressure on the bottom of your feet to realign the structures of your foot. By doing so, custom orthotics improve the foot’s structure and help prevent bone misalignment, as well as tendon and ligament fatigue. As your foot strikes the ground, orthotics within the shoe gently direct the structures into the correct position, reducing pain and stopping inflammation.
Our custom orthotic inserts are known as every foot and ankle’s ”Secret Weapon”. We design the insoles individually using eight different materials. We use our extensive examination, x-ray findings, height, weight, and age; plus your activity to determine what device we should construct for you.
If you would like to learn more about ways in which Dr. Lee S. Cohen and Associates can provide some answers about pain related to the body and or our custom orthotics and how they can help you build a stronger foundation for better movement, we recommend setting up an appointment for a complete evaluation by calling the office at (610) 522-9200 or by emailing us at leecohenassociates@gmail.com.
Dr. Lee S. Cohen & Associates, Foot and Ankle Medical Center specializing in Podiatric Sports Medicine provides complete foot and ankle health care for the entire family serving the South Jersey, Philadelphia and surrounding areas with two convenient office locations: 2005 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003 and 642 E. Chester Pike Ridley Park, PA 19078.