Many lower back and limb problems can be caused by feet defects such as an abnormal arch. Just as a house relies upon its foundation to give a firm, horizontal support in order to keep all of the main structure vertically erect, your body relies upon its own feet to provide a good and efficient base to keep an anatomically correct standing posture.

Firstly let us have a brief history lesson;

In 1756 a British engineer (John Smeaton) made the first modern concrete. In 1824 an English inventor (Joseph Aspdin) invented Portland Cement, which has remained the dominant cement used in concrete production. Reinforced concrete was invented in 1849 by a Parisian gardener (Joseph Monier) who received a patent in 1867 & promoted reinforced concrete for use in railway ties, pipes, floors, arches, and bridges.

Why is this important and what has it got to do with your feet?

Our feet were designed to work efficiently with the environment that exists naturally, generally with a soft strata that is inherently uneven. This gave our feet and ankles exercise as they continually adjusted to each individual footfall which in turn strengthened the musculoskeletal system and kept the various components pliable.

Unfortunately nobody remembered to redesign the foot in the 19th century so that it could handle the colossal change in the environment, indeed it was already having enough problems overcoming the implications of people wearing localised straight jackets otherwise known as shoes.

The net result of these two major changes caused the foot to lose the ability to cope with carrying out its primary function of keeping a moving body fully balanced without suffering damage that eventually leads to the collapse of the skeletal system above. What now happens is that we bring our foot down to meet an unforgiving surface and the impact forces (that used to be transmitted into the soft earthy surface) are bounced off of the concrete - straight back into the foot.

These forces then cause a tremendous vibration and subsequent damage to the joints and muscles within the foot, over time this becomes unbearable to the structure and the problem worsens until pain is apparent. This pain is, however, not necessarily felt in the foot as the skeletal system undergoes a number of curvatures in order to minimise the strain upon the foot and ankle joints.

Being overweight aggravates the condition as, typically, 2 1/2 times your body weight goes into each step due to the inertia of walking forward. Indeed the faster you go, and the firmer the material you are propelling yourself upon, the more discomfort you encounter.

Ask yourself these questions, it may give you an indication regarding your need for Orthotics. Are my pains worse on hard flat surfaces? Does the pain worsen, the faster I go? Do I suffer from hard patches of skin (especially on the ball of my big toes)? Does my big toe tend to push itself into the second toe? Am I flat footed when my foot is weight bearing? Not all of these questions have to be yes, but the more conditions that you recognise, the more likely that you would benefit from Orthotics.

Using a highly accurate template system, or by taking a foam mould, it is simple to prescribe individually sculptured inserts that correct the function of the foot, in turn achieving skeletal balance. The series of curves that the body has adapted to, in order to protect the feet, will be subsequently eliminated leading to an overall improvement of the efficiency of the musculoskeletal system and, indirectly, the performance of the body as a whole.

Key Benefits

• Optimizes the position of the foot when walking, running and standing
• Corrects flat feet, persistent ankle sprains, bunions, corns etc.
• Removes stress and pain from knees, hips, back and even neck
• Easily transferred between different pairs of similarly styled shoes
• Range suitable for trainers, casual, classic and court shoe styles

Capabilities

Specialized skeletal balancing system technique employed utilizing a series of paired templates, coupled with corrective wedges ensures an accurate assessment every time.

The benefit will often be instantly apparent, even at the time of examination - they are, after all, individually designed specifically for your feet.

Typical testimonial

Mr. V. A. - Director
I feel taller, more erect and better balanced than I can ever remember. The tension and pain that I had experienced for so long, and had put down to age, has gone and I enjoy hill walking all over again.

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