Why Do I Need Orthotics?

If your feet don't work right, you hurt ALL over.  Remember the old song, "the foot bone's connected to the shin bone, the shin bone's connected to the thigh bone ... all the way up to the neck bone"?  Well, your aching feet, your trick knee, your stiff back or that crick in your neck may come from abnormal foot bio-mechanics.

Your physical therapist, with special training in biomechanics, a branch of medical science dealing with human motion and posture, will evaluate you from head to toe, both dynamically (while moving) and statically (when at rest).

Some of the mechanisms observed during this type of examination are supination (rolling out)  and pronation (collapsing in)  of your feet.  If abnormal, a very important aspect of your treatment will be the prescription of functional foot orthotics.

Here at Schubbe Resch Chiropractic and Physical Therapy Centers, we do prescribe functional foot orthotics.  Functional orthotics capture the neutral position for the sub-talar joint.  During casting, the therapists find the mid-stance position to compensate for foot deformities. Posts or wedges built in the orthotics allow the foot to function around its neutral position.

Our office also offers pre-made orthotics.  This type of orthotic may be helpful for some patients,  however, the orthotics will accommodate whatever position the foot is in along with any deformities that are present.  The off-the -shelf orthotics are not made to correct deformities.  Their main purpose is to redistribute plantar pressure to prevent pain.

Insurance plans may or may not cover custom orthotics, and usually will not cover off-the -shelf orthotics.  However, the cost to the patient may be worth the reduction in foot and spine pain.

What Does Light Therapy Do?

Here is a list of what light therapy can do:

• Increase circulation by increasing the formation of new capillaries, which are additional blood vessels that replace damaged ones.  New capillaries speed up the healing process by carrying more oxygen as well as more nutrients needed for healing and they can also carry more waste products away.
• Stimulate the production of collagen,  Collagen is the most common protein found in the body.  Collagen is the essential protein used to repair damaged tissue and to replace old tissue.  It is the substance that holds cells together and has a high degree of elasticity.  By increasing collagen production, less scar tissue is formed at the damaged site.
• Stimulate the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).  ATP is the major carrier of energy to all cells.  Increases in ATP allow cells to accept nutrients faster and get rid of waste products faster by increasing the energy level in the cell.  All food turns into ATP before it is utilized by the cells.  ATP provides the chemical energy that drives the chemical reaction of the cell.
• Increase lymphatic system activity.  Edema, which is the swelling or natural splinting of the body, has two basic components.  The first is a liquid part which can be evacuated by the blood system and the second is comprised of the proteins which have to be evacuated by the lymphatic system.  Research has shown that the lymph vessel diameter and the flow of the lymph system can be doubled with the use of light therapy.  The venous diameter and the arterial diameters can also be increased.  This means that both parts of edema (liquid and protein) can be evacuated at  a much faster rate to relieve swelling.
• Increase RNA and DNA synthesis.  This helps damaged cells to be replaced more promptly.
• Reduce the  excitability of nervous tissue.  The photons of light energy enter the body as negative ions.  The calls upon the body to send positive ions like calcium among others to go to the area being treated.  These ions assist in firing the nerves thereby relieving pain.
• Stimulate fibroblastic activity which aids in the repair process.  Fibroblasts are present in connective tissue and are capable of forming collagen fibers.
• Increase phagocytosis, which is the process of scavenging for and ingesting dead or degenerated cells by phagocyte cells for the purpose of clean up. This is an important part of the infection fighting process.  Destruction of the infection and clean up must occur before the healing process can take place.
• Induce a thermal like effect in the tissue.  The light raises the temperature of the cells although there is no heat produced from the light therapy diodes themselves.
• Stimulate tissue granulation and connective tissue projections, which are part of the healing process of wounds, ulcers, or inflamed tissue.
• Stimulate acetylcholine release.  Acetylocholine causes cardiac inhibition, vasodilation, gastrointestinal peristalsis and other parasympathetic effects.

Posture Pointers

How Important is Good Posture?

Posture ranks right up at the top of the list when you are talking about good health.  It is as important as eating right, exercising, getting a good night's sleep, and avoiding potentially harmful substances.  Good posture is a way of doing things with more energy, less stress, and less fatigue.  Surprised?  Well you are not alone.  The importance of good posture in an overall fitness program is often overlooked by fitness advisers and fitness seekers alike.  In fact, the benefits of good posture may be among the best kept secrets of the current fitness movement.  The good news is that most everyone can avoid the problems caused by bad posture - and you can make improvements at any time.

What Does Bad Posture Look Like?

When you have poor posture, the body's proper vertical position is out of alignment and the back's natural curves become distorted.  There are three common poor postures:

Head Forward or Slouched Posture:

• rounded shoulders
• head forward, rounded upper back
• arched lower back
• protruding buttocks
• flattened chest
• abdominal organs sag, crowding and making more work for heart and lungs

Military Posture:

• head pulled back
• should blades tightly pulled back
• arched lower back
• knees locked
• minimizes the spinal column's ability to be a shock absorber for the body

Slumped Sitting Posture:

• upper back humped or too rounded
• head forward
• rounded upper back
• often starts in teenage years

What Does Perfect Posture Look Like?

Perfect standing posture is when the following are properly aligned - the points between your eyes, chin, collarbone, breastbone, pubic area and midpoint between your ankles.

From the side, you can easily see the three natural curves in your back.  From the front, your shoulders, hips and knees are of equal height; your head is held straight, not tilted or turned to one side.  From the back, the little bumps on your spine should be in a straight line down the center of your back.

Obviously, no one spends all day in this position, but if you naturally assume a proper relaxed standing posture, you will carry yourself in a more balanced position and with less stress in your other activities.

Improving Your Posture

When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance.  If you stand all day in a job like a cashier or clerk, rest one foot on a stool or take breaks to get off of your feet for a while.

When sitting - use a chair with firm low back support.  Keep desk or table elbow high, adjust the chair or use a footrest to keep pressure off the back of the legs, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips.  Get up and stretch frequently - every hour if you sit for long periods of time.  Do not sit on a fat wallet - it can cause hip imbalances. 

When working on a computer - take a one or two minute break every 20 minutes.  Keep your computer screen 15 degrees below eye level.  Place reference materials on a copy stand even with and close to the terminal.

When sitting in a car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips.  Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back.

When sleeping -  sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow to make your head level with your spine.  Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head.  Use a small pillow or chiropractic pillow under your neck instead.  Avoid sleeping on your stomach.

When lifting - let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your low back.  Stand close to the object, then squat down and straddle it if possible.  Grasp the object and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up.  Carry the object close to your body.

When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time.  To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.

If you follow these practices, but still feel discomfort and pain related to specific activities, visit your Doctor of Chiropractic periodically for spinal checkups and for a postural evaluation for yourself and your children.

Whiplash

The classic cause of whiplash is the rear-end automobile accident.  In a rear end collision, the victim's car is first pushed forward and then, because their foot is either on the brake or they hit the car in front, the victim's car is quickly slowed down.  At first, the body is pushed forward but the head stays behind.  This causes the muscles and ligaments of the neck to be stretched or torn.  A properly positioned head rest can lessen some of this movement, but in most cases, the damage is done before the head even hits the head rest.

For some accident victims, the symptoms of whiplash can take several weeks or months to appear.  A person who has immediate symptoms is actually lucky because they are more likely to seek treatment. Whiplash symptoms consist of a stiff neck, neck pain, persistent headaches, irritability, shoulder pain, difficulty swallowing, blurred vision, ringing ears, nausea, dizziness, and vertigo.  Victims may experience burning pain, prickling or tingling.

Studies have found that chiropractic adjustments to the neck resulted in significant improvements and outcomes for patients with whiplash injuries.  Early activity and mobilization (chiropractic adjustment) were more effective in treating whiplash than standard medical treatment consisting of rest and a soft collar.

Research has clearly shown that chiropractic care is effective for the care of whiplash injuries and is more effective than other forms of care.  If you suspect you may have sustained a whiplash injury from a car accident, or from any significant blow to your body, you should schedule a chiropractic checkup.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue.  This debilitating, yet preventable disease increases the fragility of the bone making it more likely to break.  The consequences of osteoporosis can be devastating.  Many disregard the severity of the disease and may consider it a normal part of aging.  This is not true.  Osteoporosis can lead to fractures primarily of the hip, spine, and wrist.

There are factors that increase our risk that are out of our control like our gender and race.  However, there are lifestyle choices that reduce our risk that are under our control like diet and exercise.
Risk factors that you can change:

• Hormone levels - have your estrogen level checked if you feel that these levels are low, especially after menopause.
• Activity levels - weight-bearing exercise is essential for building and maintaining bone health.
• Diet - a diet inadequate in calcium and Vitamin D is detrimental to bone health, especially from childhood through the mid 20's.
• Smoking - may interfere with calcium absorption and women who smoke typically have lower levels of estrogen than non-smokers do.
• Drinking - more than 2-3 drinks per day may cause bone loss.
• Medications - the long-term use of steroids can lead to bone loss and an increase in fractures.

If you already have osteoporosis, you might wonder whether you should exercise at all.  The answer for most people is YES!  Your chiropractor can help you develop an individualized exercise program that you can perform safely and is specific for your needs.  Our Six Weeks To Wellness Program is a perfect example.  You can also ask your chiropractor about calcium supplements that are easy for your body to absorb.