Fallen Arches - Fact or Fallacy?

Is there such a thing as "fallen arches"? Usually when people say they have flat feet or fallen arches, they have flexible feet, though there are exceptions.

The plantar fascia band on the bottom of the foot is similar to the bow-string of an archery bow. Over many years the plantar fascia band may gain length. Partially this is true because of bony growth called a heel or bone spur.

Another result of this fascia lengthening is that people think their feet are growing longer, but they didn't "grow". With the loosening plantar fascia band the foot elongates or spreads out. This is especially common if a person has put on a lot of weight. 

Oddly enough, the most flattening of the foot occurs on hard flat man surfaces. If you step in sand or soft earth, even a flexible foot is firmer than the ground, so instead of the foot giving to the ground, the ground gives-in to the foot. This is why Footform custom orthotics mimic the natural footprint in sand, so that the foot remains in a natural state while weight-bearing.

www.Footform.com

Prevent Fractures: Tips for Better Balance

Have you ever lost your balance? Of course you have, and it's usually no big deal. But if loosing your balance results in a fall, the result can be serious. According to a recent Swedish study, impaired balance is associated with triple the risk of hip fracture! 

As we age, bones may become more brittle and the risk for fractures increases. As a person gets more sedentary and moves less in their life, they lose flexibility and balance along with other types of fitness. This can happen regardless of a person's age, and is especially important for older people. 

Balance requires mobility in motion. Have you ever balanced a yardstick or pole vertically on the palm of your hand? You'll notice that to keep the pole vertical you must move your hand around. If you hold your hand still, the pole falls off your hand.

So how does this relate to keeping your balance as you're standing "still". Well, when you stand, if you keep your knees soft (slightly bent), your pelvis/hips are free to move. Your potential for mobility is increased. If you lock your knees (keep them straight), you lose mobility, and your balance worsens. This is a subtle difference, but a difference that is very important as we age. 

The ASBMR (American Society for Bone and Mineral Research) published the article, Lack of Balance Predicts Fractures. They cited a recent medical study in Sweden, and Karl Michaelsson, M.D., P.H.D., of the Uppsala University Hospital in Uppsala Sweden. In the study, impaired balance was associated with double the risk of any fracture!

Here are some tips to improve your balance as you stand:

• Bend your knees a little EVERY time you stand AND Walk.
• Keep your hips loose. Visualize the Hula dance and practice bending your knees and moving your hips in circles.
• Feel the ground with your feet. Concentrate on "sinking" your weight through your feet into the ground.

For advanced practice, do all of the above while standing on one foot. Be sure to alternate feet.

www.Footform.com

Using Gait Analysis to Spot Terrorists

The scientists at JPL (NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California) have taken gait analysis to a new high. So high, that scientist Adrian Stoica says it should be possible to identify a person (from a satellite) by the shapes and patterns their shadow makes as they walk across the earth. At least, this is what New Scientist Tech reported in their article, Shadow Analysis could Spot Terrorists by their Walk, Sept. 4, 2008. Stoica claims that satellite and aerial footage could be analyzed to extract the useful gait data necessary to catch a terrorist from the sky.

Yes, it's true that a person can be identified (more or less) by his gait, though it's not a fingerprint, more of a generalization. But the problem is with the premise behind this effort that says people cannot easily disguise their gait. People can change their gait. Everyday at my Footform Performance clinic in Bend, Oregon, we train people to change their gait.

Besides, this idea of satellite gait analysis seems like a really dumb idea that costs a lot of money. Every actor in a play or movie changes their gait to match their idea of the character they are playing. What happens if the person being looked for takes off his hat? Or puts one on? Maybe he'll wear a speedo one day and a raincoat the next. What happens if he opens an umbrella or walks over a pile of rocks? Gait Analysis from space is an unnecessary expenditure of brainpower and money.

Set an appointment at Footform for gait training and gait analysis and you'll walk back and forth in front of and alongside a mirror as I coach you. No shadows and satellites. Just down to earth gait analysis. You'll feel better for only a fraction of the cost of an aerial photo.

www.Footform.com

call for your appointment 541-389-4547

The Low-down on High Fashion Heels

Six inch dress heels for women are selling. In fact, according to today's article in The Wall Street Journal, "Women Fall Head Over Heels for Shoe Makers' Arch Designs", by Teri Agins, this super-high segment of the shoe industry is selling so well that Manolo Blanik says it accounts for about 30% of his company's business.

Despite the craziness of fashion, the most disturbing thing to me was to read was that Podiatric Surgeons are injecting cosmetic fillers such as Restylane or Juvederm to plump up the balls of the feet (metatarsal area of the foot) in an effort to ease the painful pressures on the forefoot caused by these high heels.

So here's what I have to say about these sky high shoes -- Don't wear them!  Sprained ankles, artificial interventions (like injecting cosmetic fillers), and strained joints(from the gait change the shoes impose) can cause injuries that can impact your life for years.

If you want to appear tall, improve your posture. But more than that, remember that others don't see you statically, like in a photograph or the way you see yourself in front of a mirror. People perceive your age and attractiveness before they ever get close enough to see if you have a wrinkle. How you carry yourself in motion can convey confidence, athleticism, flexibility and strength.   

High heels seen in motion promote the opposite of this. High heels hobble your body's motion and athleticism. You may think you look great standing still, but do you want to be hobbled and risk injury? Hobbling is defined as strapping together the legs of an animal (such as a horse)to slow it down and prevent it from straying, or to cause a person to limp. Psychologically, hobbling yourself for the sake of fashion creates a conflict between the fashion desires of your mind and the natural health of your body.

Your body has a wisdom and intelligence that knows when it's being impaired by a terrible choice of footwear. Choose to look at fashions that hobble your movement as promoting weakness rather than strength.

www.Footform.com

Repetitive Strain Means its Time for a Change

 I used to watch the Canadian TV comedy program, The Red Green Show (when my local Oregon Public Broadcasting OPB carried it). They often ended the show with a group of roughneck guys in the Possum Lodge repeating their credo, "I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess."

To many people, change is a concept they resist. Repetitive strain injuries, such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, etc., are small injuries that are repeated until they become chronic. Keep doing the same thing and the injury only gets worse. The solution is to change your gait and stance habits. Albert Einstein is reported to have said, "The definition of insanity is to doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."

Here's the list of things you can do to eliminate repetitive strain by changing your habits:

• Accept that you have to change.
• Obtain the information/education that offers you an alternative to your usual habit.
• Seek out training aids such as orthotics.
• Think of a slogan or mantra to repeat to yourself as a reminder. My favorite reminder is, "Feet straight, bend the knees."
• Visualize proper form. Picture in your mind someone who's moving the way you would like to move and emulate that vision whenever you think about it.
• Affirm to yourself that you are improving. My favorite mantra is, "I'm getting better and better."

Change takes time. Don't be too hard on yourself or expect to much too soon. Positive change happens daily, one step at a time.

Read more of my Gait Training articles on this blog.

www.Footform.com

Athletics and Orthotics: Fencing

Orthotics are the necessary foundation when you're on your feet in a sport, wearing footwear. Whether you're in an athletic shoe, bike shoe, ski boot, water sandal, fishing waders, mountaineering boots, golf shoes, etc, shoe insert orthotics are key to top performance.  

You can't see the orthotic, but it's in the shoe enhancing the performance of the athlete. The orthotic facilitates optimal foot position by providing a cradle contour for the foot's optimal position on the ground, guiding the foot to the strongest biomechanical function. 

I began making custom orthotics in 1980 (in the Alpine Ski Industry) and have been learning and developing my expertise and shoe insole product ever since. Research involved in creating my custom footbeds is both observational and experiential. Not only do I make custom orthotics for a variety of athletes and skill levels, I also participate in sports so that I personally understand the demands an athlete makes on their body. 

Epee Fencing is a sport I took up about 3 years ago, following my 14 year old daughter Isabella Acosta Barna into the sport. Learning a new sport at any age is exciting mentally and physically. Isabella has inspired me to get off the sidelines and get on the fencing strip. Sharing the sport of epee fencing is a joy and a delightful bond with my teenage daughter.

Isabella is a natural fencer. At age 14 she won a Bronze in the under 20 age group (Junior) at the U.S. Fencing Summer Nationals 2008 in July, also earning her "A" rating as a fencer. Comparatively, I'm a duffer, but I workout hard with Isabella and she's training me well. This year I did win 3rd (a Bronze medal) in the Oregon State Games Veterans Epee division. The competition was held at the Northwest Fencing Center in Beaverton, Oregon where Isabella is trained by the head coach, Sebastian Dos Santos.

Sports not only develop fitness, they are important for relationships of all types. My involvement with fencing has led me to volunteer at our local club, the High Desert Fencing Club in Bend, Oregon. I'm the President and along with a Board of supportive parents we're building a non-profit club that develops young fencers in the Central Oregon area. It's a great place for kids and adults to connect through sports.

Here are some photos of Isabella and I fencing. The top photo is of me (on the left) fencing in a regional competition at the Northwest Fencing Center in Beaverton, Oregon. The second photo is of Isabella in a North America Cup competition.  Of course, both Isabella and I are wearing Footform orthotics! 

The Northwest Fencing Center in Bend, Oregon is a 501C3 non-profit. All donations are tax-deductible. Contact me at my Footform Performance clinic phone 541-389-4547 to make a donation to the Fencing club. Donations pay for both infrastructure (rent, equipment, etc.) and for youth scholarships.  Fencing skills are in demand at good universities and are a big plus on any young person's college application. 

Walk with Gravity (But Remember to Smile!)

Gravity is the relentless force that you feel as weight on your feet. Good thing, because we'd all be flying off into space without gravity. So what is so important about remembering the basic law of gravity?

There are 2 ways to think about gravity as it relates to your gait. You work with gravity or you fight it.

• When you fight gravity your gait is mostly up on your toes (or forefoot).
• Work with gravity by bending your ankles and sinking into the ground (exagerate ankle bend so that your entire foot is on the ground).

Here's a test you can do to find out how you're working with gravity.

1. Stand with your knees and ankles slightly flexed.
2. Now bounce gently.

If your first movement is up -- you're bouncing on your toes and tend to be working against gravity. (And developing strains and pains in your body.)

If your first movement is to slightly bend your knees and go down before you go up, you are working with gravity. Good for you!

Bouncing "up" mostly on your toes doesn't use your entire foot and places strain on your toes and forefoot. You'll tend to lean forwards to move with each step. The result is strain and eventually pain.

Bending your knees and ankles has the opposite effect. Your balance becomes grounded, steady and secure. You expend less energy and are stable.

So what do you do when you walk so that you are working with gravity? Keep your feet straight and bend your knees and ankles as you walk. Exaggerate the movement when you first practice this. Integrate knee and ankle bend into every step of your day and you'll find your balance and muscle tone improving and minor aches and pains related to walking will diminish. Less pain and more strength is surely a reason to smile.

Randall Barna www.Footform.com

Personalizing Your Footwear with Custom Orthotics

If you want luxury for your feet replace a removable shoe insert with Footform Orthotics. Most mid to high-end sport specific footwear have removable inserts. Taking that shoe insert out and replacing it with a Footform orthotic gives you a custom fit that makes your footwear the foundation of a positive experience. Whether that's in the field, on a golf green, ski slope, bike, bowling alley lane or on the dance floor. During the second half of your appointments at the Footform Performance office in Bend, Oregon, we fit the orthotics to the shoes that you either wear most often, or the shoe in which you specifically intend to use the orthotic. One of our satisfied customers, Terry Scoville, of Womens Hunting Journal, shared her experience of a hunting boot she customized with a Footform orthotic.

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Review from Woman's Hunting Journal: LaCrosse AlpahaBurley Sport Insulated by Terry Scoville

I recently spoke with a representative at LaCrosse Footwear, to find out what they'll be offering women hunters this Fall. I was surprised to learn that they are discontinuing a few styles. The good news is that the model I have they are going to continue providing. Specifically the AlphaBurley Sport Insulated 18" Realtree Hardwood HD 800 Gr. boot, style #200037 (soon to be style # 200044) as of July 2008. I bought mine last Fall and used them alot throughout the waterfowl season. Firstly, they are offered in whole sizes only, so go up to the next whole size if you wear a half size. With that said, mine are awesome and show no signs of abuse after their first season afield. I replaced the factory foot bed with my own custom orthotics http://www.footform.com/ and the fit is wonderful. I found the Alpha Burley boots to be nimble, lightweight and not cumbersome. The sole has sufficient traction and support, so as not to be flimsy in any way what so ever. The fleece lining has held up to my abuse and shows no sign of wear. There is an adjustable gusset at top back with a cam buckle if you want them snugged up, for real nasty mud. They weigh in at 5.5 lbs. per pair. I used mine for late season goose hunting and my feet were toasty warm. Even late season goose hunting in my layout blind, & on snow for 4-5 hours at a time. My backside got a bit frosty, but not my feet. In conclusion for women hunters, I highly recommend the AlphaBurley boots. Especially if you're wanting something other than hip waders or your leather field boots for hunting. http://www.lacrossefootwear.com/

How to Walk Like a Very Old Person

Of course you don't really want to walk like an old person. What may surprise you is that the impression of age starts long before you get close enough to a person to see a wrinkle. A person's gait and posture conveys their strength, balance, and flexibility.

Walking is propulsion. As toddlers we all start with a stiff-legged stance and leaning forwards to create motion. I call this "The Leaning Tower Stride". Once you're past the age of three, this stride will only make you look old.

I see variations of the Leaning Tower Stride constantly in my Footform Performance clinic in Bend, Oregon. This stride uses fewer joints: the hip and toe (metatarsal) joints -- therefore a person with a injury or ache may default to this style of movement. The hip is used as a hinge joint instead of as a ball and socket. The forward momentum of the stride is created by jutting the neck and shoulders forward. This brings the top of the body in front of the feet creating a "fall" where each leg "catches up" with the rest of the body.

The result of this bio-mechanical movement is that the body is on the edge of losing balance constantly and the hip and toe joints get undue stress. All sorts of problems come with too much stress on joints.

The solution is a balanced stride. The body is in an athletic position with the knees slightly bent. Pretend you are receiving a tennis serve or flexing before a golf swing. As you go through your daily activity here are the things to keep in mind for healthy movement:

• Bend your knees and point your feet straight ahead as you walk.
• Focus on the back foot in the stride staying on the ground as long as possible and pushing you off from behind.
  
• Do a few practice hula dance movements to loosen the hips.
• Keep your abs toned (Keep your stomach muscles firm, pulling inwards towards the spine.)
• Wobble your head and shoulders loosely to feel the center of the joints. (This takes practice - a mirror and a coach helps here).
  

When you're ready for some one-on-one training, call Footform Performance and schedule an appointment. We offer stance and gait training appointments, including a private walking lesson at my clinic in Bend, Oregon
www.Footform.com 541-389-4547

Feet Can Change - Chinese Foot Binding

Have you ever wondered if abuse to your feet changes their form and function?

Ever been a slave to fashion? The Chinese practice of foot binding distorted the feet for fashion to the point that the woman was permanently disabled. Though these photos show you the terrible physical deformation that is the result Chinese foot binding, don't think that the Chinese are the only culture that has a tradition that damages feet. If your feet ever ached in terrible shoes for the sake of fashion, all you have to do to see the painful result of a cultural aesthetic ideal is to look down.

Foot pain caused by shoes is not harmless! These pictures illustrate how much feet can change if abused. The tradition of foot binding was to shorten the length of the foot thus fitting it into tiny, pointed toe shoes. The feet were distorted with tight wraps and crammed into tight shoes to the point where they were permanently disfigured. In turn, the women were completely hobbled.

As arcane as the practice of foot binding seems it is still practiced in the fashions of today in both Europe, Asia and the Americas. These pictures of the sleek new styles are examples of what is hot in Japanese fashion now. Notice the resemblance of the modern shoe to the cultural aesthetic of the past?

Shoes have a purpose and that is to protect your feet. Shoes are unique in the fact that they are absolutely necessary, yet also quite frivolous. Be careful when you buy shoes. Try to make the shoes a healthy choice that is good for you, not the other way around. Don't damage yourself in the name of fashion.

To find out how "dressy" you can go, get your feet and footwear checked at: www.footform.com