Save Money on Your Athletic Shoes

The old maxim, "It fits like an old shoe," doesn't mean "it's" good for you. Old athletic shoes, even if the uppers look good, wear down where the foot has stressed them. The insole packs down and is no longer functional. This is especially true of athletic shoes. 

The proper athletic shoe for your foot along with a  good orthotic may reduce repetitive strain injuries, the bane of any athlete or casual exerciser who works out regularly.

Athletic shoes are no longer as functional and supportive after roughly 500 miles. Active people walk about 5 miles per day. If you're wearing your sports shoes as your everyday shoes, be sure to add this mileage to your training mileage. As a general rule, a pair of well used athletic shoes has about 100 days of use. After that, the shoes have compressed cushioning (especially in the midsole) and have developed wear patterns that can accentuate poor gait and stance habits.

Here are a few tips to extend the life of your athletic shoes and save money:

• Footform orthotics extend the life of your shoes by spreading out pressures more evenly throughout the shoe. 
• Date your shoe when you start to use it (with a permanent marker) and half-way through the shoe's life add a new pair to your closet and alternate use between the 2 pairs. Continue to stagger the use of your shoes, throwing out the old pair.

At Footform Performance Center in Bend, Oregon, you can set a half-hour appointment for gait analysis and shoe consulting. Call my office 541-389-4547.

Note: Some specialty athletic shoe stores will recycle old athletic shoes. 

www.Footform.com

Balance Everyday with Easy 1 Minute Exercise

Tipping over is a problem as we age. Toddlers tip over often as they walk, getting better and better at not falling as they practice. Most of us go through life on the walking and standing skills we developed as a child. We don't realize that balance is a learned skill, something we have to practice and nurture. If we don't practice our balance skills, as we age tipping over may start to happen again. Only with age, the consequences of falling can be dire.

Balance requires always moving to find balance. It's a subtle thing. Even though a person may appear to be perfectly still as they stand, muscles and nerves are constantly working to maintain equilibrium. Staying centered takes awareness.

Practice your balance skills with these easy tips: This exercise can take as little as 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise throughout your day.

• Keep Moving: Practice bending your knees different amounts while you walk and stand.
  
• While standing, practice shifting your weight in this order:(Both feet hip width apart, pointing straight ahead)

1. Toe - Heel - Back to Center
2. Shift Right - Shift Left - Back to Center
3. Roll to the Outside of the Foot - Roll to the Inside of the Foot - Back to Center

www.Footform.com

Get Off Your Butt and on Your Feet

Scientists that include a group of paleontologists and students directed by John W.K. Harris of Rutgers University in collaboration with the National Museums of Kenya have found the oldest evidence of a human footprint, one they've dated at approximately 1.5 million years ago.

The New York Times article, Prints Show a Modern Foot in Prehumans, by John Noble Wilford, details the discovery  that  helps to explain that "human ancestors had adapted the ability for long-distance walking and running."

If the recent trends for human activity continue, finding footprints will be harder than ever. In most of the U.S. human kind is spending more time on their butts.

Walking and running were a huge advantage is the evolution of human kind. The best walkers and runners prospered from their improved opportunities being upright and agile. A good stride and the ability to move easily could make the difference between life and death. 

Things have changed. Except for the athletes among us, most Americans are no longer moving their bodies the way they were designed to be moved. We've become a culture addicted to screen-time and the result could be deadly. 

For the first time in America, it's likely that if obesity trends persist, this generation of young people will die at a younger age that their parents. Currently one third of all American's under age 18 are either overweight or obese. Eighty percent of the youth that are obese grow up to become obese adults.

This information is so disturbing that my family supports the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an alliance between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation to combat childhood obesity. My daughter, Isabella Acosta Barna is a volunteer on the Alliance's Youth Advisory Board and encourages other kids to live a healthy lifestyle. You can read about her activities on her blog.  

I believe strongly that a healthy, strong foot and optimal gait are part of the foundation of a healthy life. I write this blog to help people realize the importance of foot health and how to achieve their best results.

www.Footform.com

Call for an appointment: 541-389-4547

Sports Pedorthist - Supporting the Athlete and Active Person

A lot of people don't know what a Certified Pedorthist is or does. Pedorthics is a specialty in foot orthotics and shoes. It's often confused with Podiatrist. The difference is that Podiatrists are doctors treating a variety of foot related ailments, including doing minor surgeries and prescribing drugs. Podiatrists also prescribe and provide orthotics. 

The big difference between getting orthotics from a Pedorthist (me), rather than a Podiatrist is that the Pedorthist is a specialist who usually fabricates the orthotic and fits it into shoes. Podiatrists usually send out their orthotics for fabrication. Because of cost and insurance issues, many Podiatrists and Pedorthists are turning to the less effective pre-fabricated, off - the - shelf orthotics.

The majority of Pedorthists across the U.S. focus on the diabetic foot problem. But, there is a small niche in pedorthics called Sports Pedorthists.  Regionally (the Pacific Northwest), I am a widely known Sports Pedorthist, and operate my Footform Performance Orthotics Center in Bend, Oregon. Though I do make orthotics for clients with diabetes and other maladies, my specialty is custom orthotics for the active person with repetitive strain injuries and issues.

Sports Pedorthists have the skills to fit orthotics into specialty athletic shoes, such as ski boot orthotics, skating orthotics, cycling orthotics, running orthotics and golf orthotics. Maybe you're thinking that, "Hey, anybody can put an orthotic in a shoe." Here's the answer. A Sports Pedorthist spends a lot of time analyzing the athletes biomechanics, their sport and their footwear. Fitting the orthotics into the specialty shoe correctly makes a huge positive difference to the athlete's performance and relief of strain.

At Footform Performance Orthotics center, in Bend, Oregon, our foot orthotics price includes 2 one-hour appointments to ensure the best result. 

Bend, Oregon is a vacation area and many of my clients visit Bend for a vacation or to participate in one of the many races and sports events in Bend. They'll get their orthotics while they are here. I have many clients from around the country that will get their foot molds on file with me, then have me mail them duplicate orthotics over the years. 

Call my Footform Sports Orthotics clinic in Bend, Oregon for an appointment, 541-389-4547.

Email: Randall@Footform.com

website: www.Footform.com

Our Orthotics Materials are Enviro-Safe

All of our Footform foot orthotics are artisan made in our labs. That means that not only are the technicians making the foot insoles exposed to the orthotics materials, but that any pollutants present are released into the local area.

In the old days orthotics were made out of a rigid plastic known as rohadur. Rohadur was banned due to it's harmful environmental impact. The substance also lacked shock absorbing properties. Rohadur was old and bad technology.

My Footform orthotics are made from non-toxic polyurethanes and cork (a renewable resource).

Many years ago, before it was cool (in the early 1990's) I developed my current enviro-safe orthotics materials and fabrication process. Here's why: I personally make orthotics and work with the materials, as well as supply colleagues with the visco elastic polymer orthotics supplies so that they can fabricate orthotics. It's important to me that the technicians have a safe working environment. Also, during those years, my wife and baby were in the office during much of the day, and I wanted to ensure their health.  An added plus is that my Footform orthotics last for many years (5 to 10 years) and I am confident that my clients are using a safe product.  

If you're looking for a safe and effective orthotics material, contact me and I will talk with you about my orthotics materials and supplies. I named the product Viscork (TM), and it is packaged for distribution.  

Randall Barna 541-389-4547

www.Footform.com

Keep Your Balance on Your Feet and In Your Life

Having good balance keeps you from falling down. And I'm not only talking about tripping and falling. Balance goes beyond your feet and relates to your life. A commitment to balance in all things helps with your life. Balance is all about movement, continually finding that sweet-spot between two extremes.

Here's an example: Imagine a teeter-totter or see-saw, the children's toy in many playgrounds. If one side is over-loaded the teeter-totter gets stuck on one side and movement stops. The eventual outcome of less movement for the human body is a sedentary life that can result in a wheelchair. 

Physical skills for balance: (Here are the 2 main skills most of us have.)

• Feel for the ground: Sensing your foot you are aware of where the pressures of your weight is on your foot. The more foot you have on the ground, the more stable you are in most cases. Experiment with movement heel-to-toe and inner-to-outer side of your foot, especially when walking.
• Vision: Most people rely on their vision for balance. When vision tilts the body corrects. Try closing your eyes and walking around (in a safe place) to see how much you rely on your vision.
• Inner Ear: Not under our control.

Our goal is to use both visual skills and your feel for the ground. Here are some tips to improve your balance:

• Walk backwards: Your feel for the ground is enhanced because you can't see where you're going.
  
• Orthotics: The point of a foot orthotic is to increase your feel for the ground (not just cushion your foot). The exact 3-D matching contour between orthotic and foot helps you sense any movements and to make adjustments so that you keep your balance.
  

www.Footform.com

Flat Feet, High Arches or Pronating, What is Your Foot Type?

Most of my clients are surprised to learn that there are generally 9 factors that determine a person's foot type. I say generally, because there are always exceptions to any organizing system. As a Certified Pedorthist of almost 2 decades and fitting technical athletic footwear since 1970, I've seen many different types of feet. I've developed this list to categorize feet so that I can most quickly identify a orthotic client's concerns and help them. Here are the 9 factors:

Foot Physiology:

• Low Arch foot with Flexible Joints (sometimes referred to as a flat foot)
• High Arch foot with Stiff Joints
• Neutral Arch foot with Moderate Joint Movement

Foot Shape:

• Oblique Toe (Big toe is longer and foot tapers angularly to the small toes).
• Square Toe (Little toes are exceptionally long and big toe is short - The toes are close to the same length).
• Round Toe (Second toe extends longer than the big toe).

Volume: How thick or thin your feet are. Including how much tissue the foot has and how big the bones are of the foot.

• Low volume (Foot could be wide or narrow, but there isn't much bulk to the foot.)
• Mid Volume (Foot is well proportioned.)
• High Volume (Foot is thick, bulky, large boned)

The reason it is important to know that there are nine classifications of feet is to identify the key characteristics of your foot type so that you can focus on comfort footwear or sports performance features that best suit your foot type.

Often a person will choose a shoe based on looks or the advice of a friend, and not really have any idea if the shoe properly fits their foot. As you can see from the list of foot characteristics, there are many variables involved with shoe fitting and depending upon the type of foot you have, you may not easily find the best shoe for your foot without some professional advice.

At Footform Performance Center in Bend, Oregon, we analyze feet, mold and make custom foot orthotics (shoe inserts), then fit the orthotics into the client's footwear. Part of our orthodics service includes shoe consultation and recommendations. Footform custom shoe inserts increase foot comfort and sports performance. I am also available to consult to the shoe industry to create footwear that is designed for the widest variety of foot types.

Call or contact Footform Performance Center, 541-389-4547, 345 SW Century Dr., Bend, OR

Randall@Footform.com

Why are Custom Orthotics Better for You than Off the Shelf Footbeds

Clients will sometimes ask me what the difference is between prefabricated foot orthotics and custom foot orthotics, even sometimes claiming that both orthotics feel the same. Though there is that rare person that has the exact foot match to a generic orthotic contour, usually a person is responding to the cushion of the foot orthotic, a trait that doesn't have a lot to do with performance of the footbed.

Just to look a prefab foot orthotic is impressive. Mass production techniques often result in a snazzy looking foot orthotic  (also called a insole or footbed). Despite the appearance and marketing, a pre-made foot orthotic is generic. The cushiony feel of most pre-fab insoles helps to cover up the lack of a perfect fit.

What really counts when you buy a foot orthotic is the arch contour and how the orthotic fits into the shoe. A foot orthotic you put in your shoe is there to optimally guide your foot so that you can make changes and adjustments in your foot position.

A pre-fab orthotic or insole is low-performance (despite the appearance) because since the contours of the orthotic are generic, you won't notice that your foot is out of position until the movement is obvious. 

A custom made foot orthotic is high-performance because of the exact fit with the contours of your foot. Every move your feet make, you can feel. This is important, because when your foot is moving well, fatigue, over-use and injuries are reduced.

The next step to a successful application of an orthotic is to fit it into a shoe. This requires cutting and grinding skills that fit the foot orthotic into the existing contours of your shoe. It also requires that you are wearing the best shoes for you feet. My next post will be about foot types and shoes.

When you buy a custom foot orthotic you should buy them from a trained technician who can tell you about the optimal use of your foot. They'll educate you about the types of shoes you should wear for your foot type and also fit the orthotic into the shoe. They will give you stance and gait training so that you can get the best out of your foot orthotic.

At Footform Performance Center  we give you that kind of orthotic, shoe and gait training service. Your foot orthotics will both be effective and last for years (rather than most pre-made foot orthotics that compress out of shape within months then live forever in the landfill).

Call or contact Footform Performance in Bend, Oregon for an appointment. 541-389-4547

Custom Ski Boot Fitting

Fun and pain don't go together if you want to excel in sports. Of all of the sport footwear that can really hurt your feet, ski boots are at the top list. Finding a solution to alleviate painful ski boots takes an experienced technician. Custom ski boot fitting is the solution.

In 1966 I was a Certified Ski Technician in Bend, Oregon. I went on to manage, then own a ski shop and spent decades in the ski business before I became a Board Certified Pedorthist. It was a long time ago, and I've learned a lot since then, following snow sports of all types through their life cycles.

During most of the 20th Century, Alpine Downhill skiing was the dominant snow sport. By the 1990's diversity was the trend and now people are on the snow in a variety of ski boots. Custom fitting snow-sport boots is my favorite specialty.

My custom snow sport and custom ski boot fitting service at Footform Orthotics Center in Bend, Oregon is: (We do this process quickly and efficiently because we charge by the hour.)

1. Analyze the boot fitting problem during the appointment which includes a full professional foot exam.
2. Isolate the fit problem determining the footwear compatibility with the foot.
3. Perform alterations.
4. Ski Boot Canting - Check for cant angles and alignment.
   
5. After the custom shoe or boot alterations are done, the client tries the ski boot, skate boot or snowboard boot out on the snow.
6. If necessary, the client returns for a short visit to get the fit tweaked.

At the Footform Performance Clinic in Bend, Oregon I custom fit the following snow riding boots: Footform custom orthotics are included in the process unless the client has an orthotic that is acceptable.

Telemark Ski Boots, AT Boots, Alpine Downhill Ski Boots, Nordic Cross Country Ski Boots, Nordic Skate Boots, Snowboard Boots.

We also sell the Daleboot for Alpine Downhill Skiing. The Daleboot can be a custom fit ski boot with custom shell modifications and thermo formed ski boot liners combined with custom ski boot foot orthotics. The Daleboot can accomodate the wide ski boot customer with alterations. My price includes my custom orthotic footbed for the ski boot. The Daleboot is the ONLY ski boot made in the U.S.A., which means that if a client has a particularly challenging fit problem, it is more likely to be solved in my office by customizing both the ski boot shell, liner and ski boot footbed. Because I work in partnership with the Daleboot factory to fit my client, true custom ski boot fitting is possible in a variety of ski boots size.

Call us at the Footform Performance Clinic 541-389-4547 to set your snow sport and custom ski boot fitting appointment. We're located at 345 SW Century Drive in Bend, Oregon. Century Drive/14th Street is the road to Mt. Bachelor ski area. Get a ski boot fit and test it on the mountain during your visit to Bend, Oregon.

www.Footform.com

Growing Pains: Why Kids Complain

Kids complain about pain in the back of their legs -- calf and hamstring muscles. Commonly referred to as growing pains, these twinges occur because bones grow at a much faster pace than muscles. The problem that youth (ages 10-16) have as they grow is that as soon as their muscles start getting tight during and after a growth spurt, they compensate for the muscle tightness with actions such as toe-walking and pronating. 

• Toe-walking - not "tiptoe" walking, but a stride where the heel does not touch the ground. The pivot point in the stride is at the forefoot instead of the ankle.
• Pronating: The mid-foot collapses inward and  gives the appearance of ankle bend, but is really stress on the foot. 

These gait compensations create strains in the tendons connecting muscles to the foot (plantar fascia and achilles tendon). Then the muscles that attach up the leg become tighter, hence a kid will experience more growing pains. Muscles need to be used, stretched and worked to grow bigger and longer. (This is true at anytime of life.)

When a youth has growing pains, here's what you do:

• Explain to them what's going on.
• Keep them in physically active recreation or sports that don't have a lot of sitting-around time.
• Teach them this simple stretch: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you and your feet against a wall or piece of furniture. With your back straight, use your hands to push your torso forwards until you feel a stretch. Hold this 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
• Remember: Feet straight, bend your knees (just a little) as you walk and stand.

www.Footform.com