360 Foot Care

Forefoot pain can come in several forms. Very common conditions like Bunions and Buionnetts form often from wearing narrow shoes. When these conditions become painful wearing a wide-toe box shoe will help reduce the pressure.

Another common forefoot problem can be attributed to thinning of the feet’s padding. Our feet possess a natural padding of fatty tissue. This tissue is pretty evident when you look at a baby’s feet. Over time as we grow our foot padding thins. Usually this does not create problems but sometimes the thinning foot pad can be a problem. As the padding thins our metatarsal joints, those boney protrusions at the bottom of our feet that connect to our toes, can begin to protrude through the thinned out padding. The same can occur for the heel of the foot. When this occurs we can experience pain when we are standing, walking or jumping. This thinning process can be fast tracked by women when they wear high heel shoes. Wearing high heels shifts weight to the forefoot in an unbalanced way. Overtime the repeated pressure on the pad thins out. When this occurs, typically, the padding is gone for good.

Athletes can experience this from high impact repetitive pounding from running or jumping. To help with this condition it is important to take pressure and/or weight off of the joints. This can be accomplished by wearing a good firm arch support and great shock absorbing shoes. The 360° Foot Care arch support series and Spira shoes are geared toward providing you with the tools needed to help manage your forefoot pain or heel pain attributed to thinning heel padding. See Spira and our arch support selections.

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions. Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Disclaimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

        A very common comment by many of our patients and customers is that they are having problems because of their “flat feet.”  They will often complain of sore joints like hip and knee pain or even back pain and general foot pain. Well, while flat feet can certainly contribute to these conditions the first thing that we always try to do is to educate the patient or customer.

        There are flat feet then there are very flexible feet. Without using a bunch of technical terminology, you should know that true flat feet are ofter hereditary. When a person has true flat feet it means that they have no arch or so little arch that their feet always appear flat. That is when they are seated and in non-weight bearing, their feet appear flat. When they stand and are in weight bearing, their feet appear flat. In cases such as these the person has no or very little arch. Since the arches help to absorb stresses off of the body’s joints, people with “flat feet” often suffer from significant joint or musculoskeletal problems. 

        On the other hand most people, the vast majority in fact, have flexible arches. This means when they are seated you can actually see a decent arch in the foot. When they stand, because their arches are so flexible, their feet flatten significantly because the arch flattens. This causes the feet to appear to be flat. In these cases like people with true flat feet, the person can experience very similiar problems with pain.  Flat Feet often over pronated feet can have a ripple effect on the body. When the feet flatten excessively, they may affect the joints of the body by putting them out of alignment. When the joints are placed out of alignment pain can be created. The goal when pain is experienced in these areas is to place the body back into alignment. In the case of people with true flat feet the goal is similar, to help the person place the feet into more of a shocking absorbing position by creating or supporting the arches in the feet. 

        The 360° Foot Care arch support series, Spira shoes and our foot care accessories can help you manage this condition. When correctly sized and the correct style arch support is selected, wearing the arch support will help to bring relief from these conditions. Additionally, wearing Spira shoes will absorb stress and take pressure off of the joints. Spira and 360° Foot Care arch supports is an effective combination.  Arch supports to be considered: the Ecstasy, Premier, and the Reflex. See the link How Arch Supports Work.  Individual results may vary

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions. Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Disclaimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

Calluses can develop on any part of the foot that receives significant stress, friction and rubbing. When calluses develop they can be painful. The goal usually is to minimize or eliminate the formation of the callus. This can best be achieved by wearing properly fitted shoes. When calluses exist, wearing properly fitted extra depth shoes will minimize stress levels and rubbing more than regular styled shoes and should therefore help provide some relief.

To prevent callus build-up underneath the foot consider wearing arch supports. A proper style and fitted arch support can help reduce pressures on areas of the foot. For diabetics alleviating callus buildup is important. For non-diabetics orthopedic shoes and arch supports will help minimize or prevent callus buildup. See our orthopedic shoe selection. . Arch supports to be considered are the Pleasure and the Ecstasy. See the link How Arch Supports Work. For diabetics, our orthopedic shoe selection, diabetic inserts, socks, gauntlets and foot care cream, are our best tools to help manage callus build-up.

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions. Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Disclaimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

BACK PAIN

Often over pronated feet can have a ripple effect on the body including back pain. When the feet flatten excessively, they may affect the joints of the body by putting them out of alignment. When the joints are placed out of alignment, pain, including back pain can be created. The goal when pain is experienced, due to misalignment, is to place the body back into alignment. The 360° Foot Care arch support series, Spira and our foot care accessoriesare geared toward providing you with the tools needed to help manage your condition. When correctly sized and the correct style arch support is selected, wearing arch supports can help with alignment and pressure issues. Wearing Spira shoes can help absorb stress and take pressure off of the joints and back. Spira and 360° arch supports are a great combination. Arch supports to be considered: the Ecstasy, Thin Line, Buzz Premier, and the Reflex. See the link How Arch Supports Work. Individual results may vary. Back To Top

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions.  Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Disclaimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

Arch pain can result from a variety of issues. Lack of support for the arch can be a factor creating arch pain. Prolonged standing, walking or running can also create stress on the arch and ultimately cause arch pain. Over pronation stresses the muscles, tendons etc. of the foot. Minimizing stresses, providing support and absorbing shock can help you manage the problem.

Think of your arches like shock absorbers. A good performing arch will remain in an “arched’ position so long as you are off your feet (seated position, or resting). Once you stand you arch flattens or extends. One purpose for this action is to absorb stress off of your joints. However, long periods in a weight bearing position (i.e. standing or walking etc.) will make the muscles and tendons holding your arch, become stressed and over used. This is where a good arch support comes into play. A good, semi rigid, arch support will allow your arches to perform as needed.

The 360° Foot Care arch support series, Spira shoes and our foot care accessories are geared toward providing you with the tools needed to help manage your arch pain. When correctly sized and the correct style arch support is selected, wearing arch supports can help with alignment and pressure issues. Wearing Spira shoes can help absorb stress and take pressure off of the feet and joints. Spira and 360° arch supports are a great combination. Arch supports to be considered: the Ecstasy, Premier, and the Reflex. See the link 360° Foot Care Product line. Also, see our accessory, the Arch Exerciser. Individual results may vary.

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions.  Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Disclaimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

     Arch supports tend to be the mid-way between the cushioned insert and the traditional very firm custom made orthotic. While arch supports can be soft and slightly more firm than an insert they can also reach the firmness of custom made orthotics. Usually, however, they are pretty much in the middle. Arch Supports are typically made of firm plastic (polymers) or rubber. They are made to achieve the affect of custom made orthotics but at a fraction of the cost. Arch Supports, generally will help people resolve many biomechanical problems without the need to obtain more expensive custom made orthotics. They are also easier to adjust to and will generally fit into shoes that custom orthotics will not. Arch Supports will generally work for problems like sore feet, sore arches, some joint pain in knees, hip and lower back, plantar fasciitis, heel pain and forefoot pain. Custom made orthotics are just that, custom made. Generally, in order to get custom orthotics, the customer / patient will need to have a doctor’s prescription. A mold is taken of the foot and the orthotic is fabricated with various degrees of wedge ankles in order to reposition the foot.

     In summary, know what you want or need. In most cases people benefit greatly from wearing the correct arch support. In fact, a large number of feet problems or feet related problems can be addressed with a good arch support. In more severe cases people may need to seek the advice of a physician and receive a prescription for custom made orthotics.

 About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions.  Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Discalimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

When the 360 Foot Care Center first opened we discovered a trend. Approximately 65% of our visitors complained about heel pain. In some cases people had visited their physician and were given a specific diagnosis. In other cases people came in with a complaint that was pretty consistent for the 65%, ” my heel hurts especially when I first get up in the morning or when I stand after sitting for a while. It goes away after I take a few steps. ” 

Recent news stories confirm the fact that plantar fasciitis has exploded within the U.S. with many people seeking medical treatment and other treatment strategies. There has also been a corresponding explosion of products that pledge to prevent or successfully treat the condition.  In the case of our visitors who had received medical diagnosis, they uniformally were diagnosis with plantar fasciitis. For visitors who had not received a medical diagnosis we explained and described the various conditions that could create heel pain without giving a specific diagnosis. We encouraged them to seek medical advice. Invariably most would return to 360 Foot Care with a specific diagnosis of plantar fasciitis.  

What is plantar fasciitis and what are some of the non-medical treatments for the condition?

Nationally, members of the medical profession agree that over the past few years there has been an explosion of people experiencing heel pain and most notably plantar fasciitis. Essentially, plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia ligament. The plantar fascia ligament is a large thick fiber that runs along the bottom of the foot, roughly from the heel to the ball of the foot. The ligament serves several purposes one of which is to provide the foot with a certain level of natural cushioning. For several reasons, for example stress or trauma, this band of tissue can become inflamed and when this occurs there is usually pain anywhere along the ligament. Ultimately, most people experiencing this inflammation will complain about heel pain.

There are numerous non-medical treatments for plantar fasciitis. Seeing a medical professional is always advised.  At 360 Foot Care we try to offer options that have proven successful for our customers/patients. Taking stress off of the ligament has proven successful in the vast majority of our cases. Wearing a good rigid/semi-rigid arch support, over  time, has proven beneficial. In most cases we recommend wearing both a good arch support and Spira shoes. This combination has had the best result for minimizing stresses on the plantar facia and over time allows the inflammation to subside thereby alleviating the pain associated with the condition. We also recommend this combination as a means to help minimize the occurrence of the condition in the first instance.  

Additionally, there are exercises that can be done to help stretch and strengthen the plantar facia. Our plantar facia night splint is useful and can help minimize the pain often experienced early mornings when you first stand from a long night sleep. We recommend the splint or a short period of stretching for persons prior to getting out of bed. Many of our customers/patients are on their feet for long periods of time. Waiters, teachers, nurses, retail sales reps and many others have found significant releif from our combination of arch supports, Spira shoes and night splint.

  About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions.  Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Discalimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.

Today, most Americans live extremely active lifestyles. We find ourselves on our feet for long hours. We engage in a wide variety of activities including shopping, sports, work and other activities. For many of us, we usually pay very little if any attention to our feet except for fashion purposes. Unless we are having or have experienced feet problems, we allow fashion to dictate the types of shoes that we wear. The problem with fashion as a shopping guide is that very few shoes today are built to provide the type of support or shock absorption that help prevent or alleviate feet problems or feet related problems like knee, hip, back and ankle problems.

There are many feet conditions or feet related conditions that can be prevented or alleviated by wearing appropriate shoes or having appropriate arch support that can be placed in shoes. Providing appropriate arch support or shock absorption can help people experiencing conditions like heel pain, plantar fasciitis, tired and sore feet, heel spurs and other bio-mechanical issues. Obtaining a specific diagnosis from a medical professional can help with selecting the correct products that will prevent or address health concerns.

Appropriate arch support will allow that body’s joints like knees, hips and ankles, to be in better alignment. Having the body in good alignment can help it and your joints to perform as they were intended. Good body alignment can also help to more evenly distribute weight over your feet. Having better weight distribution can help with conditions like heel spurs or pain in the forefoot often attributed to thinning foot padding. Wearing good shock absorbing shoes like Spira can help absorb stress and shock off of the body’s joints. Clearly a good rigid, not rubber, arch support and Spira shock absorbing shoes are a great combination to prevent or alleviate many health conditions related to your feet.

About the Author: Milton is Vice President of 360 Foot Care. A Certified Pedorthist, Milton is trained on the foot and feet conditions.  Visit 360footcare.com to see more on various health conditions and the 360 Foot Care products that are available to help you in achieving your health goals.

360 FOOTCARE Website Discalimer:
ATTENTION: This information is not intended as medical advice or solutions. The information is offered for educational purposes only. Only a certified medical practioner can diagnose medical conditions. You should always consult your medical practioner if you have questions about a medical issue. Always follow your medical professional’s advice.