Happy first day of Spring! Wouldn’t it be nice to put a spring back into YOUR step? Now is the time to think about getting off the couch and getting out for a nice brisk walk or jog. You may even want to start planning for your garden, find some new hiking trails and keep active while enjoying the sunshine (which will provide you with the much needed Vitamin D). But….don’t let your feet bring you down to your knees!

In the US alone, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), more than 700,000 knee replacements are performed each year. It is projected that the number of total knee replacements will increase to 3.48 million by the year 2030, with a growing population of younger patients continuing to rise.

Knee arthritis/degeneration is certainly not a new phenomenon so why is this such a growing problem in our society?

It could be due to:

1. the obesity epidemic in this country.
2. the fact that knee replacement technology has become so advanced therefore the benefit of being pain free overshadows the risks associated with the procedure.

It’s easy to miss these problems coming. I’ve seen this many times with my very own patients. After years of subtle dysfunction biomechanically, you eventually end up with gradual joint damage. What happens next? Unfortunately; swelling, stiffness, reduced mobility and pain (sometimes debilitating).

I’m not knocking technology and feel that it’s exciting that these advances in medicine exists but personally, a knee replacement surgery just doesn’t sound like something I would ever consider. I tend to be a promotor of preventative healthcare and prefer going the conservative route before anything else.

How does the foot relate to the knee?
I’m sure you remember the song. You cannot have a problem in one area for too long without it affecting another area. Our bodies are a kinetic chain and the movement of the ankles and feet impact the function and movement patterns of the joints above (knees, hips, lumbar spine, cervical spine, etc). There can be differences in the foot flexibility and movement from side to side with the most common being asymmetrical and excessive pronation. The key is to PREVENT these asymmetrical problems

What’s it mean to be flat footed?
Did you know that the foot contains 26 bones? Alignment of these bones dictate proper function of the kinetic chain. When you hear the term “flat footed,” it means the navicular bone has dropped and the natural foot arches have collapsed. This leads to internal rotation of the foot and ankle causing slight twisting of the knee. The internal rotation is associated with an increased Q angle which is linked to increased occurrences of ACL injuries. Even if you aren’t an athlete, the asymmetrical stress to the cartilage would still leave you susceptible to the slow accumulation of microtrauma.

Why custom-made functional orthotics?
These exact stressors are what contributes to degenerative/arthritis changes in the knees, hips, pelvis, and spine (with OR without trauma). In our office, we use a variety of techniques and modalities to heal the injured tissue however to PREVENT the wear and tear of the joint, the most effective way is by using custom-made functional orthotics. This gives a symmetrical foundation to the feet, causing less unequal forces on the cartilage. Less wear and tear = less inflammation, less scar tissue, and less destruction of joint space.

Sadly, most insurance policies don’t always like to cover things that are “preventative” however some do provide a little reimbursement for these stabilizers. As a preventative maintenance doctor, I feel it’s my duty to make you aware of the importance of your foundation when it comes to the rest of your body and I feel I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t mention it. I’m sure there are many of you, like me, who cringe at the thought of a knee or a hip replacement surgery.

Our orthotics are 100% guaranteed to help relieve stress throughout the body and improve physical performance, or your money back: To find out more, pick up the phone and call us at 631-470-9670 for your COMPLIMENTARY foot scan today.