HealthWorks: Medical Centre

1. Heel & Arch Pain
Often referred to as plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome, it is one of the most common and easily treated foot problems. HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will provide tremendous relief of pain.

Symptoms
Some people describe the pain as sharp, others describe it as dull. Often most painful with the first step, after a period of rest, especially in the morning. Pressure on the heel and arch reproduce the pain.

Cause
There are many different medical conditions that can cause heel and arch pain. The most common cause is plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a dense fibrous band that runs from your heel to the ball of your foot. This is the result of improper foot function while walking or standing. This condition may appear suddenly, due to an injury, or present gradually over time.

2. Painful Calluses
Calluses, found on the sole of the feet, are a buildup of the dead outside layer of your skin (epidermis). They are similar to "corns," which occur on toes. Although they can be anywhere on the sole, they most often occur under the "balls" of your feet. HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will provide tremendous relief of pain associated with calluses.

Symptoms
People describe the pain associated will calluses several different ways. It may be described as a burning or aching. Occasionally it is described as a sharp, pin point pain, such as "standing on a pebble." Often people will believe they have stepped on something when in fact it is a buildup of the dead skin on the sole.

Causes
Calluses are the result of abnormal forces or friction on the skin. This increased pressure, leading to callus formation and pain, is due to abnormal foot function during walking and running. The type of callus and symptoms depends on the type of abnormal function. This explains why different calluses can have different symptoms, even on the same person. Other things such as poor circulation, poor nutrition and normal changes to the skin associated with age can aggravate this condition and magnify the pain. No matter what the type of pain, it is an abnormal walk that causes this pain and the reason that walking closer to your ideal with HealthWorks Orthotics will help. We guarantee it!

3. Diabetic Foot Problems
Almost all people with diabetes will have foot problems during their lifetime. In the United States the # 1 reason for diabetics to be hospitalized is a foot problem. The # 1 reason for amputation in the United States is diabetic foot problems. HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will provide tremendous relief of pain associated with diabetes, as well as protect the foot.

Symptoms
Individuals with diabetes may present with the same foot problems as anyone else, but they often have a number of special ones. Diabetics can develop neuropathy, which results in many problems. At first their feet may be hypersensitive (an increase in sensation), where even the slightest pressure is painful. Later hyposensivitiy (a decrease or lack of sensation) may develop. Although this numbness may not be painful, it is a very dangerous situation for the diabetic individual. Even the slightest foot injury or callus formation can be disastrous.

Causes
Due to neurological and circulatory foot complications of diabetes, the skin does not respond well to the increased stress associated with callus formation, often forming a skin ulcer. These ulcers can progress to serious limb and even life threatening situations. Calluses are the result of abnormal forces or friction on the skin. This increased pressure, leading to callus formation and pain is due to abnormal foot function during walking and running. The type of callus and symptoms depends on the type of abnormal function. This explains why different calluses can have different symptoms, even on the same person. Neuropathy may magnify symptoms related to walking that normally could be tolerated. No matter what the type of pain, it is the abnormal walk that causes this pain and the reason that walking closer to your ideal with HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will help.

4. Ankle Pain
The ankle is a very complex joint and receives tremendous pressure as you walk. It is actually composed of three bones, the tibia, fibula and talus. There are many muscles and ligaments that are involved in motion of this joint. Ankle pain can be one of the most debilitating and long lasting pains a person can experience.

Symptoms
There are a number of different ways this pain will present, depending on the exact cause. The pain can be on either the inside or the outside of the ankle. It can be a sudden sharp pain, although it usually is a constant dull ache, related to activity. The pain will generally increase in severity over time.

Cause
This condition may appear suddenly, due to an injury, or present gradually over time. If the foot moves improperly there will be incorrect motion at the ankle joint and resultant pain of the ligaments and tendons surrounding the ankle. Having your foot and ankle move properly will alleviate the stresses placed on your ankle. HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will provide tremendous relief of ankle pain.

5. Knee & Low Back Pain
It is estimated that one out of every two Americans will suffer from back pain in their lifetime. The cost to society in medical care and lost productivity is in the billions of dollars every year. Studies have shown that for a large percentage of individuals there is no benefit to undergoing surgery. Knee pain will affect almost one in three Americans during their lifetime and it will also cost society billions of dollars every year. The good news is that HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will provide tremendous relief of knee and low back pain.

Symptoms
Back pain can present itself many different ways. For some it will be an intense ache in the lower back itself. For others it may be a sharper radiating pain extending down into the buttock. Knee pain can usually be isolated to a specific spot or structure, either inside or outside the knee. Initially, the pain may be unusually sharp and often becomes more generalized over time. Any activity such as walking or standing can aggravate both knee and low back pain.

Cause
There are many causes of knee and low back pain. Some complex, others simple. Some of the more common causes are arthritis, trauma, muscle weakness and faulty "mechanics" when walking. No matter what the reason for the onset of this problem an improper walk often aggravates it. When we are seated our foot moves freely in the air and has no effect on the body. But, when standing and the foot goes through excessive improper motion, the leg and ultimately the whole body is forced to follow. Our whole body pivots around a fixed point, the foot when we walk. HealthWorks Custom Orthotics will restore normal motion of your foot and ultimately your body.

Ideal Walking
As we walk (gait) our feet ideally move in different directions, supination and pronation. Our arches rise up and lock into place (supination), when we are preparing to step off a firm platform, our foot. When we land our arches unlock and start to lower (pronation), allowing us to absorb shock. Ideally our foot should go through both these motions in normal walking. Unfortunately not everyone is built perfectly and often our arches unlock excessively or fail to lock properly. This is sometimes referred to as a "flat foot" or "fallen arches" or "collapsed arches." When the foot collapses or rolls in excessively, the leg, which is attached at the ankle, has no choice but to rotate internally. This excessive rotation of the limb results in abnormal pressures on the knee and low back. Also, the body absorbs shock as the foot pronates and if it cannot pronate because it is already pronated, then the shock will be transferred into the legs, knees and back. Think of our feet like the shock absorbers on a car. The shocks absorb shock by shortening. But, if the shock absorber has completely shortened, then it cannot absorb any more shock. In other words, if our foot is fully collapsed, then it can not absorb any more shock and we feel the stresses of walking in our bodies.

6. Bunions & Hammertoes
If you agree with any of the statements below, please ask us how we can help you feel better, from the ground up.

1. My feet are sore on a regular basis.
2. I spend a good portion of my day standing or walking on hard surfaces.
3. I play a sport regularly (tennis, golf, basketball, etc.)
4. Standing, walking or running gives me joint pain (ankles, knees, hip, or back)
5. I am over 40 years old.
6. I have visible foot problems (bunions, fallen arches, corns, etc.)
7. One of my legs is shorter than the other.
8. I have knock-knees or bow-legs.
9. My shoes wear out quickly or unevenly.
10. My feet: "toe out" when I walk.
11. My parents had foot related symptoms.

7. Test Your Need For Orthotics
A bunion is a large bony protuberance on the side of the foot by the great toe. Bunions are usually associated with the great toe moving over and pushing on the second toe. Hammertoes are toes that are contracted or bent in such a way that they literally stick up.

Symptoms
These are "progressive" problems, in other words they get worse over time. At first they may be a minor annoyance, but after a while they can make the wearing of any shoe painful, if not impossible. Initially the pain is on the outside of the foot or toe and is usually described as an aching, but over time they will become painful in the joints and hurt both in and out of shoes. Unfortunately only surgery can change the shape of the foot and toes, but HealthWorks Custom Orthotics can provide significant relief of the aching in the joints affected by this condition.

Cause
While there are several different medical conditions that can cause these "deformities," by far the most common cause is an improper walk that results in a muscular imbalance. Over time, this imbalance will result in joints and toes changing position, resulting in these deformities. It is for this reason that HealthWorks Custom Orthotics can slow down and even stop the progression of these problems, by restoring the foot to its ideal function during walking.