Chiropractic – The Right Shoes Makes a Difference

A typical day at the park with my kids starts with the kids enjoying themselves, and I begin to people-watch. I play a game in my head with the way people walk, or their gait. Do they have hips turned in? Is there a shortened leg or do they lean to one side or the other?

Then I glance down at the shoes, thinking, “How is the wear?” Are they wearing the proper shoes for their activity? And so on. As with many of us, I carry my profession with me wherever I go, which is why I am aware of the way people walk.

Children and Shoes

In my office, the first thing I look at in new walkers and children is their gait. As parents, most of us have accepted the fact that genetics makes us “pigeon-toed” or “bow-legged.”

From my experience, if we keep our child’s hip and pelvic muscles and joints balanced with each growth spurt, this will be evident in his or her gait.

The next thing I look at is the shoe. It is important to fit the foot to the shoe and it is important to know what kind of foot you have. There are three types of feet: supinated, neutral, and flat.

The supinated foot usually has a high arch and the footprint is in the shape of a C. The neutral foot has a slight semi-curved arch and has a symmetrical footprint. The flat foot or hypopronated foot has little or no arch and tends to have a wider and straighter footprint.

Test your Foot for Proper Shoes

Take a brown paper bag, wet your foot, make a footprint and observe. Once you know your foot shape, you are ready to purchase your walking or running shoe. A person with a high arched foot should look for narrower shoes that curve at the end. Someone with a neutral foot needs shoes with a semi curve, and the flat footed person requires a shoe with little or no curve or “motion controlled.”

If your foot falls in between the arch types or you cannot seem to find a shoe that feels right, then orthotics or supports may help to define the arches. When you start to notice uneven wear on your running shoes, it is time for some new ones. If your hip and pelvic areas are in balance, this wear and tear will be slower to accumulate.

Tips for Purchasing Supportive Shoes

What about other shoes like dress shoes for women? Here are some tips when you are shopping or choosing shoes for work.

• Buy shoes early in the day since swelling tends to occur as the day progresses.
• If you are going to be on your feet all day, especially in heels, make sure the heel is a low one with as much surface area as possible, like a wedge or platform.
• Shoes don’t break in, so if they do not fit when you try them on, buy the larger size.
• Know your arch type. In heels, high arches need a cushion in the midsole. Flat feet need a firmer, more supportive midsole.

Wearing the right type of shoes will help support your body and keep you walking tall for years to come.

About the Author:

Dr. Katie Greeley is a board-certified doctor of chiropractic and a mother of two living in Simi Valley, California. She has completed extended courses on pediatrics above and beyond the regular doctorate degree. Her office, United Family Chiropractic Center, is located in Wood Ranch at 1070 Country Club Drive West, Suite D, in Simi Valley, California. The office can be reached at (805) 522-2324.

Chiropractic Has Many Benefits During Pregnancy

When a woman finds out she is pregnant a lot will change with her body. Along with the great miracle growing inside, a woman may also experience some discomforts.

As a mother of two I can tell you that most of these discomforts can be relieved very gently and effectively. Some of the most common ailments that occur during pregnancy are back pain and headaches. Since most medications can pass through the placenta and effect the growing fetus most woman are advised not to take over the counter medication if they can help it and are told that it will go away after pregnancy.

So do we just suffer for nine months? Hopefully not, this article will go over some natural alternatives to help relieve pain and discomfort during pregnancy.

As our bodies start to change and expand with the growing fetus our hormones will allow our ligaments to become relaxed so our hips can spread and with the growing weight in front our muscles will become imbalanced with our Para vertebral muscles in the low back region.

This can lead to misalignment with the pelvic cavity and can affect the nerve that runs down the back into the legs that causes sciatic pain. In chiropractic offices this type of misalignment is easily corrected with a simple balancing of the sacroiliac joint and when the pressure is released off of the sciatic nerve most women will have relief of their lowback and sciatic pain.

With the unbalanced posture due to an enlarged belly many women tend to have increased stress on their neck and the surrounding muscles, which can lead to tension headaches. Headaches can be relieved by an adjustment to the neck as well as peppermint herbs rubbed on the temples.

Some women have reported swelling of the wrists and ankles that can lead to carpal tunnel like symptoms and edema in the lower legs. Chiropractors can relieve this stress with a gentle adjustment to the extremities.

Acid reflux is another common symptom that occurs with pregnancy. In many women as the baby grows inside the fetus tends to push up against the diaphragm which can create a pocket for the acid from the stomach to spill up into the esophagus creating the burning sensation. In a chiropractic office a simple adjustment to the diaphragm muscle can help relieve the tension as well as papaya supplements can also help with digestion.

Additional Benefits of Chiropractic During Pregnancy

Not only is chiropractic helpful in relieving some common pregnancy aches and pains research has shown that chiropractic care during pregnancy can reduce the length of time a woman is in labor.

First time moms averaged a 24% shorter labor and second time mothers experienced 39% shorter labor length than the average woman not under chiropractic care according to Dr. Fallon.

Many chiropractors that specialize in family care will also be trained in the Webster technique which uses adjustments to the pelvic area and balancing of surrounding muscles to allow the uterus to relax and within 48 hours if the baby can turn itself it will without any risk to the amniotic fluid or the growing baby.

While most women know that during pregnancy we should avoid junk food and trans fat many women don’t realize that almonds, berries, broccoli, eggs, salmon, and sweet potatoes are great for pregnancy.

Coffee can irritate the uterus and in some sensitive individuals can even cause miscarriages. Fish and substances high in mercury should be avoided.

While some herbs are great during pregnancy some are not. A few must haves during pregnancy are Chamomile for it’s relaxing properties, ginger root for morning sickness, and peppermint for digestion and tension relief.

Some herbs to avoid all together are ephedra which can raise the heart rate and blood pressure and predispose the mother to preclampsia and early labor, wild ginger which can cause uterine contractions, and st. john’s wort which can lead to mood swings and depression and suicidal thoughts.

As with any herb or supplement one should always consult with a physician who specializes in nutritional supplementation. Next time you find yourself pregnant or if you know someone who is, pass along this helpful information so they can have the best pregnancy possible and enjoy the great miracle growing inside.

About the Author:

Dr. Katie Greeley is a chiropractor and a mother of two living in Simi Valley, California. She has taken extra courses on pediatrics above and beyond the regular doctorate degree. Dr. Greeley is the owner of the practice United Family Chiropractic is located in Wood Ranch at 1070 Country Club Dr. West #D Simi Valley, Ca. Her office can be reached at 805-522-2324 for further questions.

Resources:

Pregnancy and chiropractic, Dr. Fallon, www. Ivillage.com 1991

Must have pregnancy guide, Lynch, Sally Wallace “Alternative Medicine,” March 2007, pgs 64-71

“Power up your diet,” Pasquali, Kimberly, Mothering, October 2006, pg 64