5 Things to Look for in Orthopedic-Friendly Shoes

5 Things to Look for in Orthopedic-Friendly Shoes

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Whether you’re accommodating for a temporary or chronic condition, shoes with orthopedic features can be a great tool for improving your foot health. They can go a long way toward treating conditions such as blisters, long-term foot pain, bone spurs or arthritis—all symptoms that can be born out of wearing improper footwear. If you’ve decided it’s time to look for a better shoe, whether by pedorthist recommendation or by personal interest, there are a few things to look for when trying out your options.

Here are five things you should look for in your orthopedic shoe purchase.

Inside Features

When investigating the inner workings of your everyday shoe of choice, it’s important to look for a few key elements. Does the insole provide adequate support—is it removable, and does it offer the right amount of cushion for your distinct arch? How about toe room—does it offer the right amount of space to prevent irritation or calluses over time? (Look for round- or square-toed shoes, and avoid shoes that come to a point.) The bottoms of each person’s feet can vary widely, so make sure you’ve taken steps to ensure your individual shape is accommodated for. (Your left foot may even vary from your right!)

You could also benefit from features that you can add to your existing shoes, such as certain inserts and custom-made appliances. For example, some steel flat inserts are used to help with toe pain, some small, custom-made heel lifts can help with planar fasciitis—the list is virtually endless. Talk with an Orthopedic Institute specialist to see if this could work for you.

Are you an avid runner? There are even more considerations to make when it comes to shoes built for joggers. Check out our blog on determining a best-fit shoe!

Outside Features

The comfort and effectiveness of your everyday-use shoes depends on more than just the inner elements. Outer pieces can have a big impact on quality as well. Look for pairs that feature breathable fabric on the top of the shoe for optimum ventilation in warmer conditions. The style of the base of the shoe is also critically important—make sure it features quality tread to keep your contact with the ground stable and balanced.

Adequate Heel

Many shoes feature a slight heel. Depending on your arch and the foot condition you’re accounting for, a slight lift can actually help in some cases, such as plantar fasciitis. (Consult with your pedorthist on which heel features are best-fit for you and your condition—depending on what you’re accounting for, less heel may be a better idea.) You should also keep your eyes peeled for pairs that have a stable heel counter—the cup that offers structure to the back half of the shoe. A good way to spot this is to test a heel’s bendability. If it’s difficult to bend, it should provide stable support.

True Fit

This may or may not surprise you, but your feet can experience slight changes in size throughout the day depending on factors such as humidity and temperature. That’s why picking the absolute right fit can be so important for someone looking for shoes that maintain quality foot health. Consider trying on pairs in the afternoon or evening hours once your feet have been walked on for several hours and have slightly expanded from use and outside conditions. This also goes for older shoe-buyers—our feet change throughout our lives, so if you’re still wearing the same size you wore years ago, it might be time to take updated measurements.

(Pro tip: When pinpointing the best fit, it’s important to wear the style of socks you’ll most often be utilizing when wearing these shoes—it will give you the truly best idea of the size you should buy.)

Specialization

When it comes to finding quality shoes, it helps to do your homework before you head to the store. While some major footwear manufacturers may offer shoes with joint-healthy support in addition to standard designs, they may not have a true specialization in this style of shoe. Look for companies with good reviews and endorsements of health organizations or manufacturers that solely focus on quality, well-designed and manufactured shoes. It also can’t hurt to speak to your pedorthist about best practices when buying. Check out OI’s own resident pedorthist, and schedule an evaluation!

Fix Your Body to Improve Your Golf Swing

Fix Your Body to Improve Your Golf Swing

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In recent years, fitness and health have received much more attention when it comes to professional golf. Every golfer on tour has a fitness routine, as well as a comprehensive warm-up prior to tournament rounds. However, the vast majority of amateur golfers have not adopted this idea.

The golf swing takes our bodies to its end limits of motion, while requiring strength and speed throughout. This is not only very challenging, but also creates a lot of opportunity for injuries. Improving the way your body moves and its strength in relation to your golf swing will absolutely improve your ability to swing a club and significantly reduce your risk of pain and injuries.

Below are just a few examples of how fixing your body can improve your golf game.

Listen to Your Body

A vast majority of golfers have aches and pains. Sometimes pain sets in after your round, sometimes it waits until the next morning and sometimes it is evident with every swing. Other golfers may not feel the ache until later in the golf season. Whichever the case, these are warning signs. There is a reason you’re experiencing this, and there is certainly a way to prevent it. Get your aches and pains treated now to prevent further injuries and time lost on the golf course.

Know Your Limitations

This part can be challenging. Do you have poor mobility in your hips, back or shoulders? Is your balance poor? These, among other physical traits, are very important to know when designing your swing. Don’t try to swing like your favorite PGA Tour player—you likely don’t have the same physical qualities. Injuries tend to happen when people try swinging a club in ways in which their bodies aren’t physically able. There are two choices—design your swing around your limitations or improve your physical limitations.  A golf medicine provider can design specific exercises and treatments and also consult with your instructor to help you attain a swing that is good for your body and golf game.

Warm Up First

No matter the sport—including golf, warming up is critical. Many players will head the driving range and hit balls before they play and consider that a warm-up. It is not. A majority of injuries, especially in amateurs, can be avoided with a simple warm-up routine. Research also shows that warming up properly can actually improve driving distance! Make sure you feel loose and break a sweat before the first swing, whether it’s on the range or at the first tee.

Start simple—do some squats with no weight, take short jogs—anything to strengthen upper back muscles will get you properly warmed up. Each golfer should develop a specific warm-up routine that works for them, takes no more than 15 minutes and is based on their specific physical limitations.

Golf Medicine at Orthopedic Institute

Orthopedic Institute’s Adam Halseth is the only Titleist Performance Institute Certified Medical Practitioner in the Sioux Falls and surrounding area. He specializes in diagnosing and treating golf-related injuries. Call Orthopedic Institute (605-331-5890) to set up an appointment.

Pain Management in Seniors: What You Should Know

Pain Management in Seniors: What You Should Know

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From chronic conditions that cause ongoing pain, such as arthritis, to post-surgical rehabilitation, pain management is key to a senior’s health regimen. While there are a variety of approaches to pain management in seniors, here are a few avenues to keep in mind.

See for yourself what our team here at Orthopedic Institute (OI) suggests.

Acupuncture and alternatives

Acpuncture—which OI’s own Dr. Chang happens to specialize in—can go a long way toward treating chronic pain and ongoing headaches. Through stimulating your neurological “energy pathways,” acupuncture has been shown to reduce instances of migraines and tension headaches in patients. It can also have positive effects for arthritis-related knee, back and other joint pain. Check out what other alternative treatments OI is on board with.

Physical therapy

In order to manage your pain without the need for invasive surgery, the physical therapy team at OI has been stacked with quality professionals who can provide optimum care for whatever chronic pain conditions you’re experiencing. The range of options for physical therapy for common conditions affecting seniors may include post-surgery rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise, bracing and other non-traditional options like aquatic therapy and golf medicine. Check out what makes golf medicine such an effective physical therapy tool.

Radiofrequency ablation

One option that orthopedic physicians will often suggest when it comes to pain resulting from neck and back arthritis is radiofrequency ablation. In a nutshell, it entails utilizing heat on predetermined nerve tissue in order to keep your brain from receiving pain indicators. It’s an effective way to reduce the symptoms of arthritis—namely the general pain that results from it—with long-term effects. While it doesn’t outright cure arthritic joints, it has been shown to provide pain relief for as long as a full year. Check out what else makes radiofrequency ablation a great pain management option.

Spinal cord stimulation

Pain management can also become surgical in some severe cases. OI’s Dr. Brunz specializes in a procedure called neuromodulation, which entails implantation of spinal cord stimulators that assist in keeping pain signals from reaching your brain. It’s particularly effective in cases of severe pain, and these impulses are often replaced by a gentler “flutter” sensation. Check out more details on how this process works.

6 Common Causes of Back Pain

6 Common Causes of Back Pain

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Back pain can be detrimental both to your physical wellbeing and your ability to enjoy your day both at work and in your free time. That’s why it’s a good idea to pinpoint what’s causing your back pain so you can start to get some relief.

Here are six such causes that are common among back-pain sufferers.

Chronic Conditions

If back pain is persistent or long-term, there’s a chance you may be experiencing some sort of chronic condition. These can vary greatly depending on your genetics and your life situation, but they can include conditions such as arthritis, which can, in turn, spur stenosis or osteoporosis. These conditions typically become more prevalent with age but can be treated with physical therapy. In addition, chiropractic treatment, injections and acupuncture are among the many non-surgical treatments that can curb your back pain.

Strains

Since your back is not only made up of vertebrae but also muscle, strains are also a factor in back-related pain. A strain of a back muscle or ligament can often be traced back to overdoing it when lifting or engaging in manual labor. In fact, the less often you exercise or the less fit you are, the more likely you are to strain your back when you suddenly use those muscles for physical activity. Orthopedic Institute’s (OI) athletic training partner D1 can help you learn the best ways to use your body during physical activity. Schedule a session with a D1 trainer.

Disk Complications

Sometimes it’s not even your spine or back muscles themselves that are causing your back pain. The disks that act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine can also be a reason you’re experiencing pain. These disks are critical for keeping your spine in good working condition, but they can sometimes bulge or rupture for a variety of reasons, including improper heavy lifting or hereditary conditions.

Bone Abnormalities

Athletes in particular may encounter pain related to certain types of abnormalities, such as spondylolysis—a crack or stress fracture in a vertebrae—and spondylolisthesis—a weakened bone shifting or slipping out of its proper place due to spondylolysis. This is particularly evident in track and field athletes (high and long jumpers), dancers and gymnasts. In many cases, symptoms will typically improve through conservative treatment, including a period of rest from sports and other strenuous activities. In severe cases, surgery may be recommended in order to relieve symptoms.

Injuries

While often easier to pinpoint due to the ability to link it to a specific trauma event, injury-based back pain can often go unnoticed if what caused it seemed minor. The truth is, acute fractures can sometimes be caused by seemingly everyday things, such as a severe cough or sneeze or a minor fender bender in your vehicle. If you can link your pain back to an event such as these, a fracture may be a possible cause.

Everyday Habits

What you do in your day-to-day life can also have an adverse effect on your back. Excess weight due to unhealthy eating habits or lack of consistent exercise can put undue strain on your spine and back muscles, as well as your joints. Your posture and how you sit for prolonged periods (if you’re an office worker especially) can also be a primary cause of back pain. Your choice of footwear or the way you position yourself during sleep can even be a cause for pain.

The important thing is that your back pain can most likely be diagnosed and treated—schedule an appointment with an OI professional to get to the bottom of it.