April 2004

Top 10 ways orthotics can help your patients

by Dr. Mark Charrette

While watching television the other night, I happened upon a popular late night show that I don't see often. One of the customary features of the show is a "Top 10" list. While the list on this particular evening was quite humorous, it got me thinking about some serious "Top 10s" that were more relevant to my patients.

Along with many others, I strongly believe that prevention is the best care for health‑related problems. One of the easiest, most logical, and extremely cost‑effective steps towards achieving wellness is the use of custom‑made orthotics by people of all ages. I started listing the advantages of using orthotics, and as a result, I came up with a list of the "Top 10 ways orthotics can help your patients" ...

1. Add balance to life. The fact is, we are not symmetrical. This fact is further exacerbated when patients suffer from pronation and the body tries to compensate. Since imbalance is one of the most common postural distortions we see as chiropractors, and the source of many conditions, it makes sense to prolong the benefits of adjustments with custom‑made orthotics. With custom orthotics, balance is restored, the body is no longer compensating, and the result is that many of the pains and physical complaints suffered by patients are alleviated.

2. Absorb shock. Second only to restoration of balance is the importance of decreasing the heel‑strike shock that our systems experience in the day‑to‑day activity of walking. Heel‑strike shock is a major cause of musculoskeletal difficulties that, when left unchecked, can lead to harmful consequences. While flexible orthotics balance the foot to control pronation, they also allow the movement needed to decrease the intensity of shock received by the body.

3. Help reduce biomechanical aches and pains. Orthotics positively impact the three critical functions of the foot: support, locomotion, and shock absorption. The long‑term effect caused by abnormalities of the gait cycle leads to asymmetrical compensation by the body. When the body responds in this manner, aches and pains develop throughout the body as symptoms. By preventing or correcting the critical functions, orthotics relieve the problems before they begin.

4. Improve the biomechanics of the knee. By reducing the Q‑angle, orthotics relieve stress to the knee caused by pronation. Without the added stress, the knee (one of the first casualties of any gait abnormalities) stretches and rotates properly.

5. Align the body. By addressing all of the above factors, orthotics serve to improve foot alignment and symmetry and, ultimately, help improve overall body alignment.

6. Attain better posture. With the body in alignment and the patient unburdened by aches and pains, he or she can concentrate on achieving correct stance and posture.

7. Alleviate complications from conditions that affect the feet. With many diseases, such as diabetes, there is added stress to the feet that cause complications which can lead to amputation. Since properly fitting footwear is crucial in this case, alleviating the factors that bring about ulcer formation by using orthotics offers a cost‑effective preventative measure.

8. Increase athletic performance. Because orthotics significantly influence pelvic rotation and stride length, and also serve to reduce fatigue and improve balance, athletes experience a more consistent performance.

9. Put more spring in their step. Orthotics affect the total body, make the wearer feel better, and reduce the affects of fatigue while walking.

10. Satisfaction. Because orthotics help to relieve many of the symptoms and complaints suffered by patients, use of orthotics, along with chiropractic care, will sustain the benefits and ultimate satisfaction received by your patients.

(Dr. Mark N. Charrette is a 1980 summa cum laude graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic. Over the past 18 years he has lectured extensively on spinal and extremity adjusting throughout the U.S., Europe, the Far East, and Australia. In 1976, he received a Bachelor's degree from Illinois State University [summa cum laude] where he was an NCAA All‑American in 1974.)