One in six Americans is plagued by foot trouble, caused mostly by ill- fitting shoes, according to the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.

Overweight men and women put added strain on their feet simply by walking. What’s worse, pain that starts with the feet may not end there. It goes from your feet to your knees to your hips to your back to your neck.  Women are especially vulnerable because of high heels.  High heels can throw the spine and pelvis out of alignment, as well as overload the balls of your feet which can cause blisters, corns, bunions and hammer-toes. Flip-flops or flat shoes that don’t offer arch support can cause knee pain, because your knees will turn inward, affecting your hips and throwing your body out of alignment.  This can lead later to even more serious orthopedic problems.

Learning from ancient Asian wisdom and adding modern German design and technology, the shoe for today is born. Chung Shi replaces the uneven bamboo mat with a patented sole, providing a massaging effect while walking or standing. This unique heel/toe design, combined with a center roll bar, supports the foot in a unique way that improves body alignment, stress reduction and reduces shock to the spine.

Some of the many benefits of Chung Shi

* Promotes the natural walking and jogging gait
* Helps prevent injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles
* Achieves better postural alignment
* Makes muscles work harder and, therefore, burn more calories
* Absorbs shock to the feet, knees, hips and back
* Leads to a more relaxed, upright posture improving respiration
* Strengthens the core muscles
* Increases calorie consumption (compared with “normal” shoes)
* Improves posture and relieves pressure on the vertebral column
* Improves respiratory and circulatory function, strengthens and improves control of muscles leading to greater relaxation
* Improves athletic endurance
* Finger-pressure massage effect of Chung Shi activates the reflexology zones of the feet
* Tones and strengthens the feet, legs, buttocks, abs and back
* Improves the appearance of cellulite

ARCH SUPPORTS & INSERTS WHAT ARE THEY?
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Think of the bottom of your foot as the foundation of your body. The foot must be in proper alignment and balance to support the rest of your body correctly. In fact if your foot is not in alignment it can and will throw the rest of your body out of alignment causing poor posture and pain in the ankles, knees, lower back, and even the neck.

A properly fitted arch support or insert can effectively provide comfort, balance and support, and in most cases, improve your posture.

One of the most difficult and common effects of diabetes is foot problems. What you wear on your feet can greatly improve the health of your feet which in turn can help improve your overall health. Many problems such as aches in your feet, ankles, knees, lower back and even your shoulders stem from improper care of your feet and improper fitting shoes. And if you have diabetes, decreased sensitivity in your feet can even make you less aware of the source of these pains. A supportive shoe, combined with the proper insert, will put your foot in its natural position for walking and standing. By putting your foot in balance, the alignment of other joints will be improved. Foot Solutions is the leader in ensuring that you are properly fitted with shoes and inserts.

By following these suggestions and seeing a Foot Solutions Pedorthist, you can decrease the risk of injury and infection to your sensitive feet.

DO:
* Have your shoes fitted by a foot care specialist and make sure they feel comfortable at the time of purchase.
* See your physician regularly and have your feet examined during each visit.
* Inspect your feet daily for wounds and always check between your toes.
* Wash your feet daily and dry them carefully.
* Avoid extreme hot or cold. Test water with your hands or elbow before your bathe.
* Inspect the insides of your shoes for foreign objects and rough areas that might cause blisters.
* Wear socks at all times especially if your feet get cold and specifically when you can, wear seamless socks specially made for diabetics.

DON’T:
* Walk barefoot.
* Soak your feet in hot water.
* Wear mended socks or socks with seams
* Use oil or cream between your toes.
* Wear thong sandals.
* Use chemical agents to remove corns or calluses.
* Cut corns or calluses yourself, see a physician.
* Cross your legs. This can cause pressure on the nerves and blood vessels.

Your feet will be extensively assessed paying special attention to the dynamic gait analysis as well as a computer scan of each foot. On average, staff professionals at Foot Solutions spend 30-45 minutes with each customer. Walk-ins are welcome but we suggest you call for an appointment to allow us to better serve you. If store hours are inconvenient for you, simply call for a private fitting before or after store hours.

Every 30 seconds, a lower limb is lost to diabetes somewhere in the world. Worldwide, up to 70 percent of all leg amputations are administered to people with diabetes. More than 170 million people suffer from diabetes globally, and the World Health Organization expects that number to double by 2030.

Diabetic foot is a serious complication that afflicts many people with diabetes. It begins as an inflammation that develops into an ulcer. Left untreated, the ulcer may gradually consume the tissues of the foot. Pus collects, and the inflammation grows worse. In extreme cases, the ulcer develops into gangrene, which occurs when blood and oxygen can’t reach a part of the body. Starved for oxygen and blood, the tissue in the limb dies and begins to rot. It occurs most often the body’s extremities, the parts of the body furthest from the heart—the toes, feet, legs, fingers, hands and arms.

Many people suffering from diabetes ignore the early signs of diabetic foot, which increases their risk of amputation. In many cases, the problem is made worse by the patient himself, his relatives, or health care workers.  As soon as inflammation is noticed you must go to the doctor for an examination.

Patients sometimes ignore the early signs of ulceration, such as numbness and vulnerability to infection, which are both caused by poor circulation of blood and oxygen to the feet. As circulation weakens, bacteria and microbes multiply, and the infection grows worse. That is why it’s necessary to attend to even small foot problems before they turn into large problems.  Fear and ignorance can turn manageable complications into catastrophes. Some diabetes patients fail to clean their ulcerated feet often or thoroughly enough. Others flee when they hear they’ll have to lose a limb.

Knowing how to take care of your feet and checking your feet on a daily basis multiple times will help minimize the risk of amputations.  In a future article, I will explain how having the correct shoes and socks will help keep your feet healthy.

- Jerick Sobie “Board Certified Pedorthist”

Foot Solutions

What if a shoe could help you lose weight, reduce the appearance  of cellulite and even improve your posture? Sound too good to be true? Not anymore. Chung Shi trainers at Foot Solutions claim these new shoes can live up to the claims thanks to their unique, patented design.

Chung Shi shoes have a revolutionary sole design which encourages a correct heel-to-toe walking  motion. This stable, natural step  helps to strengthen back and pelvic muscles, encouraging calf, hip and thigh muscles to work harder and burn more calories. You not only look better, you feel better. Our tester was amazed with the award winning Advanced Step All Weather Shoe. “I noticed right away the improvement in my posture, and I could feel my thigh muscles working harder. Everyday walking just turned into a new sport!”

Come by our Foot Solutions’ store (909-987-5555) and try them out!! We are located at

9635 Milliken Ave, Suite 101, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

Chung Shi shoes feature unique shaped soles designed to increase muscle activity of the feet and legs. Chung Shi shoes are an exclusive product of Foot Solutions and one of its most popular brands.  Chung Shi shoes can help you lose weight in two ways.  The shoe increases the amount of energy used while walking and standing. Secondly, the unique design of the shoe reduces stress on the feet and joints, meaning those who suffer from foot pain can walk longer distances. Foot Solutions associates spend an average of 45 minutes with each customer. In addition to providing customers with customized solutions for their feet, associates can modify any shoe to ensure the best fit and comfort.

By HELENA OLIVIERO

With a hand weight and simple equipment at DeKalb Medical, Polly Hinde, 89, works on improving her balance and strength.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/30/08

Inside an aerobics room, Susan Barnett holds a flamingo pose for two minutes.
She lifts dumbbells and raises her legs, but she’s not working out in the conventional sense.

She gets out of an office chair, practicing something many people take for granted — balance. Participants in this new exercise class at DeKalb Medical flex for something far more critical than a swimsuit-ready physique. Barnett, 63, recently retired and lives alone. She hopes the class protects her from one of her biggest fears — falling.
“I have fallen before at home. And I am afraid of falling again and breaking bones,” said Barnett, who added that she has lower than normal bone density and is at risk for osteoporosis. These balance-focused exercises aren’t just good for you. They may be the key to independence.
Some turn to balance yoga, others do water aerobics or tai chi. And some 3,000 people across the country are testing out balance walking, which involves ski-like poles and angled shoes. Balance walking — which is like cross- country skiing without the snow — didn’t even exist a few years ago. But today, the exercise routine is turning some parks and church parking lots across metro Atlanta into grassy slopes.
For people 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death, and close to 2 million people are treated in the emergency room every year for fall-related injuries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each year, nearly one-third of older adults fall.
And those adults who fall are two to three times more likely to fall again within the next year. With aging, balance is thrown off-kilter

Everything from blood pressure to bone density to vision, mental clarity and general health can impact balance. As people get older, they lose muscle and become more sedentary.

Master balance walking instructor Millie Daniels (left) talks with Sonia Favors (third from left) in Marietta.

But getting wobbly doesn’t have to be a given, according to doctors who say simply taking a 20-minute daily walk can build stability. And patients who do fall can benefit from regular exercise and can more quickly bounce back after an accident, according to Dr. David Olson, a neurologist at DeKalb Medical. Olson said he recently saw an 80-year-old patient who suffered a stroke and expected the patient to be laid up for several weeks, even months. But the patient, who was an avid jogger, was up and walking in the hospital halls within a couple of days. At the two-week checkup, he was walking two miles.
Outside a Foot Solutions store in Marietta, more than a dozen men and women grab their poles and stroll through a parking lot. Dr. Arthur Lee, a heart surgeon at Grady Memorial Hospital and regular balance walker, believes this walking technique, also known as nordic pole walking, can help people wobbly on their feet. “It’s like using a cane but doesn’t have the stigma. You look like an athlete, not a cripple,” said Lee, 71.
Like hiking sticks, balance walking poles feature rubber pads designed for paved surfaces. Lee, who often walks at Chattahoochee River Park near his home, believes pole walking is good for any kind of patient — the ones looking to give themselves more of a cardio, upper body workout and for those recovering from an injury or those simply looking to ease pressure on the knees.

Sue Bozgog, a 43-year-old former marathon runner, turned to balance walking after a car accident two years ago injured her spine. Running, she said, “just hurts.” But she found that the balance walking was gentler on her body. And now she’s hooked.  She walks six days a week, from 30 minutes to an hour, and walks four to five miles. She believes the poles help her stand upright and give her a boost with balance. And she manages to walk a 12-minute pace.
“Not everyone can run, but everyone can walk,” said Bozgog, who teaches classes across metro Atlanta.

Back at DeKalb Medical, a woman using a cane and another one with a walker enter the aerobics class. Barnett started taking the balance exercise class about six months ago after she noticed she was dropping things around the house. She also struggled a bit to get in and out of her comfy sofa. But the class, she said, is helping her build muscle and confidence. She remembers the first day of class, she couldn’t hold the flamingo pose for more than a couple of seconds, without her foot falling to the ground. Now, she goes the two minutes with just a couple of pats.

Ann Downs, 74, said she likes the way she feels after class. “It brings me energy and makes me feel good,” said Downs of Chamblee. And with that, she strolled out of class, one steady step at a time.

STATISTICS
In 2005, the most recent year for which statistics are available, more than 15,800 people 65 and older died of fall-related injuries. Another 1.8 million people were treated in emergency departments for injuries related to a fall. The total direct cost for falls among older adults in 2000 was about $19 billion. This cost is expected to reach $43.8 billion by 2020 because of the number of aging baby boomers.
Source: CDC
CLASS INFORMATION
*  Strength and balance classes at DeKalb Medical: For information, call 404-501-9355 or go to www.dekalbmedical.com
*  Balance walking: For information and classes, go to www.balancewalking.com
*  Tai chi is taught at several locations and gyms, including many YMCA branches. For more information at the Y, go to www.ymcaatlanta.org and select the branch closest to you. Decatur Healing Arts at 109A New St. also teaches several tai chi classes for various levels. For information, call 404-378-6288.

TIPS FOR REDUCING FALLS
*  Exercise regularly. Exercise programs such as tai chi that increase strength and improve balance are especially good.
*  Review medications with doctor to reduce side effects and interactions.
*  Have eyes checked at least once a year.
*   At home, improve lighting and reduce hazards such as rugs and runners that tend to slide.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

What you wear is the most important part of foot care.

25% of the bones in your body are located in your feet.  They are the foundation and support for the rest of your body.  If you are experiencing foot, ankle, knee, lower back or shoulder pain, it very well may stem from improper care of your feet.

The core of the balance walking way is based on Nordic Pole Walking using a specially designed Chung Shi shoe that’s helps accelerate the benefits of Pole Walking while also improving your body alignment and muscle toning. You will engage your core muscle groups while improving your balance and physical well being.