Healthy feet are Happy Feet

The foot is a complex mechanical structure designed to be our connection to Earth. It constitutes 25% of all the body's bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles & ligaments. The feet are much too important to simply bind, adorn and hide.

An average adult walks five miles a day in the course of daily activities, covering an equivalent of 4 times around the world during their lifetime. Our feet absorb about 1,000 tons of force each day - much of it on hard surfaces. Though the feet are doing important work, improper footwear sends "disease" up through the legs, through the spine, all the way to the cranium.

Feet forced out of balance and inhibiting proper movement can result in everything from corns, calluses and ingrown toenails to heel spurs, joint pain & arthritis. Pelvic and hip problems as well as lower back problems can also result.

Conventional shoes entomb the foot into a virtually immobile state denying its important underlying functional and dynamic structure. As a result of this, 90% of all people are wearing improperly fitted shoes which are the root causes for most foot problems. With the advent of preventive medicine, foot care has picked up pace and attracted enormous attention in terms of diabetic & athletic foot care.

Manipal Cure and Care (MCC) offer a range of comprehensive solutions for the feet through its collaboration with Foot Solutions Inc, USA. A pioneer in the field of preventive healthcare and beauty services, MCC adds another feather to its cap by bringing Foot Solutions to India for the first time.
With over 230 stores worldwide, Foot Solutions Inc. USA, the leading health & wellness brand, is an exciting new concept that focuses on health, wellness, comfort, fit and style of the feet. Using advanced computer technology and a scientific 10 step fitting system, Foot Solutions is dedicated to providing the best possible customized as well as OTC solutions for a pair of "happy feet".

MCC offers an enviable range of services from health checks, diet management, hormonal management, immunization to cosmetic dentistry, cosmetic dermatology & skin piercing. This list would now also include solutions to all feet related issues.

At Foot Solutions, our trained consultants understand feet and feet related problems through a detailed foot examination, gait analysis and pressure bearing pattern using 2D i-step scanner. This helps them identify and quantify the deviation from the normal pattern. Having identified the deviation, the experts analyze the ideal arch using a 3D Amfit digitizer, the latest and state of the art technology available in the field of podiatry.
Based on the digital analysis, Amfit computerized milling fabricates custom insoles which are specially made devices that support your feet. They play a role in reducing stress on the joints & spine and promote proper posture & gait. Our consultants also help identify associated symptoms such as knee and lower back pain and assist customers in selecting the right footwear.

Foot Solutions at MCC also carries a modern and stylish range of comfortable footwear with extra depth and width covering all categories from comfort, sport, formal, preventive and casual wears. We also have specific health & wellness shoes that improve posture, support & fitness levels.

Foot care & Obesity:

Persistent loading of the musculoskeletal system in the obese predisposes them pathological gait patterns and osteoarthritis. Protection and stabilization of the deforming feet due to excessive weight and various physiological changes is the prime concern to avoid the forthcoming complications in feet.

This service supplements the weight management services that MCC offers its guests. One can consult a medical professional on obesity related issues, while also buying a pair of walking shoes designed to burn more calories than regular sneakers in half the time.

Foot care in Diabetes mellitus (DM):

DM is a complex, life-long condition affecting 4.2% of the world's population. Approximately 15% of all persons with diabetes will develop a foot ulcer at some time during the course of their disease (American Diabetic Association, 1999).

Foot disorders and foot infections are a common cause for hospitalization among diabetics in India. This could be attributed to several sociocultural practices, such as walking barefeet, inadequate facilities for diabetic care in the country.

The most common offending agent or cause of traumatic foot ulceration is footwear. The use of ill-fitting shoes is instrumental in the development of blisters, callus and corns which can lead to ulceration in diabetics. In particular, peripheral neuropathy in people with diabetes leads to progressive deterioration, resulting in changes to the foot itself. Rigid deformities such as hallux valgus, hallux rigidus, hammertoes, and limited range of motion of the ankle, subtalar, and metatarsophalangeal joints have also been associated with the development of diabetic foot ulcers.
Manipal Cure and Care has a range of DiabCare services which are complimented by Foot Solutions under the same roof, providing comprehensive care for Diabetes Mellitus for the first time in the country.

For athletes, the demands on the feet are immeasurable. Many have their careers cut short by foot injury and degenerative diseases. The causes are many, but not the least of which is improper shoe and insole design. All athletes sooner or later have foot problems.

The feet, are indeed affected by environmental stresses. It is commonly accepted that exercise promotes a balance of strength and flexibility in opposing muscle groups. It also encourages optimum bone density and ideal alignment at the joints.

Conversely, chronic restriction or bracing of the musculoskeletal structure leads to muscle atrophy, loss of bone mass, and joint stiffness. The net result being a weaker, less efficient structure predisposed to degenerative stress and injury. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints and other supporting structures of the body.

Most of us have biomechanical imperfections that, when subjected to the repetitive impact of running/ walking, can make us vulnerable to certain injuries. The proper shoe can help address our biomechanical imperfections and allow us to train while minimizing the risk of injury.

Plantar fasciitis is a commonly encountered orthopaedic problem affecting athletes. Approximate incidence reported is 10% in runners. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the plantar fascia and the perifascial structures. It is a syndrome resulting from repeated trauma to the plantar fascia at its origin on the medial tubercle of the heel bone.

As no two feet are identical, they deserve the same attention as any part of your body. So walk into Foot Solutions at MCC centers and get what your feet deserve.

Forwarded from Foot Solutions Corporate, Atlanta:

Foot Solutions is an international franchise focusing on Health & Wellness, specifically the feet with a unique mapping system and custom arch supports. We have created our own niche between comfort shoe stores and orthopedic shoe stores.

At Foot Solutions, we do just what our name says: we provide solutions. Whether you have bunions, hammertoes, fallen arches or just plain tired, aching feet (or knees, hips or back), our staff of skilled fitting professionals will be able to help. During a 30-45 minute consultation, we will use computerized scanning technology and gait analysis to determine exactly what the problem is. With a broad range of footwear and the most innovative arch supports and custom orthotics in the market today, we will come up with a solution for minimizing or alleviating your foot and foot-related pain and discomfort.

Foot Solutions' success is predicated on the belief that there is an increasing large segment of the population concerned both about how they look and how they feel. Health and Wellness is an increasingly large market segment in India and all other developed countries. It used to be this way for footwear and custom insoles, consumers had to go to a medical practitioner or an orthopedic facility where the products by and large were functional but unattractive. Foot Solutions is unique because it bridges the gap between pedorthic and fashion solutions. While Foot Solutions is the answer for people with foot ailments, this attribute makes us also appropriate for the wide range of consumers who have feet (which of course includes everyone).

Foot Solutions also provides many reach-out programs donating time and money related to children's obesity, diabetics, retirement community programs and International programs such as the Blue Planet Run for pure drinking water. The philosophy of the company and all its associates is to always give something back and to be part of positive change and energy. India has a huge population segment that could benefit and utilize the services and knowledge of Foot Solutions. Our partnership with Manipal Cure and Care will allow Foot Solutions to be available to many, with over 100 units planned.

The author of this article is Mr. Nafeez Syed. He is a qualified Physical Therapist, Technical Head, Foot Solutions, Manipal Cure and Care, Bangalore