feet Archives - Soles in Motion Athletic

What are you doing to reward your feet after ……..?

March 1, 2021 by Jennifer Estabrooks Co-Owner

After you’ve run, walked, worked out, hiked, played your favorite sport, what do you put on your feet?  Everything starts with your feet – your transport, your moves, and your activity every day!  How do you thank them after you’ve worked them hard?  You put on the oldest; worn-out pair of shoes or slippers you own.  Your feet are tired and sore and deserve a little attention.
Your feet hold your weight, balance, propel you, and absorb shock.  Yes, there they are at the end of your legs stabilizing your every move.  Don’t take them for granted.
Think about it each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and have more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments.  The average person walks 180,000 kilometers in a lifetime; the equivalent to walking 5 times around the world.  Your arch bears between 90,000 and 135,000 kilograms of stress.  75% of people experience some type of foot pain.
Your feet are looking for some cushioning and support.  Here are a few brands we carry and why –

Aetrex Flips – best indoor slipper with extreme cushioning, shock absorption and durability. They have an arch support to help stabilize and align the feet and a metatarsal support to help reduce the ball of the foot discomfort
OOfus Sandals – known as the recovery sandal made with OOfoam technology absorbs impact and gives the perfect blend of cushion and stability. They support the arch to reduce energy exertion in the ankles.
Asics, Brooks, New Balance and Saucony are our top athletic brands and all have technology-specific to them for cushioning, support, stability and motion control. Every style of every brand has unique qualities that are designed to help you perform better and recover faster.

The most important thing is to come in and be measured, let us watch your gait and try on as many styles as you like to see what makes your feet feel amazing.

And just a little more information, we have a 3D scanner named ‘Albert’ that will digitally scan and take pictures of your feet to determine not only the pressure points but the arch length, foot differentiation, instep girth and recommend solutions. And best of all we have an amazing staff of experienced footwear specialists, two Canadian Certified Pedorthists and two bracing specialists! Keeping you educated is on us!

Come on into Soles in Motion, 133 Baker Drive, Dartmouth!

-Submitted by Jen Estabrooks, Co-Owner, Certified Brace Specialist

LET US TALK TO YOUR FEET!

April 4, 2018 by Graham Gilbert

Your feet have a lot to say if you listen. They will tell you what they like, what they don’t, what hurts and what makes them feel great. They’ll tell you what keeps them up at night and what stresses them out. The good news is that the right footwear and foot orthotics can help you achieve proper body alignment, reduce pain, prevent injuries and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Here’s a little information just for you. If you have low arches or flat feet you probably have very flexible feet with an arch that sits low to the ground. Very little arch definition. This means you may over-pronate, have or are susceptible to plantar fasciitis, post-tibial tendonitis, heel spurs, medial knee problems and bunions. Orthotics should incorporate medial rear foot posting and arch support to keep the foot aligned and help control overpronation. Don’t sweat it! Approximately 20% of the population has low arches so you’re in good company!

Medium arches mean your feet are biomechanically efficient, moderately flexible and have a defined arch. People with medium arches may be susceptible to common foot problems such as heel pain and metatarsalgia from repetitive stress and improper fitting footwear. Orthotics should have arch support, cushioning and shock absorbing materials for comfort and foot pain prevention. Approximately 60% of the population has medium arches so you have lots of company!

Those of your with high arches tend to have very rigid feet with an arch that sits higher from the ground. This puts excessive pressure to rear foot and forefoot and can cause plantar fasciitis, heel pain syndrome, arch strain, metatarsalgia, calluses, claw toes. Orthotics should have proper arch support, metatarsal pads for forefoot relief, and strong cushioning properties. Approximately 20% of the population has high arches so don’t feel you’re all alone! High arches are usually classified as supinated and are more rigid than other feet. When we walk or run, our feet absorb most of the impact and shock. With high arches, you have less surface area for absorbing impact and you place excessive pressure on your rear foot and forefoot areas.

The good news is that the right orthotics can help fill in your arch cavity to disperse the shock and provide the cushioning and alignment needed for you to prevent injuries and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Let our professional staff at Soles in Motion be your Foot Whisperers!

Are your Feet tired of hurting!

October 21, 2016 by Graham Gilbert

There can be many reasons why your feet hurt – improper footwear, not enough support in the right places, not enough cushioning, medical condition or an injury. It is hard to know where to start. The best option is to see a Canadian Certified Pedorthist for an assessment. Assessments determine what the problem is and what solution would be best for you. You may require custom orthotics, off the shelf insoles or proper footwear. Be educated! Listen to your feet!

Custom-made orthotics provide individual correction specific for your foot problem. There are different types of orthotics. Functional orthotics are used to correct problems with a person’s foot mechanics such as overpronation (the foot rolls inward) or supination (the arch is too high and the foot rolls outward) Accommodative orthotics are designed to fit and protect the foot generally from where it functions via cushioning and specific unloading and to relieve pain and pressure in the foot. They improve tolerance for the weight bearing tasks of daily life and typically used with diabetic patients.

Generally speaking, your feet should NOT hurt. Pain indicates that something is wrong. Come in and see us at Soles in Motion and experience how we come up with the right solution for your individual needs.

Submitted by Jen Estabrooks, Co-owner, General Manager, Soles in Motion, 121 Ilsley Avenue soon to be moving to 133 Baker Drive, Dartmouth 902-468-7911 (solesinmotion.ca)

Happy Walking!

I am a diabetic. What foot problems should I be worried about?

November 18, 2015 by admin

There are two main conditions that can affect diabetic feet:

First, with damage to the nervous system, a person with diabetes may not be able to feel his or her feet properly. Normal sweat secretion and oil production that lubricates the skin of the foot is impaired. These factors together can lead to abnormal pressure on the skin, bones, and joints of the foot during walking and can lead to breakdown of the skin and subsequently sores may develop.

The second issue is that damage to blood vessels and impairment of the immune system can make it difficult to heal these wounds on diabetic feet. Because of the poor blood flow, antibiotics cannot get to the site of the infection easily.

The best treatment for the foot issues is prevention.

Control your blood sugar as this is the only way to prevent all of the diabetic complications.
Regular Foot Exams: Diabetics should get into the routine of daily foot self-examinations and also after any foot trauma, no matter how minor.
Foot Care: Proper foot care for diabetics is very important. Wear seamless socks made of materials that wick moisture away from your feet.
- Soles in Motion has a foot care nurse that provides diabetic foot care can be a great resource to show you how to properly care for your feet and educate you about ways to prevent serious problems.
Proper Footwear: Poorly fitting shoes are a common cause of diabetic foot problems.
- Diabetics should wear sturdy, comfortable shoes with socks whenever possible to protect your feet.
- Never walk barefoot, even indoors.
- Always check the insides of your shoes before putting them on.
- Diabetic footwear should have a high, wide toe box; removable insoles to be able to insert orthotics if necessary, rocker soles to reduce pressure in the areas of the foot most susceptible to pain (such as the ball-of-the-foot) and firm heel counters for support and stability.
Orthotics: For diabetics with flat feet, bunions, corns/calluses or hammertoes you may orthotics to be sure that there is no pressure being placed on certain parts of your feet. By customizing the orthotic to your foot, the insert will provide the best comfort and protection.
Soles in Motion also specializes in diabetic socks and footwear designed to fit properly.

Soles in Motion offers no obligation assessments with our two Canadian Certified Pedorthists. Call and make an appointment – Education is free!!!