Rockin’ and Rollin’

If you’re walking correctly, chances are your feet are rockin’ and rollin’ the right way. The human foot and ankle is a strong and complex mechanical structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints — 20 of which are actively articulated — and more than a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments. Our feet are designed to absorb and distribute the ground reaction forces that occur when our toes hit the ground, whether we are walking, running, hiking or dancing. Normally, during the stance phase of gait, our heel strikes the ground first, we transfer our body weight forward onto the ball of the foot and then push off on the big toe to propel us forward to the next step. In addition to this rocking motion, the foot is also designed to roll approximately six to eight degrees laterally. The arches are built at an angle to encourage a normal medial to lateral rolling motion. All that rockin’ and rollin’ literally saves our feet from the pounding they experience throughout the day.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the foot structure known as pes cavus, or high arches. This type of foot is rigid and does not absorb ground reaction forces well. Folks with high arches tend toward developing foot pain, bunions, achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. A trained specialist, such as a physical therapist or orthotist, can identify kinetic and biomechanical problems with gait. The specialist first watches the way you walk, looking for movement abnormalities or painful compensatory patterns. A physical examination of the entire body, including postural alignment, usually follows. Specific testing of the mobility in the joints of the feet and toes with palpation of painful areas, calluses or corns is also included. Observation, clinical diagnosis and casting or molding of the foot anatomy used to be how a foot care professional determined if orthotics were necessary.

Now, revolutionary advances in Computerized Gait Analysis systems such as Footmaxx are now the new gold standard for custom foot orthotics. Computers can capture gait biomechanics at 150 images per second. This is 20 times faster than the human eye. With amazing speed and accuracy, the computer can pinpoint exact abnormalities in movement that may occur with each step we take. In addition, the module that forms the base of a custom orthotic can now be fabricated out of many different types of materials, including carbon fiber. The combination of computerized technology and highly advanced materials creates the most customized orthotic on the market — not only for the individual but also for the specific activity. That means you can get an orthotic designed for walking, hiking, golfing, skiing, soccer, football and more. If you are having any foot or ankle pain, knee pain, hip or back problems, it could all be because your feet aren’t rocking and rolling correctly. Take care of your feet and they will take care of you!

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