Free Your Feet!
So, I have been seeking-out and testing footwear that allows my feet to work the way their supposed to. Now, if you’re the type of person who thinks your shoes need to support your arch or that your shoes need to have lots of padding…… you’re thinking the wrong way about your feet!
There are definitely exceptions but most of our feet are built with an arch and arches support themselves; here’s an article by Dr. Ray McClanahan who has a podiatric clinic in Portland, Oregon: Arch Support
Now, go to your closet and check out your shoes, are the back of your shoes higher than the front? I’m not just talking about high heels. Most running shoes and sneakers have this destructive quality to them. This changes the way your foot carries the weight of your entire body and it doesn’t change it for the better!
It takes the forces that used to be spread throughout your entire arch and focuses them to the front of your foot. This is bad…. period! Here’s another article that talks about this aspect of footwear: Heel Elevation
Now….. look at the toe box of your shoes, is it boxy or tapered? Well, if it’s tapered and narrow, it doesn’t allow the bones of your feet spread apart with every step. this can lead to bunions, neuromas, intermetatarsal bursitis and more…. again, here’s another article, this one is about tapered toes boxes: Tapering Toeboxes.
So which shoes allow your feet to work the way they were made to?
One of my favorite companies that uses barefoot technology in their shoes is Vivo Barefoot. I have a couple of pairs and even run in them; here’s an article about these shoes: Vivo Barefoot Shoes – Product Review.
Patients at my chiropractic, nutrition, hypnosis and functional movement clinic, Optimum Function in Portland, Oregon (click to go to my site) often hear about this topic from me and I have even prescribed shoes that have barefoot technology in them like:
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Vivo
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Sanuks
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Vibram FiveFingers
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Crocs
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Flip Flops
They often can’t believe how good their feet feel and also how wearing the right footwear can help reduce and even totally get rid of back, knee, ankle and hip pain.
In addition to the proper footwear, making sure your body has the correct and optimal balance between adequate mobility and stability with chiropractic, Graston Therapy, Kinesiotape and other manual medicine techniques. To find out more about thes treatments, leave a comment here or go to my website.
Yours in Health,Tim Irving DC, MS, LMTOptimum Function: 819 SE Morrison St. ste. 215, Portland, OR, 97215Optimum Function = Optimum Health
Do You Take Ibuprofen, Tylenol or Any Other Over-The-Counter Pain Reliever?
Well, if you do, you will want to check out the following video:
Please contact me if you take any over-the-counter medications for pin on a regular basis. When taken excessively, they can be harmful to your health and there ARE natural alternatives. In many cases, chiropractic care and manual medicine can decrease the pain substantially.
Click on the Following link for more information on chiropractic and manual medicine care in Portland, Oregon: Dr. Tim Irving, a Portland, Oregon Chiropractor and Nutritionist.
Yours in Health, Tim Irving DC, MS, LMT, CKTP, GSTM cert., Nutritionist, Hypnotherapist Optimum Function: Portland, Oregon, 97214 Optimum Function = Optimum HealthYours in Health,Tim Irving DC, MS, LMTOptimum Function: 819 SE Morrison St. ste. 215, Portland, OR, 97215Optimum Function = Optimum Health
Chiropractic Among Top Rated for Treatment of Back Pain: CBS Video
Here’s a video that talks about back pain, specifically, low back pain plaguing 80-85% of us. Now keep in mind, these numbers were generated from a survey, not a scientific study but we all know low back pain is a HUGE problem. I treat patients with it all the time in Portland, Oregon utilizing chiropractic, cold laser, kinesiotape, graston and other soft-tissue release techniques.
For more info on treating low back pain in Portland, Oregon, click on the following link: Portland, Oregon Back Pain Treatments at Optimum Function
Yours in Health, Tim Irving DC, MS, LMT, CKTP, Nutritionist, Hypnotherapist Optimum Function: Portland, Oregon, 97214 Optimum Function = Optimum HealthYours in Health,Tim Irving DC, MS, LMTOptimum Function: 819 SE Morrison St. ste. 215, Portland, OR, 97215Optimum Function = Optimum Health
Chiropractic Rated at the Top for Back Pain Relief
In an article on ConsumerReports.org; chiropractic was rated at the top for back pain relief treatments. It should be noted that this study made no mention of what type of back pain. Most of the public and all of us doctors out there know that low or lower back pain is much different than upper back, shoulder and mid back pain. That being said, we can assume that this article is referring to back pain in general. Click on the following link to read the Consumer Reports article: Back Pain Relief
For those of you who are looking for pain relief in Portland, Oregon, click on the following link for more information: Portland, Oregon chiropractor, massage therapist and nutritionist, Tim Irving. Feel free to leave a comment or send an email to info@OptFunction.com
Yours in Health, Tim Irving DC, MScan., LMT, CKTP, Nutritionist Optimum Function: Portland, Oregon, 97214 Optimum Function = Optimum HealthChiropractic, Nutrition, Functional Medicine, Functional Movement, Kettlebells, Graston, Kinesiotape, Clinical Hypnosis, Body Fat and Composition Testing
Yours in Health,Tim Irving DC, MS, LMTOptimum Function: 819 SE Morrison St. ste. 215, Portland, OR, 97215Optimum Function = Optimum HealthKinesiotape: You’ve seen it while watching the olympics but what is it?
“What’s that tape doing on Kerry Walsh’s shoulder?” I was asked by a new patient.
“Kinesiotape” I answered.
Maybe you’ve been wondering the same thing. Is Kerry Walsh’s shoulder injured? Maybe not, Kinesiotape is not a structural tape that limits motion and therefore is used to stabilize an injured shoulder or knee or elbow. It’s unique design allows for greater blood and lymph flow while acting on the nervous system to reduce pain and increase functionality throughout the healing process.
Email me at info@OptFunction.com or call 503-866-9739 to talk with me and find out how Kinesiotape can help you perform and function at an optimal level. It’s not just for olympic athletes!
Click Here to find out more from the Kinesiotape website
Yours in Health, Dr. Tim Irving DC, LMT Optimum Function 819 SE Morrison St. Suite 230 Portland, Oregon, USA, 97214 www.OptFunction.com www.YourOptimumNutrition.com www.FunctionalDetox.comYours in Health,Tim Irving DC, MS, LMTOptimum Function: 819 SE Morrison St. ste. 215, Portland, OR, 97215Optimum Function = Optimum Health