New Electronic Foot and Gait Scanner

from Dr. Scott
I recently added a new technology for assessing foot function to my clinic, . This scanner called Gaitscan, uses hundreds of sensors to record pressure from the foot as it strikes the ground. These data are assembled by software, much like a C.T. Scan, to make an image of the athlete’s foot function throughout the gait cycle.

A picture is worth a thousand words: The Gaitscan measures how people walk using a pressure plate, which scans at 300 times per second to produce 2D and 3D images of the patient’s feet. It helps us to pinpoint the source of foot dysfunction. It can help people suffering from foot, knee, hip, and lower back pain, as a result of walking incorrectly.

The scanner tests your feet in standing position as well as your normal gait. This gives us an accurate digital picture of your “functional feet”. If you would benefit from orthotics, the scanner automatically calibrates the correction and support needed, allows us to add customized modifications, and sends the scan to the lab via Internet for fulfillment of the order.

Shin Splints:
Another problem commonly treated with orthotics is Shin Splints.
Shin splints are commonly caused by muscle imbalances, pronation, insufficient shock absorption (worn out shoes) and toe running. The foot muscles are attached to the lower leg. There are long muscles with longer tendons, which attach to the bottom of the foot like stirrups on a saddle, which form a sling for your foot. When the arch ligaments can’t hold up, the calf muscles try to hold the arch up. When you run enough on hard surfaces the muscles can begin to tear away from the bone causing shin splints. Once you have them, they return more easily. Ultrasound often helps but you have to treat the cause while you are treating the effects.
Orthotics will often support the foot adequately to relieve shin splints forever.
Excellent images and explanation of shin splints can be seen at eOrthopod.com. (They promote a brand of off the shelf arch supports on their website.)

The foot is a biomechanical miracle:
The foot is responsible for helping with balance at times and for providing a rigid base to push from at other times. In some people, the arches become stretched out and are not much help for stability or rigidity. The body is so smart it works around this shortcoming. For instance, when more pressure is sensed on the inside of the foot, the body responds by growing more bone (a bunion).

Plantar Fasciitis:
When the big ligament on the bottom of the foot gets overstretched, it can start to pull away from the front of the heel causing a ton of pain and eventually a spur (plantar fasciitis). Some docs like to inject cortisone in this spot, which wipes out the pain from inflammation but does nothing about the condition. My favorite short-term treatment is to mimic the ligament with 2 strips of longitudinal stretchy tape from Johnson & Johnson, called Elastikon. It is strong enough to help with the ligament and the stretchiness pulls the arch in while the person is at rest.

Orthotics Relieve Foot Pain; Improve Performance:
The long-term fix is to fit the person for orthotics (arch supports). These come in every conceivable type and style. Orthotics fall into 2 categories: soft and rigid.
Soft orthotics put a synthetic arch under the foot. These usually feel good right away and do not need to be exact in their fitting. GI Joe’s and drug stores carry them for a few dollars.
Rigid orthotics are another story. The principle is that your heel strikes the ground first with a great deal of force (Sometimes many times the body’s weight). The orthotic is designed with a typically outward slope of a few degrees tipping the orthotic out. Because it is rigid, the whole orthotic tips outward causing the arch to be lifted and supported at the front of the orthotic. As the forefoot strikes the ground, the orthotic has to be strong enough to absorb shock so the ligaments are not forced to do so. It must be flexible enough to be comfortable. (Think grocery cart wheel vs. bicycle tire wheel.)
A challenge with these is that if the angle of the rear is too high, you can turn your ankles. If it is too low, the orthotic does no good. Additionally, many people have rigid orthotics with hurt when they wear them. The prescribing physician (me) should follow up to change or “adjust” the orthotic to patient comfort. This usually means grinding them down a little bit or occasionally building them up.


Custom orthotics at Lake Oswego Chiropractic Clinic:
We have recently added an electronic scanner, which has hundreds of pressure sensors to evaluate your feet as they interact with the ground. The scanner tests your feet in standing position as well as your normal gait. This gives us an accurate digital picture of your “functional feet”. If you would benefit from orthotics, the scanner automatically calibrates the correction and support needed, allows us to add customized modifications, and sends the scan to the lab in Toronto via Internet for fulfillment of the order.

Run; don’t walk into Lake Oswego Chiropractic Clinic and Wellness Center to have your feet and gait scanned for optimal health.