Put Your Best Foot Forward
Indianapolis South LIVING WELL Magazine
Did you know more than 43.1 million Americans have problems with their feet, mainly from wearing improperly fitted shoes? According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 87% of women and 68% of men suffer with foot pain.
Many people (women in particular) are more concerned about wearing shoes that are fashionable, instead of paying attention to how well they fit. High heels are the main fashion culprit for women. Often, they are purchased too small to keep them on. Plus, the tapered toe box shapes are unnatural. Over time, they can cause foot problems, such as bunions, hammertoes, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, all very painful.
“The fashion industry has convinced women they need to wear high heels to be attractive,” says Kathy Carandang, a board-certified pedorthist and founder of the WalkEZstore. “Heels over 2 inches double the pressure placed on your toes and the balls of your feet. Plus your torso thrown into an unnatural forward position causes stress on your knees, hips and low back and possibly throughout the entire body.
Men are not immune to foot problems either. “It’s common for men to spend more time deciding on a shirt and tie than selecting new shoes,” says Carandang. “But men wouldn’t think of driving a car with tires that are the wrong size, not balanced and aligned. Just like the tires on your car, you need footwear that’s properly fitted and supported so your body is aligned and balanced correctly for all day comfort.”
Experts agree your shoes should accommodate your feet’s natural shape. Your shoes should provide your arches with support. This means fitting your shoes to your arch length – not your toe length. “It doesn’t matter how much the shoes cost when it comes to fit; however, quality craftsmanship is usually more expensive but also worth the money,” says Carandang. “A shoe fitted too short will create biomechanical foot dysfunction if it doesn’t exist already. Shoes come in mirror-matched images and so do over-the-counter arch supports – feet do not. Learn what it takes to properly fit and support your unique feet. Otherwise, you’re likely to experience pain.”
Carandang’s goal is to teach people how to achieve a proper shoe fit, educating them on the need for a custom orthotic that will enhance and promote proper biomechanical foot function for better overall health.
“Proper foot function is vital to a healthy body,” she says. “Your feet’s arches should act as shock absorbers for the rest of your body. When they don’t function correctly problems arise. When your arches are well supported in a way that encourages proper biomechanical function, stress and strain is reduced on the entire body. But this can only be achieved when the foot, shoe and custom orthotic are all playing the same game.”
As a board-certified pedorthist since 2005 and the company founder/CEO, Kathy Carandang has been trained in anatomy and biomechanics of the foot and ankle, construction of shoes and orthotics, and is qualified to fill prescriptions written by a doctor for pedorthic devices. The ezWalker® biomechanically designed custom orthotic by the WalkEZstore provides functional support needed to enhance the way people walk due to the unique impression process.
For more information about Kathy Carandang and the WalkEZstore visit the website at www.walkezstore.com or call 1-888-392-5539. Consultations/fittings by appointment.
