PAC Blog
The Food-Foot Connection
With March being Nutrition Month across Canada, we decided to dig a little deeper and interview a Dietitian to explore how healthy eating can improve our overall health and more specifically, the health of our feet. Dietitians are the trusted professional when it comes to reliable evidence-based food and nutrition advise as Pedorthists are for footwear and orthotics. Tomorrow, March 18th, marks the eleventh year of celebrating Dietitians in Canada. In keeping with this celebration and helping to shine the spotlight on the profession, Pedorthist Derek Gilmer interviewed his wife [...]
Compression Therapy and Pedorthics
Pedorthists are often on the front line when it comes to seeing patient’s legs and feet, being the first professionals to observe and assess biomechanical and circulatory issues. Many patients do not show their legs or feet to their physicians, and may not realize that issues such as swelling, discolouration and varicose veins can benefit from compression therapy. Canadian Certified Pedorthists, or C. Ped (C)’s, may be certified in fitting compression stockings and custom garments, and can help to make sure that patients are receiving the best treatment to alleviate [...]
Pedorthics: More Than Just Orthotics
When you hear the word ‘Pedorthist’, what do you think of? Perhaps you’ve never heard the term before. Or maybe you associate it with the people who made your custom foot orthotics. By definition, a Canadian Certified Pedorthist is trained in the assessment of lower limb anatomy and biomechanics. They are experts in designing, fitting, and modifying custom made orthotics and orthopaedic footwear. They’ve studied and have successfully completed the requirements put forth by the Canadian College of Pedorthics of Canada. However, it doesn’t stop there. Many Pedorthists go on [...]
How to Break in Your Custom Foot Orthotics: Pedorthic Tips & Tricks
Custom foot orthotics are fabricated to meet everyone’s unique structural and biomechanical needs. The old saying holds true in that often one needs to “break something in” before feeling completely comfortable or satisfied with a product/device. So let's talk about how to break in orthotics and how long getting used to orthotics takes. What does it actually mean to “break-in” your new custom foot orthotics? In the Pedorthic profession one of the most common questions we hear is “how long will it take to get used to these orthotics”. Unfortunately, [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Tanya Conrad
Tanya Conrad, C. Ped (C) is a busy mother of four who spends all of her time either at her privately-owned clinic or at the dance studio cheering on her kids. Tanya grew up in the Maritimes and attended Dalhousie University, where she received her Bachelor of Kinesiology. Tanya knew she wanted a career that allowed her to help people, which is why she completed her Kinesiology degree. However, her previous career path was not rewarding enough for her. She set off on a new path when her brother convinced [...]
Don’t Let Pain Ruin Your New Year’s Resolutions!
It’s a new year, and you are motivated to start a new exercise routine! Don’t forget about your feet; proper shoes and support can be beneficial to prevent pain from developing. Why Pain Develops When Starting a New Exercise Routine When starting a new exercise routine, the body may not be prepared to handle the stress. Exercise increases force to the feet, and exaggerates any foot motions already present. These exaggerated motions create more work for the muscles and other structures around the feet. Because the structures in our body [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Kevin Carrington
Kevin Carrington was always an active child – a regular runner, and someone who played a lot of sports. But he was flat-footed, and relied on a pedorthist to help him participate in sports at a higher level. “As a kid, I suffered injuries, so I kept this business in mind,” he says. “I thought it would be interesting.” He received his undergraduate degree with a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa. He then received his Diploma in Pedorthics with distinction from the University of [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Katia Langton
Katia Langton started her career as a Chiropractor, and practiced for 20 years. While treating patients, she noticed they often had painful foot conditions, pronation and alignment issues – which caused them back problems. To better understand the base of her patients’ issues, Katia, a Vancouver, British Columbia native discovered the Pedorthic field and became a Certified Pedorthist in the United States, and later, Canada. She received her education at Simon Fraser University, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, International School of Pedorthics, and Western States Pedorthic program. “In the U.S. there is [...]
Reduce Your Winter Woes and Get the Most Out of the Canadian Winter
Weather. It’s everyone’s favourite topic of conversation in Canada and, while winter doesn’t officially join us until December 21, there have already been traces of winter across the country. As Canadians, we often joke, “Don’t like the weather? Wait 10 minutes and it’ll change.” However true or false that may be, and however much or little you love winter, you always want to be prepared. During the winter season, there are challenges to navigating the ever-changing winter conditions, the demand of holiday parties, and seasonal physical activities that you haven’t [...]
Tips from a Pedorthist: Fall Prevention
Fall prevention should be a top priority for those prone to injury or for those who have mobility concerns. Falls can cause major disruptions to someone’s life, as it can affect where a person lives safely to how much they can do for themselves around the house. Falls account for 85% of all injury-related hospitalizations for seniors and can result in serious bodily harm. Over 50% of people incur significant and impactful life changes due to falls. Some of those injured may not return home or live independently after a [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – John Does
John Does was immediately inspired to help others in the world of pedorthics when an orthotic provider treated him as a runner. He remembers how this particular provider eliminated his over-use symptoms caused by poor gait mechanics. “I found the process fascinating and the results amazed me,” says John. “No one in my immediate circle had ever heard of orthotics, and as a business-minded individual, I felt that there might be an opportunity to help others understand the benefits of this non-invasive, life-altering approach to treating causes rather than symptoms.” [...]
Diabetes Awareness Month and Fall Prevention Month in Canada
Many of us have heard the old adage, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” We eat our dark leafy greens and lean protein to ward off heart disease and wear helmets to minimize head and brain injury upon impact. We even have products applied to our cars to prevent premature corrosion of its metallic parts. Some may say, awareness of these issues is half the battle. You may already know that November is Diabetes Awareness Month and Fall Prevention Month in Canada. The premise behind these [...]