PAC Blog
Meet a Pedorthist – Jeff Grimshaw
Jeff Grimshaw, C. Ped Tech (C), C. Ped (C) Jeff Grimshaw never planned to be a pedorthist. In fact, he admits that he had never heard of the profession until he received his Kinesiology degree from Brock University. He was studying at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College and looking for work to save tuition money. That’s when he came across a pedorthic position on the Ontario Kinesiology Association’s website. “I knew I wanted to pursue a career in health, working in a clinical setting,” says Jeff. After interviewing for the [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Isabelle Lavallée
Isabelle Lavallée, C. Ped (C) Isabelle Lavallée was only in high school when she was introduced to the pedorthic profession. She was a volleyball player in high school in her hometown of Joliette, Quebec, and spent 15 hours a week playing and practicing on the court. When she developed knee problems as a result of the sport, she decided to visit a pedorthist for help. “I’d never heard of the profession before,” says Isabelle, adding that her experience inspired her to become a pedorthist herself. “I always wanted to work [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Sharon Horan
Sharon Horan, C. Ped (C) In 1995, one of Sharon Horan’s employees convinced her to attend the Pedorthic Association of Canada (PAC) annual conference in Ottawa. Little did she know that attending that conference would set her on a career path that would be both exciting and fulfilling. At the conference, Sharon became immediately interested in becoming a pedorthist. Having graduated in 1987 from Dalhousie University with a degree in occupational therapy, Sharon was no stranger to the foot and ankle or to orthotics. Her first job as an OT [...]
In a Pickle: Preventing Pickleball Sport Injuries
What do you get when you cross tennis with badminton AND table tennis? PICKLEBALL! I’m hearing lots about it from my clients these days. Contrary to its name, Pickleball does not involve pickles of any kind. It is both a recreational and competitive sport played on a badminton-sized court, with a net set at 34 inches high in the middle, a wiffleball-like ball, and double-sized ping pong-like paddles. It can be played in singles or doubles, much like tennis, and on indoor or outdoor courts. Originating in a Washington backyard [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Peter Morcom
Peter Morcom, C. Ped (C) Peter Morcom loves being able to help clients get back to their daily routines – no matter what their background or situation is. “In pedorthics you get a wide variety in patients from professional athletes, to kids, to diabetics. It allows you to help many different people whether they need help with performance, or just be able to do their daily activities.” As a native of Maple Ridge, Peter received his kinesiology degree from University of the Fraser Valley. When he graduated, he met two [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Johan Steenwyk
Johan Steenwyk, C. Ped (C), C. Ped MC When Johan Steenwyk was 18 years old, he was still figuring out what he wanted to do for a living – but he always knew he wanted to help people. That’s when Johan looked into the family business, and decided to become an orthopedic shoemaker when living in his native Netherlands. There was a real need for orthopedic shoemakers there at the time. Johan started apprenticing at Kemerink Orthopedie as part of a program that was subsidized by the Dutch Federation of Orthopedic [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Jane Cromwell
Jane Cromwell, C. Ped Tech (C), C. Ped (C) Jane Cromwell has enjoyed a long, fulfilling career in pedorthics, 26 years in fact, but she hasn’t come this far completely on her own. “I couldn’t have gotten here without the help, guidance and knowledge of many fellow pedorthists whom I have worked with throughout my career,” she says. Jane started out her pedorthic journey with a three-year apprenticeship, then worked her way up by becoming an American Certified Pedorthist, then a C. Ped Tech (C) and finally became certified as [...]
Meet a Pedorthist – Shannon Gordon
Shannon Gordon, C. Ped Tech (C), C. Ped (C) Shannon Gordon never thought she would become a Pedorthist. In fact, she insists that she did not find the profession; rather the profession found her. While working as a kinesiologist in a physio clinic in Calgary, she had a chance encounter with Sandy Connery, who was doing assessments for orthotics. When Shannon asked Sandy how she could look at feet all day, Sandy replied, “I don’t look at them as feet, I look at them as three-dimensional objects—something is wrong, and [...]
Running shoes are a vital piece of fitness equipment
Running continues to grow in popularity in Canada. Besides the proven benefits to our mental and physical health, running is popular because you can run almost anywhere and it is relatively easy to squeeze in a run at some point in a busy day. Running also requires very little equipment – all you need is a pair of running shoes. However, this piece of equipment is vital. If you don’t wear the right type of running shoes or don’t replace them regularly, the health benefits running provides will be jeopardized [...]
Why Lacing Matters
From an early age we’re taught the importance of keeping our shoelaces tied, and if we didn’t listen to this advice we quickly learned why it is not safe to run around with untied laces. Tripping hazard aside, tying your shoelaces is very important as it affects how your footwear fits and functions. Different lacing techniques benefit different foot types. Here are some guidelines to help you determine which technique is best for you: Standard Feet If you have standard-sized feet and don’t suffer from any foot issues, the traditional [...]
Shoe shopping should be done in-person, not online
Online shopping is a wonderful time saving tool that continues to grow in popularity. The convenience of being able to order the products you need at any time of day or night and have them shipped directly to your door is invaluable. However, when it comes to footwear, online shopping is rarely a good decision. Wearing properly-fitted footwear is important for your comfort, mobility and overall well being. Ill-fitting shoes can cause numerous problems including bunions, hammertoes, blisters and ulcerations as well as balance issues. In addition to proper fit, [...]
Cycling orthotics can improve your performance and your comfort
As cycling doesn’t require you to bear any weight on your feet, you may be surprised to learn that foot orthotics can make a significant difference to both your performance and comfort. How can foot orthotics help in a sport where your feet never touch the ground? Our central nervous system does not clearly recognize our feet while cycling. When we walk and run the pressure on the band of muscle on the bottom of our feet sends feedback to our brain. However, when we cycle there is little or no change [...]