I recently had an exciting opportunity to meet with Foot Levelers at the National Convention & Expo of Florida Chiropractic Association in Orlando, Florida. Foot Levelers, Inc., is the world’s leading provider of custom-made functional orthotics and other therapeutic products. They have been serving healthcare professionals for over 65 years and supports every step patients take to enjoy fuller and happier lives at work, home, or play.
I was graciously welcomed by Dan Sweeney, one of Foot Levelers Consultants, who introduced me to Doctor Manuel Duarte, DC, MSAc, DABCO, DACBSP who was very excited to hear my story and see how he could offer his assistance.
I explained how I was 28 weeks pregnant and currently suffering from severe low pack pain while caring for my toddler and during other normal daily routines. I also explained I have a history of low back pain from having been in Law Enforcement for 6 years and am medically unable to return. This opportunity came at the perfect time as this week I was experiencing the height of my pain. I had tried using everything from ice packs, heat packs, chiropractic adjustments, Tylenol, a T.E.N.s Unit, a tincture made up of turmeric and ginger, Cupping Set, resting and stretching but nothing was really helping.
I then met with Kent Greenawalt, Foot Levelers CEO, who explained the key findings to their newest study they had just conducted.
- Foot Levelers orthotics plus Chiropractic care reduce Low Back Pain by 40.4%
- Foot Levelers orthotics significantly reduce Low Back Pain by 34.5%.
- Foot Levelers alone or in conjunction with Chiropractic care improves function by 18.5% and 32.3%, respectively.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports 80 percent of adults experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime and it’s the single-leading cause of disability worldwide, with many taking prescription drugs for pain relief – which often leads to long-term opioid drug abuse and addiction. Mr. Greenawalt is very passionate about doing his share to put an end to opioid abuse and helping people find relief in a non-surgical, all-natural, proudly drug-free, chiropractic way. He truly believes this could be an answer to the nation’s opioid emergency. (As a former law enforcement, I can appreciate using a variety of methods to help combat the opioid epidemic).
We also discussed how moms and pregnant moms-to-be are very susceptible to low back pain. “Approximately 70% of women will report low back pain at some point in their lives. However, during pregnancy alone, the incidence of back pain is reported by 50–80% of women. One-third of pregnant women claim that low back pain is a significant problem. In a study by Stapleton et al. 61.8% of women who reported low back pain during pregnancy claimed the pain was at least moderately severe, 9% claimed they were completely disabled by pain.” Source
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says “caring for an infant puts stress on your back. Lifting your baby can be especially hard on your spine. Initially, you may be lifting the 7- to 10-pound baby up to 50 times a day. By the time your child is a year old, you are lifting and carrying 17 pounds. Two years later, you will be lifting a 25- to 30-pound child.”
While discussing my back pain issues, Dawn Galbraith, Foot Levelers SVP, and Cassandra Pagans, one of Foot Levelers Consultants, had a digital scan done of my feet and posture using their 3D imaging technology.
After the scan was complete, the ladies walked me over and introduced me to Doctor Mark Charrette who conducted the most detail oriented chiropractic adjustment of my entire life. He explained how everything is connected and if one part is off it will throw the rest of your body off. Dr. Charrette literally adjusted me from head to toe. Once he finished, Doctor Kevin Wong came over and applied Rocktape which is a form of kinesiology tape. This tape helps decompress an area of swelling and inflammation while helping distribute physical stress and decreasing pain.
I immediately was feeling as if I was standing slightly taller and walking a little lighter. Dr. Charrette informed me that once I receive my individually designed custom orthotics that I would be feeling even that much better and less than two weeks later they arrived.
Already one week into wearing my Fiji custom orthotic flip-flops, I can honestly see a huge improvement in my level of back pain! I put them to the test a few days ago and wore them for 6 hours while I was either chasing or carrying my toddler around Disney’s Magic Kingdom—saying I am impressed is an understatement! They are now my favorite pair of flip flops! The Fiji custom orthotic flip-flops are waterproof and also support all three arches of the foot. They come in multiple strap options and more classic style flip flops as well.
I put my functional orthotic inserts into my running shoes yesterday and put them to the test as well. I went for a short 1.5 mile run. Distance running is not my forte and now currently 30 weeks pregnant it is not the easiest. However, I felt like I was running on clouds—even at 7 months pregnant—thanks to the orthotics! They majorly helped cut back on the normal fatigue and back pain. The CPOYA custom orthotic has MPAX material in it that is proven to absorb up to 90% of shock, which shields joints and muscles from stress. Like all of the Foot Levelers orthotics they support all three arches of the foot, which helps prevent injury and improve biomechanics.
For more information about Foot Levelers, visit their website at FootLevelers.com
Facebook: facebook.com/footlevelers
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Thanks to Foot Levelers and periodic chiropractic care I can honestly say I know for sure I will have much less back pain in my future! If you have questions or are interested in the many products Foot Levelers has to offer, the best thing to do is visit FootLevelers.com or give them a call at 800-553-4860.
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References
- “Back Pain Fact Sheet,” National Institue of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Publication date December 2014. NIH Publication No. 15-5161
- Global Burden of Disease 2010 Project, collaboration between the World Health Organization, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the University of Queensland School of Population Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and the University of Tokyo, Imperial College London
- As covered in Business Insider, June 19, 2017: According to a study of 3.1 million people diagnosed with opioid use disorder, researchers at Amino found that “patients with opioid use disorder were 7.2 times more frequently also diagnosed with failed back syndrome — the general term for chronic pain following back surgery — than those who weren’t diagnosed with opioid use disorder.”
