Mindfulness
from head
to toe
yoga
self
pedorthics
" . . . With my doctor' recommendation, instead of
pharmaceutical therapy,he encouraged me to do
more yoga and wear supportive athletic shoes . . .
yoga and pedorthics . . . who knew . . . "
think of myself as a foot care practitioner offer-
ing balance and comfort to my patients via
their feet. However, I was curious as to how I
was to create balance for this complicated body
part. Since there is no set answer for all, it is an
incredible challenge for footcare practitioners.
As satisfying as it is to aid someone in finding
their physical balance starting with their feet, it's
sometimes just as frustrating. We don't always
get it on the first try. We modify and correct. We
tweak and alter, to find just the right solution to
the problem.
Similar to a Pedorthic gait analysis, in life we
crawl, we walk, we teeter, we run, we stumble, we
jump over hurdles mentally and physically. That
is nature of the cycle. It's how we react that keeps
us standing versus falling face first on the ground.
Many of us live with injuries that others can't
see. For example, I have a lower back injury
caused by a car accident in 2006. My MRI shows
herniation of several discs. This challenge sent
me out seeking answers. I wanted to solve my
problem rather than mask it. I became more
mindful of my body and, more importantly, the
parts that transport me; my spine and my feet.
With my doctor' recommendation, instead of
pharmaceutical therapy, he encouraged me to do
more yoga and wear supportive athletic shoes at
all times. I did just that.
When I was fitted with my first custom
orthotics I was amazed at how I felt. It wasn't
Current Pedorthics May/June 2017
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