LER: Foot Health – March 2016
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From the editor:
Get smart about smart insoles
New technologies, especially those with the potential to allow patients to manage their own health, can leave practitioners wondering about their job security. But smart insoles aren’t going to put any clinicians out of work any time soon. In fact, smart insoles won’t really be able to help patients unless foot health specialists embrace them as a clinical tool.
This is true for a number of reasons, many of which are discussed in this issue of LER Foot Health (see “Smart insoles: Assessing their clinical potential,” page 15).
Without a clinician’s guidance, patients may not realize smart insoles’ potential benefits for specific conditions like diabetic neuropathy. The data generated by a smart insole’s embedded sensors won’t do a patient any good if those data are too numerous or complex, but an astute practitioner can analyze that information and determine its clinical implications.
Most important, patients who experiment with smart insoles on their own are likely to tire of the technology once the novelty wears off—and long before any significant health benefits have been achieved.
I observed this phenomenon firsthand recently in a number of friends who went through a Fitbit phase. They counted their steps religiously and even chose to walk on occasions when they normally would have driven. It certainly seemed like the technology was on its way to improving their health. But it failed to hold their interest after just a few weeks.
The problem in that case wasn’t with the technology. It’s just hard for many people to implement lifestyle changes on their own, and that’s something even the smartest technology hasn’t yet figured out a way around. That’s where a clinician’s involvement can really make a difference.
Don’t worry about smart insoles doing your job for you. Focus instead on how smart insoles can help you do your job better.
By Jordana Bieze Foster
News
Diabetes mellitus and peripheral neuropathy are associated with altered movement in individual metatarsal segments that is not always consistent with movement of the forefoot as a whole, according to research from Chicago that may have implications for foot ulcer prevention.
By Katie Bell
Profiles
Too often when a person has issues with their feet, they are treated for their symptoms rather than the underlying problem, said Jeffrey Jacobs, BOCPed.
By Kristine Thomas | Photos by Nancy Bateman
Chances are, if asked to describe a shoe repair shop, you probably wouldn’t use the words “pretty” or “refined.” But Gail Sundling, owner of the Delmar Bootery, might convince you otherwise.
By Catherine M. Koetters
Features
Athletes have been quick to embrace smart insoles and the biomechanical data generated by the devices’ embedded sensors. But experts believe smart insoles may also have potential clinical applications for patients with foot health problems, such as diabetic neuropathy.
By Shalmali Pal
Increasing numbers of studies suggest that a high body mass index can significantly affect foot structure and function, increasing the risk of painful conditions. But questions remain as to how foot health specialists can best address foot pain in their obese and overweight patients.
By Barbara Boughton
Shoe Showcase
Help your patients step out in style
Sandals from revere Comfort Shoes, designed and developed in Australia, are now available in the US market. Designed in collaboration with foot health experts, all revere sandals have removable polyurethane footbeds, extra depth to accommodate custom foot orthoses, and a cushioned heel.
Apex introduces its Spring Collection, designed to offer consummate style, superior comfort, and expert construction. Each pair is crafted with high-quality materials and engineered for agility and durability. The new collection includes a hiking boot version of the Ariya for men in…
This spring Pilgrim Shoes introduces style P3020, a new addition to the company’s men’s and women’s Areni One collections. These shoes come with our signature stretchable leather uppers, combining the aesthetic appeal and durability of leather with the ability to accommodate forefoot deformities.
The Maryse sandal for women, from the Mobils by Mephisto line of comfort footwear, is a slingback wedge sandal with a polyurethane outsole, velvety leather upper, and three adjustable Velcro straps.
The Oliver, new from Ped-Lite, offers the benefits of a therapeutic shoe without sacrificing the appearance of a traditional boat shoe. Customers will initially notice the Oliver’s all-leather upper with wrap-around lacing that is typical of a classic boat shoe
Ideal for pairing with breezy summer dresses, the new Salco 6 slingback sandal for women has woven its way into Arcopédico’s cork sole collection. The new Salco 6 sandal features multitone interlacing soft nylon knit straps across the vamp along with heel and ankle straps for a secure, comfortable hold.
Vionic’s contoured sandals, according to a recent peer-reviewed study, are comparable in effectiveness to the company’s prefabricated foot orthoses for the short-term treatment of heel pain. The same study also found that Vionic contoured sandals offer more effective relief of heel pain than…
Lightweight, comfortable, and crafted from high-quality leathers and materials from around the world, Samuel Hubbard shoes are designed for people who move, walk, work, live, and play. The generous design and toe box, silky glove leather lining, and easily removable memory foam insole make…
Averaging around 7 oz per shoe (less than half a pound), “light is right” when it comes to Anodyne’s sport collection. With 16 different combinations of styles and colors for men and women, the sport collection has something for everyone.