By Valerie Benton
When your feet hurt, everything hurts. Ask anyone who has experienced foot pain. Even 13-year old Chapman Ivey, an avid young athlete with a passion for running and other sports.
When Chapman began experiencing pressure between his ankle and foot, he began missing games and cross-country meets, and his pain became progressively worse. He eventually turned to therapists at Phoebe Northwest and a new digital technology for laser-designed orthotics.
The state-of-the-art system is called Xtremity One and is the only laser scan system of its type in Albany and one of two in the state. For patients like Chapman, getting fitted for orthotics often follows a long course of physical therapy with therapists and trainers.
Sue Freeman, physical therapist, says the new technology being used at Phoebe Northwest gets to the bottom of many problems that begin with patients’ feet. In fact, the technology provides a total foot care management system, including tools to educate patients as well as design precision sport or dress orthotics. The system uses 2-D and 3-D imaging and tracks the pressure points, showing therapists where additional support is needed.
Hugh “Bubba” Ivey said the orthotics have made a big difference in alleviating pain and putting his son back in the game. He has been able to return to his track, cross country, and football without the pain that had previously impeded his athletic prowess.
“We haven’t looked back,” he said. “All Chapman complains about now is his times aren’t good enough yet.”
Freeman also said pain in other places in the body often results from foot disorders. The most common foot disorders that can benefit from this new technology are plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, Morton’s Neuroma, heel spurs, heel pain and Achilles tendonitis. Even knee, hip, and back pain can be a result of malalignment in the feet and can benefit from custom orthotic prescription. “Off-the-shelf orthotics“ often are not effective because they are not customized to individual’s varying foot shapes.
The 2-D and 3-D images can be rotated 360 degrees and displayed in wireframe, surface and topographical views to design permanent orthotics for patients.
Freeman said the previous method involved casting the patient’s foot in plaster, and then waiting 24 hours for the plaster of paris to completely dry before shipping the formation off to be used as a model for a permanent orthotic. The usual turnaround time with casts was about 3 weeks.
“Now we’ve got something we can do without the mess within a third of the time,” Freeman said. “ We are getting the orthotics back now within 7-10 days since we can send the laser- scanned digital foot shape online”
As for Chapman, he’s continuing to work on a personal best and he is pleased with his new orthotics because they stay in place and they’re contributing to his running results.
“It’s improved my running because I don’t feel any pain,” Chapman said. “It’s improved my mile time by 30 seconds.”
If someone thinks they may be a candidate for custom orthotics or have further questions, they can call Phoebe Physical Medicine at Phoebe Northwest at 312-8700. A physician referral is required, and many insurance companies do cover the cost of orthotics.
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