CONTACT: SCOTT
COSTELLO
(662) 377-2404
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ORTHOTICS—A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
TUPELO--An active person may take thousands of
steps per day. That much stress on your feet can cause problems, especially for
people with structural disorders. Thanks to orthotic services offered by the
Foot Center at North Mississippi Medical Center’s Outpatient Rehabilitation
Center, patients are taking steps to correct these problems.
Orthotics are
orthopedic devices designed to treat or adjust biomechanical foot disorders.
They can be as simple as cushioned heel cups or insoles for shoes. The best
orthotics, however, are custom made to specifically meet an individuals’s
needs. These orthotic devices help keep the foot in proper alignment.
“The foot is
supposed to impact a certain way in which the force is transmitted properly
through the leg,” explains Stacey Stokes, a physical therapist with NMMC’s
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center who works with Foot Center patients. “Any
variance can lead to problems such as ankle sprains or knee, hip or back
problems.”
In general,
orthotics are grouped into four categories.
• Functional orthotics incorporate
special wedges to adjust the heel or forefoot, correcting defects in the arch
that cause poor shock absorption, such as excessive pronation, or flattening of
the arch, or supination, where an arch is too high.
• Weight-dispersive orthotics typically
feature padding designed to relieve pain caused by excessive pressure on the
metatarsal heads. Other accommodative orthotics are designed to treat pain and
pressure on the sesamoid bones, collapsed tarsal bones, sores and chronically
inflamed toes.
• Supportive orthotics are arch
supports usually prescribed to treat problems of the plantar arch.
• Early childhood orthotics are special
devices designed to correct biomechanical walking problems identified in young
children.
Patients who visit the Foot Center
undergo evaluation to determine what type of orthotic will be right for them.
The patient is videotaped while walking to look for problems and then the foot
is examined to look for structural disorders.
“We’re not just looking at the foot,
we’re looking at the chain all the way up,” adds Stokes. “Every link in the
chain is important.”
The Foot Center sees a vast array of
patients seeking relief from problems caused by their feet. “We have many
different cases, from pediatric cases to diabetics who have a lack of sensation,”
Stokes says. “With each patient it’s a little different and there are many
different kinds of orthotics to take care of specific problems.”
Josh and Jon-Jon Hancock, two brothers
with ties to Tupelo, have experienced the benefits of orthotics firsthand.
Josh, a minor-league pitcher for the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia
Phillies, has been using orthotics since a very young age.
“My first experience with them was when
I was about 10 or 11,” he says. “I was being stupid and jumped off the top of a
dugout and landed on my feet. My feet started hurting and I have flat feet
anyway, so I started using inserts. After that, I never had any problems. I’m a
believer in them.”
Josh’s brother,
Jon-Jon Hancock, started wearing orthotics in the ninth grade after suffering
numerous ankle sprains while playing basketball.
Jon-Jon, who
recently completed his senior year at Tupelo High School and will attend the
University of Mississippi on a baseball scholarship, believes wearing orthotics
has made a difference.
“I started rolling
my ankles a lot so I started wearing the orthotics,” he says. “It helped with
that and it also helped with some pain I was having in my lower back. It also
helped with my walk and posture.”
Stokes says that
for people with foot disorders, the right orthotic device can make all the
difference. It can also prevent long-term problems down the road.
“If a person has
the proper orthotic and has those correcting forces going up through the foot,
the correction will take the pain away. They’re going to feel it,” Stokes says.
Orthotic services
are available through physician referral. For more information, call 1-800-THE
DESK (1-800-843-3375).
SIDEBAR 1:
North Mississippi Medical Center’s
Outpatient Rehabilitation Center is located in Longtown Medical Park at 4381
Eason Blvd., Tupelo. Services include:
• Amputee
Clinic/Support Group
• Aquatic Therapy
• Crutch Training
• Driver’s Evaluations and Training
• Foot Center
• Hand Clinic
• Hippotherapy
• Industrial Work Program
• Lymphedema Management Program
• Neurological Rehabilitation Program
• Orthopedic Program
• Osteoporosis Program
• Pediatric Services
• Sports Medicine
• Vestibular Rehabilitation
• Wheelchair Seating Clinic
For more information about available
services or referrals for outpatient services, call 1-800-THE DESK
(1-800-843-3375).
SIDEBAR 2:
Almost anyone can achieve some benefit from an
orthotic. Several common symptoms may indicate misalignment of the feet. You
may be a candidate for orthotics if:
·
one side
of the sole of your shoe wears out faster than the other
·
you
frequently sprain your ankle
·
you have
chronic heel, knee or lower back pain
·
your
shins hurt
·
your toes
are not straight
·
your feet
point inward or excessively outward when you walk, or
·
your feet
hurt in general.
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