Posts

Posted on

Global Leader In Recovery Footwear, OOFOS, Accepts The American Podiatric Medical Association Seal Of Acceptance Across All Products

The Seal of Acceptance Further Establishes the Brand as a Leader and Innovator in the Footwear Industry

Press Release:

BRAINTREE, Mass., Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — OOFOS, the global leader in recovery footwear, announces today its full line of products has earned the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance, further solidifying them as a pioneer and leader within the recovery footwear category.

The APMA Seal of Acceptance Program recognizes products that have been found to be beneficial to foot health and of significant value when used consistently in a daily foot care program. OOFOS’ full collection is among these products, as all OOFOS styles were found by the committee to promote good foot health, further establishing the therapeutic and health benefits of the brand’s shoes. In receiving the Seal of Acceptance from the APMA, customers and physicians alike are assured that upon purchasing a pair of shoes from OOFOS, they are receiving a product that is of exceptional quality and is manufactured with the consumer’s comfort and well-being in mind.

“This is a huge moment for our brand. It reinforces prior research findings and the benefits of our unique foam technology, which is designed specifically for relief and recovery,” says Steve Gallo, President of OOFOS. “Our mission at OOFOS has always been ‘to make yOO feel better’ and this seal of acceptance by the APMA provides expert validation that our shoes make a difference in the health and wellbeing of our customers day in and day out.”

Made with proprietary OOfoam® technology, OOFOS shoes absorb 37% more impact than traditional foam footwear materials for the perfect blend of cushion and stability, based on a 2018 University of Virginia laboratory study.

The use of the proprietary technology in conjunction with their patented footbed allows the shoes to cradle and support the foot’s arches for more even distribution of pressure across the sole of the foot. The combination has also shown to reduce energy exertion in the ankles by up to 47% when compared to traditional footwear. The APMA committee has further championed this technology through review of the research the brand has done on these footwear components, how the products interact with the human body and the benefits consumers receive compared to traditional footwear.

This seal is just the latest example of how OOFOS is helping yOO recover and feel better with every step. In addition to the APMA Seal of Acceptance, thousands of consumer reviews online rave about the footwear’s positive impact on their lives, including relief of pain due to ailments, bringing comfort to long working hours and maintaining body health for professional athletes. 

“These are the most comfortable slides I’ve ever worn in my life,” says OOFOS brand partner and Pro-Football Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders. This is coming from a dude who is 52, has had three toe surgeries, and is in need of a 4th, these shoes changed the game for me!”

About OOFOS
OOFOS is the global leader in recovery footwear, founded by a team of industry veterans looking to help runners and fitness enthusiasts recover better from their workouts. Made with revolutionary OOfoam™ technology, OOFOS are designed to absorb 37% more impact than traditional footwear. They reduce stress on joints to keep anyone, of any activity level, feeling their best. From professional athletes to casual walkers, OOFOS footwear will make your hard-working feet and body feel better – all you have to do is feel the OO. 

Posted on

Arch Supporting Flip Flops

Are the arch supporting flip flops any good?

People with foot problems like to ask this a lot. Can those flip flops with an arch support built into them be used instead of foot orthotics? The amount of arch support that they have is similar to the amount that you get from an over-the-counter type foot supports that are widely available, so it is reasonable to assume that they will have some use. They could be used to supplement and be an adjunct to foot orthotic therapy when the wearing of foot orthotics can be compromised by the choice of footwear to accommodate foot orthotics. This is often the case in warmer climates when closed in shoes which are needed for foot orthotics are not worn that often. They may be an alternative to foot orthotics if the problem is minor and the patient spends the bulk of their time in this type of footwear and they have the need for an average type arch support. The amount of support would not be the same as you would get from a custom made device that is specific for the individual.

Athletes often like to use them as recovery footwear. After a hard workout, the feet and legs need a rest to help recover, so an arch supporting cushioned type of footwear is probably going to help that. The flip flop type footwear also ‘frees’ the toes from the constrictive toe box of typical shoes, so this can also be useful for use for a period of time by athletes.

One brand that is getting a lot of attention is the Archie brand from Australia, where it is widely stocked by podiatry clinics. In Australia, they call flip-flops, thongs, so you do need to be careful about the terminology of this footwear genre. You often see comments from Podiatrists in Australia, just how much patients like these with almost all who try them on buying them. There are many other brands on the market that are worth considering.

Posted on

Heel Pain on the Rise among Americans in Quarantine

Press Release:

BETHESDA, Md., May 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Members of the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) have noted an increase in reports of heel pain from patients stuck and home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. APMA member podiatrists are physicians and surgeons who treat the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg, and they say footwear—or lack thereof—may be to blame for the upsurge in cases.

“Adults are shifting routines and adapting to new working environments, and it’s easy to neglect proper care and support for your feet,” said APMA member podiatrist and spokesperson Priya Parthasarathy, DPM. “Many podiatrists now have telehealth and in-person appointments. Foot and heel pain is never normal, so see your podiatrist right away!”

Plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain, is inflammation of the band of fibrous connective tissue (fascia) running along the bottom (plantar surface) of the foot, from the heel to the ball of the foot. This condition may cause intense pain in the heel, along with redness, swelling, or heat. This pain may be most acute when a patient takes the first step in the morning or after sitting. Many Americans in quarantine are wearing unsupportive shoes—or wearing no shoes at all—which can contribute to inflammation.

“The top priority when treating plantar fasciitis is to reduce the mechanical strain on the plantar fascia with arch supports and supportive footwear,” said APMA President Seth A. Rubenstein, DPM. “Most cases of plantar fasciitis respond well to conservative (non-surgical) treatment, including anti-inflammatory measures and stretching. However, podiatrists are also well-trained to provide advanced, cutting-edge treatments, including EPAT therapy, platelet-rich plasma injections, and surgical intervention, for more complex cases.”

Although some patients assume all heel pain is attributable to plantar fasciitis, many conditions can cause similar symptoms. Seeing a local APMA-member podiatrist at the first sign of heel pain allows for proper diagnosis and treatment. Other causes of heel pain include heel spurs, Achilles tendinitis, stress fractures, and excessive pronation.

Posted on

Orthotics breakthrough helps children with Cerebral Palsy walk and play

Press Release:

Adapting splints and footwear can decrease the energy children with Cerebral Palsy use by as much as 33%.

Researchers have confirmed that adapting splints in combination with the footwear used by disabled children to help them walk can decrease the energy they use by as much as 33%.

The Clinical Biomechanics team at Staffordshire University and the orthotics specialists from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust examined the effectiveness of tuning the splint – footwear combination, using clinical trials with families in the West Midlands.

Nachi Chockalingam, Professor of Clinical Biomechanics, explained: “Helping children with disabilities to play longer and do the things that other children can do is important for all families. The more children with disabilities can play with their friends and do activities they enjoy, the more included they feel.

“We know that children with cerebral palsy use more energy to walk and our team have found fine-tuning splints to suit the individual needs of a child can make huge difference to their overall mobility.”

Dr Nicola Eddison, Clinical lead for Orthotics Service at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and a Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Biomechanics and Rehabilitation Technologies, Staffordshire University, said: “Our research shows that the appropriate design and tailoring of splints can reduce the energy used by children with CP while increasing their speed and distance, compared with a splint which is not fine-tuned. This is something which could have a significant impact on their quality of life.”

During the study, the researchers analysed the walking pattern of children with cerebral palsy at Staffordshire University’s specialist gait laboratory and participants were assessed while barefoot and with both non-tuned and tuned splints.

Children wearing the fine-tuned splints showed improvements in several areas including hip and pelvic function and knee extension, while a non-tuned splint potentially showed a decrease in hip function.

Mrs Susan Hayfield, from Wolverhampton, is mother of 15-year-old Robert who suffers with Cerebral Palsy. She said: “Dr Eddison and her team have helped Robert from the age of three with his mobility.

“After having his footwear and splint adapted, my son’s walking improved. This treatment has enabled him to be active for longer and he has felt less fatigued, which have all helped to give him a better quality of life”

Robert added: “Wearing the splint helps me stay off my toes and to help me walk heel to toe instead of toe to heel. The splint keeps my foot at a 90-degree angle which supports my walking. When I first remember wearing a splint, I felt different to other people, but now I just feel like it’s normal for me.”

The researchers recommend fine-tuning splints for all children with cerebral palsy who wear them and hope that their findings will be used to inform future clinical practice. Both Dr Eddison and Professor Chockalingam are calling for standardisation of terminologies used within splints, which are also known as Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO), to help future research and clinical practice.

Professor Chockalingam added: “There still remains a lack of research on the longer-term effects of using a fine-tuned splints but our studies provide a stepping stone to improving quality of life for many children.”

Posted on

COVID-19 update to podiatrists and podiatric surgeons

Press release from the Podiatrists Board of Australia

COVID-19 update to podiatrists and podiatric surgeons

The current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a rapidly changing situation.

The Podiatry Board of Australia (the Board) acknowledges the important role of podiatrists and podiatric surgeons in containing the spread of the virus.

The Board also recognises the additional strain on practitioners, many of whom are anxious and concerned as COVID-19 becomes more widespread.

What does COVID-19 mean for podiatrists and podiatric surgeons?

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, there will be new and regular updates from many important sources, including governments, local health departments and professional organisations, with advice about the emerging needs of the public and how to best meet them.

We remind you that you must comply with the Commonwealth and your respective state and territory jurisdictional health directions and guidance about COVID-19. Please regularly check www.health.gov.au and your local state/territory health department’s website for updates.

You would be aware that Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently announced that non-essential gatherings are suspended to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. The Australian Government has described a healthcare setting as an essential indoor gathering to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

While services provided by podiatrists and podiatric surgeons currently fall within this category (an essential indoor gathering), you should consider the risk environment and public safety when making decisions about whether to defer non-urgent podiatry or podiatric surgical services.

Podiatric surgeons should note that the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) has recently recommended cancellation of all non-urgent elective surgery due to concern for the national supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) during this COVID-19 period. Check the AHPPC statement for more information.

Please continue to comply with the Board’s Guidelines for infection prevention and control, available on our website.

As noted in these guidelines, podiatrists and podiatric surgeons must be familiar with and practise within the recommendations of the National Health and Medical Research Council Australian guidelines for the prevention and control of infection in healthcare (NHMRC guidelines) as they apply to the practice setting(s) in which they work. You must continue to comply with the NHMRC guidelines and the specific COVID-19 guidelines, especially with regard to:

  • risk management in infection prevention and control
  • standard precautions
  • transmission-based precautions, and
  • personal protective equipment.
Posted on

Researchers recommend early walking in a brace for Achilles tendon rupture

achilles rupture

Press release:

A new study from the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick reveals a breakthrough for sportsmen and women in the treatment of Achilles tendon rupture.

Researchers found that early walking in a brace provides similar outcomes to plaster casting with no increase in the risk of complications, paving the way for a big change in the way that patients are treated.

The results from the UKSTAR trial are reported today (Thursday 6 February) in The Lancet.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and was a multi-centre collaboration between universities and hospitals across the UK.

“This research is particularly important for sportsmen and women of all levels and abilities,” said Matthew Costa, Professor of Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery at NDORMS, University of Oxford. “Achilles tendon rupture keeps people away from sport for many months. For some, it stops them ever returning to their favourite recreational activities, and for professional athletes it can be a career-ending injury. Immediate mobilisation in a brace is a safe alternative to plaster casting after an Achilles rupture and patients report better early outcomes, probably because the brace allows them to walk earlier than the cast.”

Rupture of the Achilles tendon is a serious and increasingly common injury with over 11,000 people from both the sporting and non-sporting populations experiencing the injury each year in the UK.

Some patients are treated with surgery, but non-operative treatment is increasingly preferred, with patients either being treated in a plaster cast to immobilise the foot and ankle or by the use of functional bracing that allows weight-bearing. However, before the UKSTAR study there was little evidence towards which was more effective.

Although traditional plaster cast treatment protected the tendon as it healed, there were problems with casts including the immediate impact on mobility, additional risks associated with prolonged immobilisation, and possible long-term issues arising from gait abnormalities and muscle weakness.

With the bracing method, there were questions around the safety profile, specifically whether the risk of re-rupture was higher, leading to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons being unable to recommend for or against functional bracing in their 2009 guidelines.

However, the study found that the risk of re-rupture of the tendon in bracing was lower that reported in existing literature. Matthew Costa said: “Traditionally, patients with a rupture of the Achilles tendon are immobilised for several weeks in a plaster cast which restricts their mobility. However, our new research shows that immediate weight-bearing in a walking boot allows the tendon to heal just as quickly and with no increase in the risk of further rupture. Plus, the walking boot treatment is cheaper for the NHS.”

Associate Professor Rebecca Kearney is an academic physiotherapy lead at Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, who has worked collaboratively with Professor Costa in this research area across Warwick and Oxford universities. She said: “This research is answering a question that has been debated for over a decade; early research began at the University of Warwick in 2009 exploring the impact of plaster casts and walking boots on walking patterns and getting back to activities, which led to the development of this trial. We now know that patients who immediate weight bear in a walking boot have better early outcomes, but this is only the beginning of the recovery. We need to do further research exploring how we best rehabilitate patients after the walking boot is discarded. This trial highlighted large variation in rehabilitation provision across the UK for this injury.”

The UKSTAR trial randomised 540 participants from 39 UK hospitals making it the largest study of its kind to compare the two treatments. Adult patients were randomly assigned to plaster cast or functional brace. The objective was to compare function and pain, quality of life, complications including re-rupture, and resource use in patients having non-operative treatment. The study found no difference between the patient-reported Achilles Tendon Rupture Score (ATRS) at 9 months, or in the rate of re-rupture of the tendon.

Posted on

Custom-made foot orthoses appear to be no better than over-the-counter insoles or other treatments

Press Release:

Doctors advised to refrain from prescribing foot orthoses for patients with plantar heel pain

Foot orthoses specifically moulded to help people with plantar heel pain appear to be no more effective than cheaper over-the-counter insoles or other treatments, suggests a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Plantar heel pain accounts for between 11% and 15% of all foot symptoms that require medical attention in adults and for 8%-10% of all running-related injuries.

The most commonly prescribed treatments for plantar pain include modified footwear, taping, stretching exercises, anti-inflammatory agents, extracorporal shock wave therapy, strengthening exercises and cortisone injections, but there is still a lack of consensus on which treatments are most effective.

Foot orthoses are often recommended in the treatment of the condition, despite a lack of evidence.

Dutch and Danish researchers led by the Erasmus Medical Center, Universitair Medisch Centrum, Rotterdam, in The Netherlands, therefore, set out to investigate the effects of different orthoses on pain, function and self-reported recovery in patients with plantar heel pain and to compare them with other conservative interventions.

They carried out an analysis of 20 existing randomised controlled trial studies on this issue that had investigated eight different types of foot orthoses. Collectively, the studies had looked at 1,756 patients with the condition.

Analysis revealed that pooled data from six studies showed no difference between prefabricated orthoses and “sham” orthoses (simple insoles bought over the counter) for pain in the short term.

In addition, no difference was found between sham orthoses and custom orthoses for pain in the short term, nor was there a difference between prefabricated orthoses and custom orthoses for pain in the short term.

Overall, for the majority of other interventions, no significant differences were found.

Most of the studies analysed had reported a significant improvement over time in patients treated with orthoses as well as patients treated with other conservative interventions – probably due to the fact that plantar heel pain tends to improve after 12 months.

However, the authors said orthosis interventions did not appear to be superior in improving pain, function or self-reported recovery when compared with other conservative interventions in patients with plantar heel pain.

They concluded: “Foot orthoses are not superior for improving pain and function compared with sham or other orthoses, or other conservative interventions in patients with PHP [plantar heel pain].

“We conclude that clinicians should be reserved in prescribing foot orthoses in all patients with PHP and take factors like patient preference and adherence into account.”