GOLF

Can improving your stance can take strokes off your game? Absolutely. What is the most common theme amongst all professional golfers and low handicappers? It’s not the shape of the swing; there is no perfect swing (Think Tiger Woods vs. Jim Furyk vs. Annika Sorenstam). All highly skilled golfers finish in a perfectly balanced position. By building a solid foundation for your golf swing, you can improve your stance and potentially take strokes off your game.

“Your feet are the foundation of your body, and that’s exactly where we start”

Custom Golf Arch Supports are scientifically proven to increase distance by 15 yards or more and can help fix common biomechanical issues like pronation and/or supination (rolling in or out of the foot) and support the feet, ankles, knees and hips during the golf swing. During mid-stance, custom golf arch supports also help:

-prevent common golf injuries (low back, shoulder, arm, and knees)

-enhance driving accuracy and power

-promote proper alignment of the ankle and heel

-engage a more natural and powerful toe position

-assist in hip rotation and shoulder swing towards the ball’s target

-redistribute weight throughout the entire foot

“The primary problem I see as a PGA teaching professional is the lack of balance, tempo, and flexibility in the average golfer. These factors of course have an adverse impact on club head speed and consistency. I utilize the Foot Solutions custom golf arch supports and recommend them to all of my students. I have seen great improvement across the board. I highly recommend this product to anybody looking to really improve their game”

-Cory McKim, PGA

Now you can get your hands on Golf’s best kept secret. Foot Solutions golf arch supports are custom designed, professionally engineered, and machine calibrated to fit your specific, unique foot. We offer complementary follow up appointments and can always make custom adjustments to your arch supports at no cost. Work your way to a better golf game with Foot Solutions.

Breaking Down the Golf Swing

The Setup

Proper technique:

  • Weight should be evenly distributed between both feet with an emphasis on the arch and slightly on the ball of the foot

Barriers to achieving a perfect setup:

  • With exception to the tee area, the foot is often on an uneven surface.
  • Postural, Biomechanical and/or foot problems do not permit even weight distribution.

The Backswing

Proper technique:

  • The body moves by incorporating arms, shoulders and back simultaneously.
  • Weight shifts to the back foot. Weight stays on inside of back foot.
    • Failure to do so will result in the fatal ’sway’
  • Front foot mildly rolls to the inside with front heel slightly lifting to promote a maximal shoulder turn.
  • Completion of the backswing places weight on rear foot- again on the inside part of the foot, groin and right knee.

Barriers to achieving a perfect backswing:

  • The takeaway is compromised by dynamic movements involving the joints, tendons, muscles and other areas of the body from the feet up.
  • Failure of proper support of the feet prevents the body from properly turning (creating an unbalanced weight shift.)

The Downswing & Strike

Proper Technique

  • Rapid shift from the back foot to the forefoot triggered by an outward movement of the left foot.
  • Heel of front foot comes down again & front foot rolls outward (inversion)
  • The rear foot rolls back to the inside with heel lifting.

Barriers to achieving a perfect backswing:

  • Lack of proper swing mechanics such as moving hips laterally- ’swaying’ instead Can improving your stance can take strokes off your game? Absolutely. What is the most common theme amongst all professional golfers and low handicappers? It’s not the shape of the swing; there is no perfect swing (Think Tiger Woods vs. Jim Furyk vs. Annika Sorenstam). All highly skilled golfers finish in a perfectly balanced position. By building a solid foundation for your golf swing, you can improve your stance and potentially take strokes off your game.
  • Lack of adequate player flexibility
  • Physical impairment
  • Lack of proper foundation and/or footwear

The Follow through

Proper form:

  • A rhythmic, synergistic motion between shoulders, arms, hands, legs and feet.
  • A balanced rotating movement through the ball
  • Finish with the belt buckle facing beyond the target and club head moving towards the target.

Barriers to achieving a perfect backswing:

  • Hips or shoulder injury
  • Lack of mobility
  • Lack of tempo (causes an imbalanced finish)
  • Any physical limitations not allowing all moving parts to work in unison

 

TENNIS

Properly fitted shoes and supports are critical for avoiding complications and helping improve tennis performance. Medial (inner side), lateral (outer side), and proper arch supports will help reduce stressful forces exerted on your body during a tennis match (running, stopping, pivoting and quick change of direction).

Because the majority of tennis courts worldwide are characterized as “hard courts”, proper shock absorption is critical for reducing fatigue, joint stress, and injury prevention.

Common injuries associated with Tennis

  • corns
  • calluses
  • bunions are common Tennis injuries that can be caused by shoes lacking proper padding, support, and control.

More serious injuries can be a direct result of improperly fitted footwear:

  • plantar fasciitis
  • acute synovitis
  • achilles tendonitis
  • patella tendonitis

At Foot Solutions our trained associates can help review your tennis habits with you to select the right shoe and arch support that will help you improve your game and enjoy playing it with less risk of possible complications.

WALKING

Whether you’re walking the dog, walking at the mall or walking for exercise, you need the best shoes for your feet to maximize the benefits and reduce your risk of injury.

The feet are the foundation of the body. If you ignore the minor pain in your feet, or feel that foot pain is ‘normal’, you could be putting your feet at risk for more serious, painful conditions. Any pain, no matter how minor, should be addressed before continuing your walking or exercise routine.

How to pick the best shoes for your walking habits:

  • Have your feet measured by a professional. Did you know that 90% of Americans wear the wrong size shoe? No wonder we have so much foot pain!

Properly fitted shoes and custom arch supports can:

  • Reduce the risk of injury
  • Reduce fatigue
  • Enhance endurance
  • Improve/Establish core stability
  • Enhance walking mechanics
  • Decrease the amount of energy used, allowing for longer walks
  • Increase stride angle helping to increase performance distance

Looking to increase the effectiveness of your walking program?

Try Foot Solutions’ Exclusive Chung Shi revolutionary fitness shoes. Chung Shi rocker-soled shoes give you a workout each time you put them on. At the gym, during your walk, or simply moving through your day, these revolutionary shoes will help you lose weight, tone muscles and improve posture with each step. The secret is Chung Shi’s unique, angled sole that encourages a soft heel strike with a natural, forward-rolling action, helping work muscles harder and burn more calories with each step.

How can you benefit from the Chung Shi?

  • Promotes the natural walking and jogging gait
  • Helps prevent injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles
  • Achieves better postural alignment
  • Makes muscles work harder and, therefore, burn more calories
  • Absorbs shock to the feet, knees, hips and back
  • Leads to a more relaxed, upright posture improving respiration
  • Strengthens the core muscles
  • Increases calorie consumption (compared with “normal” shoes)
  • Improves posture and relieves pressure on the vertebral column
  • Improves respiratory and circulatory function, strengthens and improves control of muscles leading to greater relaxation
  • Improves athletic endurance
  • Finger-pressure massage effect of Chung Shi activates the reflexology zones of the feet
  • Tones and strengthens the feet, legs, buttocks, abs and back
  • Improves the appearance of cellulite

Common Sports Injuries

Many athletic injuries including foot, ankle, knee and low back often stem from improper treatment of your feet. Who knew? With 90% of us wearing improperly fitted shoes, it’s no wonder we experience so much pain. I’ve outlined three very common athletic injuries, their causes, symptoms and of course, solutions. The more educated you become on proper foot care, the more injuries you may be able to prevent!

Achilles Tendonitis

Causes: Constant hill running, shoes with soft heel counters, shifting from dress shoes to running shoes.

Symptoms: Pain and tightness felt in the lower calf muscles, which may be more prevalent in the morning.

Solutions: Ice massage, calf stretches, proper rest, and a softer running surface. Also try to update your shoes often.

 

Plantar Fasciitis

Causes: Common causes include standing for long periods of time, over-pronation (flat feet), high arches, improperly fitting footwear.

Symptoms: Pain felt along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the arch. Pain is often worse in the morning and at the end of the day.

Solutions: Arch supports, night splints and a program of stretching combined with early diagnosis to provide relief.

 

Shin Splints

Causes: Calf and achilles tightness due to the lack proper stretching before and after exercise. Unsupportive or worn out shoes may also cause shin splints.

Symptoms: Sharp pain felt around the shin bone. It is very common in people who exercise too much, too soon, and too fast. Untreated shin splints can become painful stress fractures.

Solutions: Ice massage, supportive shoes and a softer running surface can help shin splints. To prevent them, thoroughly stretch before exercising. Never run or exercise cold muscles.

Runner’s Knee:

Causes: Flat feet, weak thigh muscles, insufficient rest between exercising.

Symptoms: pain felt often below the kneecap which increases while walking up stairs, up hills or up sitting for long periods of time. Frequently found in adolescent runners.

Solutions: beyond simply making sure that you’re getting enough rest so that your muscles can heal after exercising, arch supports along with an ice massage can help make a difference.

Bunions

Causes: The deformity can develop from an abnormality in foot function, or arthritis, but is more commonly caused by wearing improper fitting footwear. Tight, narrow dress shoes with a constrictive toe box (toe area) can cause the foot to begin to take the shape of the shoe, leading to the formation of a bunion. Dress shoes and boots that are tapered in the toe area can cause the bunion to worsen to the point where surgery is necessary.

Symptoms: A prominent bump on the inside of the foot around the big toe joint. Aches are felt around the big toe and a noticeable lump at the first metatarsal joint. The big toe usually angles toward the other toes abnormally.

Solutions: Wear shoes with a wider toe box to accommodate the bunion. If the area is red and holds a temperature, consult your physician.

lliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB)

Causes: When the band thickens and rubs over the femur bone, the area can become inflamed, or the band itself may become irritated. Either occurrence can cause the commonly felt sharp, burning pain.

Symptoms: A type of sharp, burning knee or upper leg pain that afflicts many runners.

Solutions: Combining simple exercises, deep massage, and specific ITB Stretching.

Hip Pain/Bursitis

Causes: Structural weaknesses, overuse and trauma (childbirth or a fall)

Symptoms: Pain on the outer hip area and near the buttocks muscles. The hip join has a large bursae sac (a sac of fluid that lubricates and protects the joint) which can become inflamed.

Solutions: Change your activities to adjust, use ice, massage and stretching. If pain is felt in the buttocks or legs, consult your physician.

Morton’s Neuroma

Causes: Collapse of the arch, heredity, obesity, and wearing shoes that are too tight.

Symptoms: Pain, burning, tingling, or numbness that occurs between the third and fourth toes, and in the ball of your foot may be caused by a growth around the nerves.

Solutions: An arch support with a metatarsal pad to support the foot, customized as needed.