Integrated Approach Podiatry Services:

• Traditional Podiatric Medicine

• Body Alignment

The foot is not separate from the rest of the body. It is all connected. So evaluation of the foot is never limited to the foot. It includes evaluation of the whole body. Mal alignments are investigated from head to toe(s). Specific attention is directed at the pelvis, which is commonly out of alignment and contributes to leg & foot problems (as well as back and neck problems). Effort is made to correct any pelvic mal alignment which could be a contributing factor in a foot disorder. Correcting the pelvic alignment is accomplished through gentle stretching and strengthening exercises that are done in the office and taught so that they can be done on one’s own.

• Pattern Profiling

Basically this is observing the way a person sits, stands, walks, talks, looks, breathes… lifestyle, habits, diet, stress levels, etc. Why is this important in relation to podiatry? Because your feet are your root to the earth. Nothing happens in your body without making it's way down through your feet and into the ground. Move your pinky and the rest of your body moves. Think a certain way or thought and your body will change. Habitual thinking, habitual postures, habitual ways of walking, habit and breathing patterns, all of this reaches the feet and can be seen in the feet. Certain people present with foot pains or imbalances that are either directly or indirectly resulting from habitual thought or physical activity patterns. These patterns are noticed and explored so that they can be brought to the conscious attention of the patient and the healing process of pattern recognition and transformation can begin.

• Reflexology

Reflexology is the science and art of observing and treating energy stagnation which accumulates in places throughout the entire body and manifests visibly and palpably in the feet. Said another way, foot reflexology is the use of pressure points to stimulate, through the feet, the opening up of energy channels that correspond to the areas of stagnant energy or disease elsewhere in the body. Sometimes foot pain or disease is related to disease affecting another part of the body, an organ, limb or joint. Reflexology is always used in evaluating foot problems, so as to rule out other issues as contributing factors to foot problems. 

• Energy Kinesiology

Energy Kinesiology, is a holistic health discipline which uses gentle manual muscle testing and inquiry to evaluate the integrity of energy flow through the meridian system of the body and naturally allow the patient to discover consciously or subconsciously, the root cause of imbalance. 

Kinesiology identifies factors which block the body's natural healing processes. These dysfunctions are rectified by attention to reflex and acupressure points, the use of sound, color, verbal and non-verbal therapy as well as body movements and other modalities. It assists in uncovering nutritional deficiencies, allergies, emotional blocks, psychological and learning problems, physical impairments, stimulates energies and releases untapped potential.

• Traditional Surgery
  

Traditional surgery involves surgically opening up of the foot with direct visualization of the diseased or traumatized anatomic area so to facilitate correction or modification of the diseased state. Traditional surgery is performed when minimal invasive surgery is not appropriate.

• Minimal Invasive Surgery

Minimal Invasive Surgery is surgical correction or modification of foot deformities through one or a few small incisions and usually does not require stitches. Direct visualization is not necessary as the surgery is performed through feel and anatomical knowledge. Minimal Invasive Surgery has lower infection rate than traditional (open) surgery, less post operative swelling, less pain, quicker healing and recovery time. Minimal invasive surgery is not appropriate for all conditions and traditional surgery can be performed in these circumstances.