and also prevented her feet
from rolling inward.”
Cecile still experiences the odd
achiness at night, but since
purchasing her BioPed orthot-
ics, she is virtually pain free.
“
When your feet hurt,” she
says, “you hurt all over.
BioPed physically cared for my
feet, but they also lifted my
spirits. I couldn’t imagine my
life without them.”
Orthotics For Flat Feet — A Step In
The Right Direction
shoes were enough. Over
time, however, my whole
body began to ache. It was
crippling, affecting not only
my ability to earn a living but
also my outlook on life.”
A pair of rigid orthotics and
years of orthotic adjustments
later, a friend suggested that
Cecile visit BioPed.
“
A rigid orthotic was not ideal
for Cecile’s foot type,” says
Amanda. “In addition to flat
feet, a 3-D image highlighted
a discrepancy between her
right and left foot. A custom
made, semi-rigid orthotic was
a better match with her foot
type and work requirements-
one that supported the arch
Adults
can also “acquire” flat feet -
whether a result of pregnancy
or a factor of aging.
C. Ped (C) Amanda Lacroix,
BioPed Barrie, explains. “The
posterior tibial tendon is spe-
cifically designed to hold up
the arch. As we get older, the
muscle can weaken, gradually
causing the arch to flatten.
Under normal circumstances,
it is the arch that absorbs the
impact from walking, running
or jumping. But if the arch
has fallen, it can no longer
perform this task – leaving
the joints in the feet, the
legs and the back to pick up
the slack, ultimately causing
discomfort.”
Those who spend 8 to 10
hours a day on their feet –
retail sales people, machine
operators, assembly-line
workers, cashiers, bank tellers
and restaurant servers like
Cecile – are particularly vulner-
able to this type of pain.
Says Cecile, an employee
at Casino Rama for the past
15
years, “I walk on cement
floors all day. At first, my work
Like many Canadians,
61-
year-old Cecile
Bruneau has flat
feet - a condition
that can occur during
childhood when
the arch of the foot
doesn’t properly
develop.
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