After your foot is scanned while you are standing, a color photo of your feet will show where the pressure travels through your feet.

The red areas on the scan show where your feet are applying the highest amount of pressure. The blue areas represent the least amount of pressure. Loss of arch height – which shows more red in the middle of the foot, as seen in the right hand image, can cause flattening and rolling inwards of the feet.

The footscan consultation can take between 5 to 10 minutes and the follow up consultation, to discuss your scan results takes up to 10 minutes.

It is a very, simple non invasive process. A patient simply removes any footwear including socks and stands on a digital glass scanning (3D) machine while their feet are being scanned. The machine will produce a colour coded picture on the computer screen which will demonstrate their foot's position upon the ground surface.

The results will be discussed at a later consultation. Your chiropractor may recommend some exercises to help rehabilitate the foot or suitable custom made orthotics, if required to correct your foot alignment.

Bergamo Chiropractic and Nutrition Centre is  a multidisciplinary health centre that looks at a holistic approach to look after the body. The main components of General Chiropractic is spinal care and the main focus of Myotherapy and Remedial Massage therapy is producing supple, strong muscles. The foot is an extra layer commonly missed by many practices. We find that if we couple foot orthotics with our care, often our results are faster and enhanced.   

Only one scan is needed to obtain an image and the required pair of custom made orthotics. Your chiropractor will advise you if more scans are required some month/years later, after wearing the prescribed orthotics, to monitor progress.

The orthotics have a one year warranty and often we would scan a patient just before 12 months post purchase and also check the status of the orthotics.

Most private health insurances will, in part, cover you for practitioner prescribed custom made foot orthotics. The amount covered varies for different health funds.

Please speak to your health insurance company to estimate how much you could possibly claim.

There are 3 primary options

• Premium/Intense base: for patients who are on their feet most of the day or are active in sports/ exercise or need maximum support or shock absorption. The more a patient weighs and the more active they are, the more support is required.
• Moderate base: for patients who are still active but may not need maximum shock absorption or require a lower profile orthotic.
• Light base: for patients who do little activity on average or require a thinner orthotic.

Common conditions that require foot orthotics include:

Ankle, foot, knee and hip pain. Pain in these areas is common symptom of an unbalanced foundation with your feet. These joints are designed to undergo repeated motion and allow for fluid movement. However, because of an unbalanced foundation there can be added stress to the joint structures that can cause a dysfunction of the joint, ligaments, tendons, bursas, and related muscles, which causes pain.

Low back pain. Back pain is a common symptom of an unbalanced foundation.  Having an unbalanced foundation can cause dysfunction of the joints and muscles of the back, and can contribute to nerve root syndromes such as herniated discs, spinal degeneration, and inflammation.  Achieving a balanced foundation may reduce this pain and dysfunction of the lower back.

Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the thick connective tissue on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) that helps maintain the arches of the foot. The inflammation is due to a reaction to injury of the tissue. This inflammation can often be attributed to improper support of the plantar vault.  The soles of the feet are very painful, especially in the early morning. The condition tends to be chronic and difficult to heal without proper foot support.

Neck and shoulder pain. Although not often directly associated, neck pain can often be a symptom of imbalance and asymmetries in the feet. If you check the image below, one can see the relationship between the feet and how an imbalance can lead to changes, higher up in the body. 

Leg length discrepancy. Having one leg shorter than the other is a common physical condition. It has two primary causes--structural or functional problems. Structural differences in length can be the result of growth defect, previous injuries or surgeries. Functional differences in length can result from altered mechanics of the feet, knee, hip and/or pelvis. These altered mechanics from functional leg length discrepancy often stem from having an unbalanced foundation.

Shin splints. Shin splints are a common indicator of improper support of the body. Deep pain in the front and back of the lower leg associated with activity is most frequently a result of shin splints.

Heel spur pain. A heel spur is an overgrowth of bone that resembles a hook on the bottom of the foot. It is a reaction to stress placed on the thick connective tissue on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) that helps maintain the arches of the foot. Over-stress can stem from improper support of the feet. A heel spur is often accompanied by a bursitis that is a major contributor to pain.

Sports injuries. Athletes are susceptible to injury during intense sports. Injuries can be mild or severe, ranging from turf toe to a broken bone. However, many sports injuries can be the result of an unbalanced foundation that can cause dysfunction of joints, ligaments, and the muscles around the joints.

Diabetes. Diabetics must take special care of their feet. Diabetes damages blood vessels, which results in poor circulation, nerve damage and slow healing. These changes are termed peripheral neuropathy. Some pain and discomfort associated with a diabetic foot can be relieved with a foot orthotic. 

Simply call us on 9887 4144 or come in to the clinic to make an appointment.