With insurance coverage deteriorating and co-payments increasing, you might be interested in researching an alternative to surgery, drugs and orthotics. ProKinetics® Insoles are available from a multitude of specialties ranging from MDs to osteopaths, physical, occupational and massage therapists, chiropractors and even dentists, athletic trainers and coaches.
With gratitude, millions of people worldwide have received the help they needed to overcome chronic pain because exemplary practitioners of medicine started seeing the big picture. While traditional medicine is becoming increasingly specialized, several groups of practitioners inspired by titans like Dr Janet Travell and Dr Leon Chaitow, expanded their horizons, realizing that local pain syndromes are influenced or caused by other areas of the body. They are the new breed of medical professionals that see the body as an integrated system. They are the medical doctors and health care professionals who appreciate why and when to recommend ProKinetics® Insoles, and more often than not wear them in their own shoes.
Dr. Leon Chaitow was undoubtedly our most famous fan
Approximately 15 years ago – details are lost in the fog of memory I developed plantar fasciitis (or more likely fasciosis) … and I don’t recall how, or via whom, was introduced to a remarkable company Posture Dynamics and one of their products ProKinetics® Natural Body Balance™ Insoles – that sorted out the problem extremely rapidly – NOT by offering crutch-like support, but via their unique design which reeducates the foot.
Read entire blog post at https://leonchaitow.com/?s=mortonsfoot
At first I purchased a few dozen to try on my patients, and the results were nothing short of astounding.
Dr Alex Catto DPM
For decades I have made traditional orthotics for my patients. Although it was state-of-the-art, I knew some patients were more successful with the orthotics than others, so when I read about this new approach in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies in 2002 it peaked my curiosity. The article made sense to me.
After 30 years in practice, it takes a lot to get me enthusiastic, but that's what happened! I contacted Posture Dynamics, the makers of Posture Control Insoles® and ProKinetics®Natural Body Balance™ Insoles. At first I purchased a few dozen to try on my patients, and the results were nothing short of astounding. Not only were the results consistently better than those achieved with traditional orthotics, but these insoles were comfortable and fit in ordinary shoes. We, of course, have a different medical system here in the UK, so finding inexpensive solutions is an advantage I am greatly enjoying providing.
It makes good sense to try ProKinetics® Insoles first.
Dr. Bernard Filner, MD
Musculoskeletal dysfunction and pain is by far the most common complaint and main reason for visits to the doctor's office. I see mostly severe, chronic cases ranging from foot and lower extremity pain to back and neck pain, and many of these patients have tried custom orthotics or even had unsuccessful back surgery. I zero in on posture and gait mechanics, and fit most of my patients (85%) with ProKinetics Insoles to bring them back to a healthier posture. Starting with ProKinetics Insoles makes my other treatment methods more effective because my patients no longer have the high degree of muscle tension and pain caused by excessive hyperpronation and poor posture.
My personal transformation to exclusively treat chronic pain patients required an expanded perspective on medicine. I met Dr. Brian Rothbart in the mid 90s, who showed me that poor posture was frequently caused by excessive pronation and was the cause of most musculoskeletal pain. I took Dr. Rothbart's correlation between excessive pronation, poor posture and chronic pain and reviewed my patient population for excessive pronation. I discovered that 100% of my patients excessively pronated. I have not found one in more than three years who did not.
Looking at pronation as a root problem caused me to re-evaluate why other very common treatments for back pain resulting from excessive pronation fail so frequently - take arch supports for example. Yes, arch supports "support" your feet but that only makes them weaker. It may make your feet feel better and even ease the spasms in your back temporarily. However, arch supports only support your feet at midstance so your gait and stance will largely remain distorted. Understanding posture has really changed the way physicians can provide faster and better treatment to people suffering from great pain.
If you are just experiencing your first aches or you suspect that your posture is poor because you hyperpronate, by all means give ProKinetics Insoles a try. Don't let your condition deteriorate. If left untreated, the body will try to compensate to eliminate the pain which over time will lead to new, often different and worse pain. These pain-compensation cycles will continue until treated or until the body breaks down. By this time the disease may impact digestion, incontinence, heart palpitations and other vital aspects of health.
If you are in significant chronic pain, I suggest that you seek a practitioner near you that offers ProKinetics Insoles. With that practitioner, I believe you will find a health care advocate who is willing to take the time to understand your medical history and treat you in a more holistic manner.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bernard Filner, MD
These patients will just not get permanent pain relief from other treatments unless both the sources of posture distortions are addressed.
Dr. Gerald Smith, DDS
Dr. Gerald Smith is a recognized international authority on craniomandibular somatic disorders with a focus on resolving chronic pain. He is author of two landmark textbooks for professionals, Cranial-Dental-Sacral Complex and Dental Orthogonal Radiographic Analysis.
He has been an active member of the Holistic Dental Association since 1993, the president of the Holistic Dental Association and editor of their professional journal until 2005. He also served as president of the Pennsylvania Craniomandibular Society.
Dr. Smith maintains a clinical practice, serving patients from around the world at his office in Langhorne Pennsylvania.
Visit the web site of Dr. Gerald Smith DDS here
What I call "whole body dentistry" is not part of the current curriculum for dentists and orthodontists. Cosmetic dentistry in particular is focused on aligning the teeth for a better look. As the teeth are moved and straightened, the patient's bite may change which in turn can lead to serious musculoskeletal disorders and chronic pain. Traditional dentistry requires extreme caution when fitting crowns, dental bridges and performing tooth extractions.
A change in the bite changes the pressures on the jaw and the maxilla which holds the upper teeth. This in turn modifies the sutures (attachments between the bones) of the skull and the shape of the occipital bone, which is the lower bone of the skull to which the spine is attached. These changes can cause descending postural distortion - in other words, something has happened above the neck that affects the posture from that point downward throughout the rest of the body. This isn't a big surprise. Imagine a ten-story building where the top three stories are shifted so the building is out of balance. It might start leaning which will cause even greater stresses on the floors below. Your body works the same way.
Sometimes shimming a tooth by as little as the thickness of a sheet of 24-pound paper significantly and positively changes the postural impact of the bite. I frequently see my patients achieve relief from back and knee pain when I adjust so that their bite is in balance.
Your feet have an even greater impact on posture, and most dentists are now aware that there is a connection between the feet, posture and TMJ dysfunction. What I deal with, and what I learned from Dr. Rothbart are the complications that can occur when you have mixed ascending and descending posture influences from the feet and the bite at the same time. These patients will just not get permanent pain relief from other treatments unless both the sources of posture distortions are addressed.
This was problematic in the past because traditional orthotics do not consistently improve posture. The Posture Control Insoles offer far greater predictability. The postural changes we observe based on these seemingly insignificant (compared to orthotics) insoles are nothing short of astounding.
By correcting the bite and postural foundation using Posture Control Insoles most patients can become pain free.
With great appreciation to Dr. Brian Rothbart whom I recently visited at his clinic outside Rome in Italy.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gerald Smith, DDS
"Kinetic Technology™ is an entirely new way of helping the body to adapt to western living.
Dr George Stylian DO
George Stylian - D.O., Grad.Cert.Osteo.Paed. George Stylian has almost 30 years experience in practicing and teaching osteopathy at graduate and postgraduate levels. He is a faculty member of the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation of ANZ.
George Stylian graduated from the British College of Naturopathy and Osteopathy (B.C.N.O.), London (D.O.) and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne (Grad.Cert.Osteo.Paeds).
Dr. Stylian is also the importer of ProKinetics products to Australia.
Visit the web site of Dr. George Stylian DDS here
Kinetic Technology™ is an entirely new way of helping the body to adapt to western living. Our feet were not built for shoes and smooth flat surfaces, yet in Western society we spend nearly 100% of our time walking on flat floors even if we are barefoot. We pay the price in the form of massive foot and posture related pain problems ranging from simple foot pain to complex postural compensation patterns that often lead to back surgery and dependence on pain medication. Barefoot walking in nature gives continuous and varied feedback to the entire foot, so the muscles controlling the feet adapt the foot to the ground.
There are several theories about how the postural muscles work, but there is no doubt that the sensations we feel, or the signals the brain receives from the bottom of our feet are critical to maintain healthy posture and body mechanics. This, I believe is why the Kinetic Technology™ in the ProKinetics Insoles is so effective in making my patients stronger, more agile, and pain free. The unique construction of these insoles restores the lost sensation from the inside of the forefoot which drives the brain response and muscle action.
Sincerely,
Dr. George Stylian DO
Posture Control Insoles (ProKinetics) are suitable for nearly everyone.
Dr. David Salsbury, DO
Dr. David Salsbury is an osteopath who speicalizes in postural mechanics at
By Design Holistic Health
351 Main Street
Lilydale, VIC 3140
Australia
Phone (03) 9735 7733
Visit the web site of Dr. David Salsbury DO here
Posture Control Insoles from Jonathan Baker on Vimeo
Why do people have bad posture? Finally there is a known cause that can be specifically addressed.
Dr Petros Kattou, DO
Dr. Petros Kattou is an Osteopath specializing in posture related dysfunction and chronic pain. Dr Kattou practices in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Finally, an etiology (cause) for what Dr. J Gordon Zink DO labeled "Common Compensatory Patterns" has been established! What we have learned from the research by Dr. Brian Rothbart is that the root cause for most of the postural distortions we see in our chronically ill patients is Primus Metatarsus Supinatus (an elevated first metatarsal).
For 4 years prior to learning about Dr. Rothbart, I used other brands of insoles including proprioceptive insoles by KS Italia and PZ Healthmarque, but the teachings of Dr. Rothbart and Posture Control Insoles have given us better diagnostic tools, a root etiology and most importantly, a consistent and predictable tool for helping our patients to postural improvement and pain relief.
European osteopaths have long considered posture a critical element of good health. The postural connection to feet has been well established, but until obtaining the research by Dr. Rothbart we have lacked a full understanding of the connection between certain gait patterns and specific features (typically deficiencies) of the feet.
Dr. Rothbart is also on the leading edge in developing an understanding of the individual neuromuscular response to these features (bracers and releasers). Now we can diagnose and treat with confidence because for the first time we have orthotics, Posture Control Insoles, that give us a highly predictable outcome.
Our patients, Dr. Xydas and I thank you.
Sincerely,
Dr. Petros Kattou, DO
Chiropractors recommend ProKinetics® Insoles
More and more chiropractors are including soft tissue therapy in their treatment models. While chiropractic adjustments can realign joints, tense and inflamed muscle tissue and tendons can undo any adjustment in a hurry and so can gravity if the foot foundation is off.
A natural outcome of also assessing the dynamics of the body is a switch from static arch support orthotics to dynamic neuromuscular correction.
Foot imbalances and bad posture is often the root cause of my patients' pain.
Dr. Daniel Moroff, DC
Many of Dr. Moroff's patients are professional and amateur athletes, and he himself is a world champion baseball (NYY) player. Visit the web site of Dr. Daniel Moroff DC here
Having been a professional athlete, I appreciate the difference between orthotics that just support the feet versus orthotics that enable the feet to do their job of providing a stable dynamic foundation for the body.
Posture Control Insoles® stimulate your muscles to do the work which clearly builds strength in your feet. This is in opposition to arch supports, which reduce motion of the feet and have more in common with a cast used to heal broken bones. Keeping muscles active and strong, even in your lower extremities and your feet is vital to good overall health.
An even more important aspect of Posture Control Insoles® is that they have a significantly higher impact on posture. That is why I recommend them to a high percentage of my patients. My job as a chiropractor is to get my patients well quickly with as few visits to my office as possible. Foot imbalances and bad posture is often the root cause of my patients' pain. When it is, Posture Control Insoles® prevent my patients from having to come back again... and again.
When I point out the range of disabilities that is caused by poor posture, my patients are frequently stunned. For example, poor posture can limit your ability to breathe correctly. If your chest is caved inward because of your imploded posture, you stop breathing normally with your diaphragm. Instead your breath will be shallow and fast using only the top of your lungs. You may end up hyperventilating which, according to Dr. Leon Chaitow DO, leads to anxiety ("Multidisciplinary Approaches To Breathing Disorders").
Speaking of wind, if you play wind instruments or sing, poor posture limits your endurance as well as you ability to reach high notes. Look at Barry Manilow's posture - no slouching there!
Holistic dentists are realizing that poor posture can lead to Temporal Mandibular Joint dysfunction (misalignment of the jaw), commonly called TMJ or "clicking jaw". By the same token, inaccurate dental work can lead to neck and shoulder pain.
Poor gait and posture can cause bunions and shin splints and a whole host of other musculoskeletal dysfunctions.
Being based in Florida, I treat a huge number of golfers. When we restore their posture with Posture Control Insoles®, many of my patients find their golf game improving a lot. They are able to hit the ball harder and with more technical consistency. Over the past five years our staff has fit thousands of patients with Posture Control Insoles® and they have been effective for 99% of them. I could not say that for the orthotics I recommended before I discovered the Posture Control Insoles®.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dan Moroff DC
Posture Control Insoles quickly became a standard tool in my practice.
Dr. Carl Jelstrup, DC
My life has been one of constant discovery and learning. I have seen novel tools and methods come and go. They usually died because they failed to yield consistent and positive patient outcomes.
In the early 90's some of my patients were fitted with a first generation orthotics that almost a decade later were commercially introduced as Posture Control Insoles®. I believed Dr. Rothbart had unearthed something very important, and I was delighted when Posture Dynamics introduced the insoles along with a complete training program for practitioners like me. Posture Control Insoles® quickly became a standard tool in my practice.
Whenever I have a patient suffering from a compromised posture and that applies to nearly 100% of my patients, I check both the source of descending posture, the bite, and ascending posture, the feet. Typically most of the patients will hyperpronate. Balancing the feet and the cranium is a key to solid balanced posture which unlocks the body's self-healing power for virtually all musculoskeletal pain and secondary pain originating with subluxations.
Sincerely,
Dr. Carl Jelstrup DC
The third dimension of Mortons Foot Syndrome discovered.
Dr. Janer Travell
She never had a chance to try a pair of Posture Control Insoles®. In 1995, at the age of 94, when she met Dr. Brian Rothbart, she was dependent on a wheel chair, but that did not dampen her enthusiasm for his work and what it meant for people who suffer from muscle and joint pain. She credited him with discovering the third dimension of the Morton's Foot Syndrome - the elevated first metatarsal.
Dr. Travell changed the management of patients suffering from chronic myofascial pain.
See the letter to Dr. Rothbart from Dr Travell here.
Take a look at your kids' posture. You can save them a lot of future pain and grief.
Mary Biancalana, MS, CMTPT, LMT, NCBTMB, CPT
A key part of my teaching focuses on "Perpetuating factors". Perpetuating factors include postural instabilities that cause your body's muscles to be forced to, for example, compensate for a short leg. That means that some muscles are forced to be tense for long time periods, and other muscles are completely relaxed. Over time some muscles lengthen and some shorten so the compensating posture becomes permanent. This, of course, sets you up for more problems and as they arise and they will, your body embarks on a new compensation journey usually accompanied with more dysfunction, aches and pain. It's a downward spiral, and the earlier you can stop it the better. Take a look at your kids' posture. You can save them a lot of future pain and grief. I mentioned a short leg because a functional short leg syndrome is so common that it affects nearly 80% of the population to various degrees. It starts with the foot, and the Kinetic Technology™ offered in the ProKinetics® Natural Body Balance™ Insoles is the only way I know to effectively resolve the imbalance. Arch supports and custom orthotics may reduce the symptoms for a few weeks, but ultimately fail.
Sincerely,
Mary Biancalana
When I teach workshops, I always notice how poor posture and a faulty foot foundation interrupts smooth motion.
Mary Bond MA
An engineering maxim concisely states why our feet are so important: "As goes the foundation, so goes the building." Unlike a building, though, our bodies move. Our body's foundation must adapt to the uneven surfaces beneath our feet as well as to the motion of the rest of our body above. On an average day our feet absorb up to three million pounds of pressure. When our feet fail to support us properly, our whole body suffers. Many therapists consider foot imbalances to be a major cause of low back pain and the source of problems as far away as shoulders, neck and jaw.
When I teach workshops, I always notice how poor posture and a faulty foot foundation interrupts smooth motion. The out-of- balance body becomes awkward and clumsy. I don't hesitate to recommend Posture Control Insoles® - in fact I offer a reference to Posture Dynamics in my new book. These tactile insoles have a profound impact on improving gait and posture. For $50 I can think of few investments of better value.
Sincerely,
Mary Bond
Simple, predictable performance
Unfortunately, we do not have thousands of professional providers all over the US to take care of you, but fortunately, you can fit yourself. While the concept of neuromuscular posture and gait correction is complicated, one thing all our providers love is the simplicity of the insoles themselves and how easy and quickly they may be fitted. Specific structural features of the feet combined with your gait pattern as seen from your shoe wear pattern suggests a specific amount or progression of dynamic correction and if arch supports will be helpful. Arch supports are included or optional with all full length insoles, but are usually reserved for a specific reasons, and often used temporarily to achieve a specific result.
Deciding how much correction you need, if you need arch support or not, and how to get started is a simple, reliable and repeatable process.
Wearing ProKinetics® Insoles is a positive feeling from the start. Yes, you may feel some minor isolated discomfort as your posture improves because you are after all changing old ingrained muscle patterns, but it feels nothing like wearing arch supports for the first time. If experienced at all, your minor discomfort should be easing within 2-3 days and your performance should be improving with better range of motion, more strength and reduced aches and pain.