Chiropractic News Welcome to Health News, Notes and Quotes. We have selected the following categories and news items below because I believe they can help educate you about the importance of good health and the benefits of chiropractic. Chiropractic Care Parts of the Whole Chiropractors certainly are known for treating the spine ?but keep in mind that the nerves of the spine extend to every tissue of the body, including the arms, hands, legs and feet. The chiropractic philosophy of care focuses on how different parts of the body fit together as a whole. In other words, chiropractors don«æ just look at your knee if you come in with knee pain. Believe it or not, all of your body parts and systems function in harmony with one another. Pain in one area does not necessarily mean that the problem is located in the same place. Sometimes, the source of the pain is, in fact, coming directly from your lower back. Often, however, the cause of the pain, or a large contributing factor to it, comes from your lower extremities and feet. Most people do not realize their feet have three springy arches that help support the weight of their entire bodies. Whether itŠö due to genetics, heavy weight-bearing activities or bad shoes, to name a few, these arches can fall down over time. This makes your feet unable to support the weight of the body correctly, causing them to start rolling inward. This is called overpronation, and itŠö a fairly common condition, especially for runners. You may be surprised to know that 80 percent of people are overpronators. Your chiropractor can adjust your feet and other affected joints, and can recommend treatments that help support all three arches of the foot. Analyzing your feet is an important part of whole-body wellness. As chiropractors, we want to keep our patients feeling great, but the adjustments are just a part of the entire health package. Diet, exercise, healthy work and life habits, proper shoes, and suggestions on pillows and beds also come into play. We can use many other tools, combined with spinal adjustments, to tailor a specific chiropractic treatment plan to meet your needs. Ergonomics & Orthotics It All Starts With Your Feet There aren«æ too many activities that don«æ depend on your feet. That being the case, why do you neglect them? Whether you­he a weekend warrior, a professional athlete or somewhere in between, proper foot care will help keep you in the game. Your feet are the foundation for your entire body. They allow you to stand, walk, run, and jump; and absorb damaging shock that enters your body every time your heel hits the ground. Doctors of chiropractic can provide you with structural management to evaluate the weaknesses and imbalances in your body. If you don«æ think you have foot imbalances, think again. Eighty percent of people develop some type of foot imbalance by the age of 20, and virtually everyone has foot imbalances by the age of 40. After years of standing, walking, and wearing shoes, the arches of your feet gradually weaken and are not able to provide the necessary support for your body. Because structural imbalances and weaknesses can increase your risk of injury, they should be addressed immediately with treatment, support and exercises. Once your chiropractor has evaluated your bodyŠö structure and identified any imbalances or weaknesses, they can correct the problems by developing a program that combines specific chiropractic adjustments, custom-made orthotics and a personalized conditioning program. This program usually will be based on three things: your individual needs, your fitness goals, and how well you progress with the exercises your doctor has recommended. Your feet go the distance for you; find out what you can do for them.