|
In his research, Dr. Michael Lindsey Pryce studied 60 patients with flat feet. He
placed the foot in the corrected position in mid-stance, the position that locks the midtarsal joint, and made a
plaster cast. Images to the left show that this position moves the ankle to the normal vertical position and brings
the forefoot off the ground.
Plaster molds made from the castings revealed that every foot belonging to both sexes, long or short, wide or
narrow, all looked exactly the same. There was a constant occurring characteristic shape that all people with flat
feet share. Dr. Pryce realized that an insole could be developed to keep the mid-foot in supination and compensate
the anatomic deficiency in the forefoot so that a flat footed person could move through the gait cycle normally.
The
Flat Foot® Insole is the only economical choice that correctly compensates flat feet.
By controlling the natural pronation of the foot, the vertical geometry of the leg
is aligned correctly. The internal rotation of the knee and hip is minimized, and those joints are allowed to work
as nature intended. No other commercially available insole/orthotic can make that claim. People with flat feet pay
a 30% energy penalty when not using the FlatFoot Insole/Orthotic.
A more efficient use of energy results in increased stamina for anyone spending time on their feet. The
insoles/orthotics have been shown to relieve the "target organ" pain in the feet, knees, hips, and even low back.
Walking and Flat Feet:
Basically, gait is divided into three phases, heel strike, mid-stance, and toe-
off. The foot is a dual-purpose organ. It must serve first as a soft, supple organ of shock absorption, and then
change into a stiff organ to serve as a rigid lever to toe-off. These two functions are diametrically opposite.
When the heel strikes the ground, all feet, whether they are flat or not, are pronated. The bottom of the foot is
slightly turned out and the ankle is slightly leaned in. During mid-stance, the mid-tarsal joint supinates and the
foot locks changing the foot from the soft supple form to the rigid form.
People with flat feet have a constantly recurring deformity in the forefoot that
does not allow the mid-foot and the forefoot to act independently of each other. When the mid-foot supinates, the
entire medial border of the foot comes off the ground. The only way the person with flat feet can perform the toe-
off function is to unlock the mid-tarsal joint and pronate the foot. This changes the foot back to the soft, supple
organ. It is an ineffective lever for toe-off.
There is a huge energy penalty, rated at 30% by gait lab testing.
In other words, you suffer by decreasing your stamina.
The Flat Foot® Insole compensates the forefoot deformity, allowing the foot to properly lock, saving necessary
energy and making the foot more efficient. Secondarily, by properly rotating the knee and hip, it reduces the
stresses caused in the higher joints by aligning the vertical geometry as Nature intended. Unless an insole or
orthotic performs this vital function, it will not work.
 Michael Lindsey Pryce, M.D., the
inventor of the Flat Foot® insole is a graduate of The University of Akron. He completed his post graduate work at
Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University, performed his internship in general surgery at Akron City
Hospital, and completed a residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the Akron General Medical Center. Dr. Pryce became
interested in the field of medicine because he enjoys the science of gathering information and trying to solve
problems. Suffering from flat feet himself, he has treated patients with the condition for nearly twenty years. “I
know from first hand experience what a difference the Flat Foot® insoles can make over the course of a day. I spend
long hours on my feet in surgery. With my Flat Foot® insoles, I no longer have the deep wrenching pain in my feet
and legs at the end of the day,” said Dr. Pryce.
Dr. Pryce is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and a member of the American Orthopedic Foot
and Ankle Society, Ohio Orthodpedic Society, American Medical Association, Ohio State Medical Association, Summit
County and Portage County Medical Socities. He is Department Chairman of Orthopedics at Robinson Memorial Hospital.
His professional writings include PSOAS ABSCESS: Diagnosis by CT SCAN, Isolated Dislocation of the Calcaneocuboid
Joint, and Contrast Studies of the Lumbar Nerve Roots: A Method for Evaluating the Etiology of Sciatica. He has
also written two computer programs: Data Base Management System for Collection and Analysis of Nerve Root Injection
Studies, and Data Collection and Analysis for Clinical Research.
Back To Top - Ten Seconds Insoles - Catalog |
Cart is empty