HiTech Bracing Ltd.

Boy, do they have thick skin!
Did you know that our skin is thickest on our feet? If you really think about it, it's not really hard to understand. We've talked about callusing before. It's the building up of skin on high wear areas. Your feet are the HIGHEST wearing (contact) areas! So that build up of skin on your feet is there in order for you to feel comfortable!
If you have significant callusing causing pain and discomfort, then we need to see you and create a treatment program to decrease the (bad) callusing, and save the (good) callusing! Whether it's a simple soft heel cup, custom foot orthotics, or immobilizing altogether, we have the means!

You are invaluable!
Happy Administrative Professional day!! Our Office Manager, Audrey really is the best! I honestly feel sorry for literally every other business because they don't have Audrey! (I'm sure your office manager is awesome too).
Whoever manages your office, answers your phones, directs customers, and is your overall "gatekeeper", we're so grateful for all you do and hope you have a great day being recognized for all the work you do!
(Again, I'm sorry you don't have Audrey!)

What's It Wednesday!!
What is this piece of machinery and how do we use it at the clinic?
Guess down below in the comments and the answer will be up tomorrow!

Bouncy heels?
Over the years of activity and life, our natural heel cushioning (fat pads) start to wear down, atrophy, or displace. Additionally, heel trauma can cause a significant amount of discomfort while active. The heel can be very sensitive during the heel strike of gait.
The Tuli Heel Cup is a great option for just a little extra cushioning. We've talked before about the amount of force your foot takes when you are active. We've also talked about Ground Reaction Force where the force that you bear down on is returned upwards. These heel cups will return that energy.
While these heel cups aren't for everyone, we strongly suggest booking a foot assessment with one of our certified pedorthists to see if this is right for you!
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Outlawed foot binding! (Kind of long post, but interesting and historical)
Did you know that for centuries the Chinese practiced the "art" of foot binding. I used the " " because looking back, this looks like absolute torture! A small foot was seen as a status symbol, a s*x symbol, a desired fe**sh, and even a way to a good marriage!
The process usually started when the young girl was as early as 4 years old! A professional foot binder would do the wrapping because it was thought that the parents felt too much empathy and wouldn't bind them tight enough. Bones were regularly broken in order to fit into a smaller shoe/slipper.
According to the research done by Peter Preskar, at historyofyesterday.com, the 3 inch foot is the "golden lotus", 4 inch foot is "silver lotus", and anything longer than that was "found s*xually unattractive" and was called the "iron foot".
This practice was banned only in 1912. It's horrifying the pictures and stories of this torturous practice! We want your feet to grow to whatever shape it does!
Tune in next week for a better foot fact!

What's It Wednesday!
What are these little things and how are they used in the clinic?
Guess below in the comments and answer will be up tomorrow!

NEW COLORS!!!
New product is pretty cool, but new colors on already awesome socks?! BONUS!! CEP 4.0 Short Socks just came out with some new colors and they are🔥🔥!!
CEP 4.0 socks are great everyday active socks. I personally love them for when I'm mountain biking!
Come on in and grab a few for only $30 a pair!!

SUPER sensitive feet!
Did you know that the feet have more nerves per square centimeter than any other place on the the body? There are approximately 8000 nerves in your foot! Lots of nerves means sensitive and ticklish feet. If you can remember back in a previous post, I said that ticklish feet is a good thing. That means your nerves are working!
It's really important to keep your feet comfortable and free from pain, so if there is something off, let us know! If you are diabetic and experience foot issues, it's even more important to take care of that foot!
Call us for a free foot assessment and we can show you options for your foot health!

Psst!
The boss is away, so we're taking an extra long weekend! I think we deserve it!
HiTech Bracing will be closed Good Friday and Easter Monday (April 15th and 18th).

What's It Wednesday!
What are these things and how do we use them in the clinic?
Guess below in the comments and the answer will be up tomorrow!
local

Foot pain getting out of bed?
Plantar fasciitis is the most common foot diagnosis we see here at HiTech Bracing. Lots of people don't know what to do or even where to start. They'll see their doctor to get a diagnosis, but then after that you can go to a physio, chiropractor, or even a brace fitting clinic.
This boot has been a life saver for so many people!! I always warn people that, Yes it is cumbersome, but it is very effective!! I recently had a client interrupt me greeting him to say how happy he was with the boot! "Almost instant improvement!"
This night boot is a great addition to your treatment of plantar fasciitis! All you need to do is come see us and we'll find the right fit!

More bones than needed!
The general population has 26 bones in one foot. So 52 out of 206 bones are in your foot. We've gone over this one before, but do you know about accessory bones? The general population don't have these bones.
There are a whopping 32 accessory, or extra, bones found in a very small number of people. These bones are very small and can cause some disomfort. Of course, not all of these bones are in one person, but take the Os vesalianum. This tiny bone found at the base of the 5th metatarsal. It is only found in 0.1-1% of the population!
These accessory bones can sometimes be diagnosed as a bone chip after a suspected fracture. Imagine having all those accessory bones...in BOTH FEET!!! 116 bones just in your feet!! Mind.Blown!!🤯
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What's It Wednesday answer!
Here's our cast saw. Now this is something we don't use often, but it's a very useful tool. We use this to cut casts...obviously, but we also can cut other hard things. Casts saws don't have circular blades. They have oscilating/vibrating blades. This means they vibrate to cut. They are meant to cut hard things and not soft things.
I will always demonstrate to ease their minds. I will turn the saw on, and place the blade on the palm of my hand... TAH DAH, no cuts!!!

What's It Wednesday!
What is this and how do we use it at the clinic?
Guess down below in the comments and tune in tomorrow for the answer!

We absolutely love hearing these stories!
This particular family have been seeing us for quite a while. We've seen them for several things over the years and each issue/symptom has been treated with one of our products.
Now, hearing that those symptoms have been significantly reduced, or eliminated is music to our ears🎶!! We have the best job, and we really do have the best clients!
Come see why we have the highest number of 5 star reviews in southern Alberta for their bracing and orthotic needs! See how we've been able to make so many people happy with their health!!

"Achilles had that heel thing."
Did you know that the achilles tendon is the thickest tendon in the body. The achilles tendon inserts on the posterior surface of the calcaneus (heel bone). There are three muscles that attach to the achilles tendon; the plantaris, gasctrocnemius, and the soleus. It's main purpose is aiding in plantar flexion of the foot. Basically, pointing your foot.
Now, even though this is thought of as a calf tissue, it attaches on the heel and is very essential to proper gait and foot movement. I've heard from so many people who have ruptured their achilles that it just felt like someone kicked them in the back of the leg. No pain, just a weird feeling. You'll be recovering in an airboot for quite sometime if you rupture this one!
Luckily, at HiTech Bracing we have the tools and products you need for achilles tendon rupture!

HiTech Bracing Ltd. updated their business hours.

What's It Wednesday answer!
Ok, Ok... I know some of you guessed this on your own and were thinking, "How in the heck do you use lipstick at HiTech Bracing?!". Honestly, the first week I worked here I saw it thinking it was just for the girls to 'touch up', but, NO!!
When fitting custom foot orthotics or other custom devices there is usually some added pressure that doesn't feel overly comfortable. In order to adjust an area (decrease the support) we need to know exactly where. Also, if we need to INCREASE the support, we also need to know exactly where. If we put a small marking of lipstick on that affected area, place the orthotic on the foot, then the lipstick will transfer to the specific spot! Adjust specifically...fit comfortably!
If I didn't explain properly, come on in and I can show you!

TODAY'S THE DAY!!!😀😀🎉🎉
We've been waiting for this day for 2 LONG YEARS!!! We're set up at the Home and Garden Show at Exhibition Park!
Stop in and say 'Hi'! There are some new things we'd love to show you!!

What's It Wednesday!
What is this and how do we use it in the clinic?
**(I think this one is a lot easier than previous ones)**
Guess below in the comments and answer will be up tomorrow!

Not sure about custom foot orthotics?
Custom foot orthotics(FO's) aren't necessarily for everyone. Maybe you like your custom FO's, but they aren't as useful in your athletic shoes. Off the shelf customizable foot insoles are a great option. I'm not talking about a certain "Dr" product. As a foot health professional, I want a supportive long lasting product.
Enter, Kneed Footwear. Kneed insoles are amazing! Let me tell you one such story. My brother is in the trades and had knee, foot and some back pain. I called me desperately one day and I said I got the right thing for you. I got him a pair and within weeks he was feeling so much better and came in to get another pair for a different pair of shoes.
There are so many benefits to wear Kneed insoles whether it's comfort, support, decreasing back pain... These will help.
We want to give you options, and if custom FO's aren't what you are wanting, we have Kneed's! Give us a call to book an assessment and see if these are right for you.

Foot Fact Friday.
Did you know that it can take up to 18 months for your toenail to grow back?!?! That's a long time! Toenails fall off sometimes. The most common reasons toenails fall off is either because something heavy was dropped on it or if a shoe is not fit properly and the end of the shoe was pushing on the toe.
I've had a black toe before after someone at the gym accidentally dropped a weight on my toe, but the nail never fell off. I can only imagine the discomfort that would be!!

What's It Wednesday answer!
This right here is a shoe stretcher. Shoe stretchers come in all shapes and sizes. This is one of the more typical ones. The silver "bulbs" on the wooden foot are used to give extra pressure/stretch to that part of the shoe. Place the stretcher in the shoe and start cranking the handle to separate the the sections...but don't overdo it!
If you have a leather shoe, use of shoe stretching solution (alcohol based solution) can be used to soften the leather making it more stretchy!

Robin visited Lethbridge Physiotherapy today! She was able to show off all the wonderful things we can do to help out their patients recover from their injuries! Knee braces, and wrist braces, and compression socks, OH MY!!!
Thank goodness we are able to visit health care facilities now and (re)introduce ourselves to all the new (and existing) wonderful health care professionals! We love getting out into the community and showing people what we do!

What's It Wednesday!
What is this thing and how do we use it at the clinic?
Guess below in the comments and answer will be up tomorrow!

What is plantar fasciitis (PF)? Part 2
There are several treatment options for PF. Some options might not work for you while some are 'life saving'! Do what works for you, your lifestyle, your budget, and your insurance coverage. Treatments include, but are not limited to:
👞 New (better made) shoes
👟 Custom foot orthotics, or heel cups
🩹 Night splint or walking boot
👩‍⚕️ Physical therapy
🔪 (Surgery (last resort...and that's supposed to be a scalpel emoji!)
💉 Cortizone, or other injections
💊 Nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medications
We've seen tremendous success with a combination of custom foot orthotics and a night splint! I have always suggested and referred my clients to see a physio for proper strength and stretching exercises.
Call us and book an assessment where we will look at your feet, gait, range of motion, and gather your history of symptoms. We can suggest the best option for you!
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Feeling out of whack?
You've heard the saying, a chain is only as strong as the weakest link, right? Well, you're only as good as your feet! Yes, other organs are vitally important, but this is Foot Fact Friday!!
Our feet are supporting us all the time and if they are out of place, then everything going up the chain is effected. If you have significantly flat feet, your knees will start to point inward which will then cause internal rotation of the femur (thigh bone). That can cause lateral knee pain, and some hip discomfort.
Custom foot orthotics can get you stable and keep that chain strong. I had a client who just came in thinking it would be a good idea to get orthotics because he's in the trades, but after wearing them for a few months he told me that the pain in his knees (which thought was just normal) was all but gone!
Keeping you supported from the ground up!