Toronto podiatrist reports law firm is suing Sketchers for causing heel pain, arch pain or plantar fasciitis

A San Diego law firm is suing Skechers for injuries caused by Shape-Ups.  They claim that the rocker bottom sole causes instability while walking and fails to provide adequate support.  They feel that the instability causes the body, especially the feet and ankles, to work excessively to maintain balance.  They believe that this can result in over stretching of the plantar fascia, which is the broad ligament that supports the arch and joins at the heel bone or calcaneus and the toe bones.  This can result in a painful condition called plantar fasciitis.

Typically a person with plantar fasciitis will experience considerable pain with the first few steps when getting out of bed in the morning and with the first few steps following rest.  The heel or arch can be particularly painful following exercise.

The law firm also complains that Sketchers Shape-Ups have been responsible for other injuries such as broken ankles, fractured bones, torn ligaments, strained muscles, and Achilles tendinitis. 

When people come to my Toronto foot clinic complaining of heel and arch pain due to plantar fasciitis, I focus on relieving the excessive stretching of the ligament and reducing the inflammation associated with this painful condition.

I find that made to measure orthotics can improve the mechanics of the foot and thus relieve the excessive pulling of the ligament.  We can make Custom foot orthotics, Orthopedic Insoles, foot beds, arch supports, for foot, leg, heel, or arch pain to fit into sports shoes as well as narrower pairs to fit into dressier shoes.

Inflammation can be relieved with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen and Naprosyn.  Alternatively, a cortisone injection can be performed in the tender areat o relieve inflammation associated with plantar fasciitis.  However, many people are not comfortable taking anti-inflammatory medication because this can be hard on the stomach, the heart, and can exacerbate high blood pressure or hypertension.  Also, many people do not like the idea of cortisone injections, because they can be painful and repeated injections can weaken the connective tissue. 

For these people I use a combination of therapeutic sound waves along with  laser treatment.  These modalities can relieve inflammation without the side effects of pills and injections. 

For someone who has had plantar fasciitis for a relatively short time, I use a sound wave modality called pressure wave or radial wave.  This is easily tolerated without anesthetic, takes only a few minutes to perform and, in my Toronto foot clinic, is combined with a low level laser treatment.  Most people will need to be treated once a week for approximately three weeks to start experiencing a significant improvement.

For someone who has been treated unsuccessfully for several months and has chronic plantar fasciitis, I use a stronger sound wave modality called Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy for Heel Spur Pain, Arch Pain, Plantar Fasciitis, and Achilles Tendonitis.   This is a higher energy sound wave and is performed in my office with the aid of local anesthetic.  I have found that approximately seventy-five percent of people with chronic heel and arch pain due to chronic plantar fasciitis will experience a significant improvement following just one treatment with shock wave.

If you or a loved one suffer from heel or arch pain due to plantar fasciitis or have other painful problems such as bunions, hammer toes, ingrown nails, corns, bone spurs, please call my office at 416-486-9917 to set up a private consultation.  Find out how you can walk pain free today.

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