Changing my content

Because what can be described as an orthopedic product is very open to debate I will be expanding the scope of some of the products that I describe in this blog.

Up to now most of the posts covered things like beds, mattresses, chairs, shoes and other “obvious” orthopedically related items. What I will now do is expand that limitation to include other useful and health related aids.

My main reason for doing this is that it gives me more to write about and a broader scope of product types. However, since many aids, services and devices are used by similar people with different challenges there remains a connection between my original intent.

Exactly what I will cover in future is something that I am unsure about, but I think that all manner of different health and mobility related aids, from wheelchairs to utensils that assist in the kitchen, will be included. I will still make posts about ergonomic chairs, comfort shoes, memory foam mattresses and the like, but there will also be some other interesting things thrown into the mix.

Without formulating any definitive ideas, here of some thoughts of products to be covered.

Sauna and hydrotherapy treatments and equipment.

Mobility scooters, strollers and wheelchair.

Different types of bathroom aid from rails to seats.

Supports and strapping for injury and recuperation.

Chairlifts and other means of transportation like evac chairs.

Easy hold devices that could include cutlery or other kitchen devices.

The list can go on and on, so I will just have to see what I come up with over time.

Healthy shoes - what to look for

Very few people wear good fitting healthy shoes. There are a number of reasons for this and they range from a general ignorance about foot health through to prioritizing fashion and style above comfort and wear-ability. Price is also a factor with short lived fashion shoes often being cheaper than the less fashionable comfort style footwear.

What is and is not a good shoe will always be open to debate, however there are a number of design traits that ensure that some shoes are superior to others. To find out what the different parts of a shoe are called and how they work together you need to look at the anatomy of a shoe. You can find lists and pictures of the different shoe component compositions by searching online. These lists/pictures of the various parts of a shoe describe what they do and how they interact with the rest of the shoe or boot. This will give you an understanding of how much thought and attention goes into designing and manufacturing a good shoe.

Paramount to being a good shoe is having a good build quality. This relates to the materials used and the way in which they are put together. Not too many years ago manmade fabrics were seen as inferior to leather and suede, but modern synthetic materials can be waterproof, breathable and stylish and many comfort and orthopedic shoes are made from materials of this type. Even tough walking and hiking shoes use manmade fabrics that keep the water out whilst letting water vapour escape.

Good linings and plenty of supporting padding are very important for any good shoe. Parts of the foot like the arch need to be adequately supported and the heel needs to have a strong high counter that does not bend or flex. The padding plus a good insole will act like a suspension system evening out poor surfaces and preventing shock waves shuddering up the body.

The inside of the shoe should also be smooth and free of seems and any other projecting parts of the construction. Having a shoe that rubs or is abrasive towards any part of the foot is not only uncomfortable, but also potentially damaging. Good linings are very often a measure of a high quality pair of shoes and good shoes should never make your feet, legs or back ache.

Most quality shoes, particularly those tagged as being orthopedic, will have the upper made from many separate sections. Each of these parts has a particular function and combining one or more of these parts can dilute the shoes overall performance. As an example, many fashion shoes do not have separate toes boxes and this can result in the important toe box losing its shape and contorting or constraining the toes in an unnatural way. Toe boxes need to give the toes adequate space to move.

Ultimately the best way to select a pair of shoes is to try them on, test them and make sure that they still feel good after several hours of wear. Regrettably this is of course never possible, so arming yourself in advance with as much information as possible about well designed and made shoes is the next best alternative. Good shoes never come cheap!

Rollator and walking aids

Getting around under our own steam is something that most of us take for granted until age, and accident, or some kind of illness turn mobility into something that we no longer take for granted.

However, when walking starts to become a problem there are a number of options available.

The first is to use a simple aid like a walking stick, but this may not suffice and then we are left with a number of options that range from using a wheelchair or mobility scooter to walking with the aid of a frame.

Not too many years ago these walking frames, commonly called “zimmer frames” in Britain (after the main manufacturer of the product) were primitive. They also had a reputation associated with “immobility” – the opposite of their intended use.

Over the intervening years many advances have subsequently taken place. These changes have seen these walking frames adopt wheels and even brakes and now they are a genuine mobility aid that can be used outside the home every bit as much as within it. Here are the main choices.

The old style four legged frame that you lift and move forward is still going strong. But there is a slightly more advanced version that has small wheels on its front legs which allow it to be pushed rather than lifted forward.

Today this type of frame has though been largely superseded by the new style “rollator” walking frame.

The rollator has either 3 or 4 wheels on each of its (3 or 4 legs) and these wheels mean that the rollator can be pushed with ease. Large tyres mean that this type of walking aid can be used outdoors and on a surface that is not perfectly even.

Brakes allow the rollator to be stopped, or for its speed to be controlled, and handlebar grips give it a feel of control and stability. Other attributes that set it apart from the old style frames are carrying compartments and a seat area that lets the person using it stop and rest at any time.