Connect with Your Feet: Foot Specialist Dr. Colin Dombroski Shares Tips

Think you're a supinator? Well, you might be wrong. Dr. Dombroski says that people are actually poor at predicating the mechanics of their own gait and foot type. That's where he comes in. He shares

• What causes plantar fasciitis and some solutions he recommends,
• Why he performs gait analyses and individual training for patients, 
• What are some simple, effective foot exercises, and
• What he thinks about orthotics, toe spreaders, and other common treatment methods.

Foot Specialist Dr. Colin Dombroski is the author of The Foot Strength Plan and The Plantar Fasciitis Plan. He has a PhD in health and rehabilitation science and practices in London, Ontario. When he was young, a disorder called vascular necrosis led to hip replacement surgery, which in turn caused a two-inch leg length discrepancy and resulting back pain. But a design-trained pedorthist fitted him with a heightening orthotic that changed his life by eliminating the pain. The impact was so profound, he decided to spend his life bringing relief to others.

He shares his practicing philosophy with listeners, describing the vast array of causes, from foot shape and mechanics, to effects of wearing shoes to small, to sticking to only one pair of shoes. He works with patients on foot strengthening exercises to address some of these issues.

Foot stability exercises can take the pressure of the injured tissue, helping the foot and leg work together more efficiently. "But I'm really a fan of being dynamic and seeing how someone's responding," he adds, describing his ability to keep front and center the custom needs of each patient.

Listen in as he shares some of his secrets and resources for a better feeling foot.