<![CDATA[Advanced Orthodynamics - Updates]]>Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:30:03 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[How to maintain your device]]>Thu, 02 Apr 2020 18:47:25 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/how-to-maintain-your-device

Cleaning Your Braces

Our cleaning video will help you care for your orthotic device. To jump to your specific brace, please go to the following timestamps:

00:35 - Foot Orthotics: Clean when dirty or have a pungent odour
02:06 - Knee Brace: Clean once weekly
03:41 - Spinal Brace: Clean once a week
05:14 - Dynamic Chest Compressor: Every two weeks
06:20 - Ankle Foot Orthotic: Once a month
09:38 - Boots and Bar: Once a week

If you have questions, please give us a call at 905-527-1225 or email us.

]]><![CDATA[OUr latest video on "how it's made"]]>Thu, 05 Mar 2020 15:58:09 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/our-latest-video-on-how-its-made

How Knee Braces are Made

After much anticipation and technical difficulties, our second video in "How It's Made" is here! Take a look at how Mr. Bapty CO (c) and his team put together another one of our biggest products from beginning to end (pouring the mold is not shown). We think you'll agree that a lot of work goes into a custom knee brace.

Warning: Jump cuts are used.

]]><![CDATA[Could a Knee Brace Help Ease Your Osteoarthritis Pain?]]>Sat, 14 Dec 2019 21:42:16 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/could-a-knee-brace-help-ease-your-osteoarthritis-pain

While there’s no cure for knee osteoarthritis, a combination of strategies can help relieve your pain and keep you active.

Although the cornerstones of treatment are exercise and physical therapy — and pain medications and steroid injections are also options — you can also try knee braces, shoe inserts or simply wearing more supportive shoes.

“Knee braces can be helpful for managing your pain,” says physical therapist Dawn Lorring, PT, MPT. “The location and severity of your symptoms will drive which brace works best for you.”

Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of cartilage (that’s the cushioning material that covers the ends of bones in joints.) This causes pain and stiffness.

In the knee joint, arthritis can occur at any of three points where the bones come in contact:

Underneath the kneecap.
Between the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) on the inside of the leg.
Between the thigh and shin bones on the outside of the leg.

Types of knee braces
Sleeve braces.
People who have mild pain or stiffness that limits their activities can try a sleeve-type brace. These provide compression, which can reduce swelling and warm the joint. This might relieve the stiffness.

These braces also provide added support. “If your knee feels unsteady or wobbly, a compression-type brace can be helpful, Lorring says. Some of them have plastic stays or a hinge on the side, which provides a little more support. She recommends getting one that has an opening at the knee cap.

Sleeve braces usually aren’t covered by insurance, but they are relatively inexpensive.

Unloader brace.
When arthritic changes are between the femur and tibia, a device called an unloader knee brace may help, especially if one side is more arthritic than the other. These have a metal band that goes around the thigh and another one around the calf, connected by a hinged bar. This creates a frame that can be adjusted to shift pressure (unload) from one side of the knee to the other.

“If the inside of your knee hurts, the brace can be adjusted to put more force on the outside of your knee, unloading weight off the inside,” Lorring explains.
These are less beneficial if your arthritis symptoms are similar on both the inside and outside of the joint.

Unloader knee braces are more expensive, but they can be covered by the Assistive Devices Program or private insurance. You’ll need a doctor’s prescription and documentation that it is medically necessary.

Shoes and inserts.
Various foot problems (like high arches or flat feet) or just the particular way you walk can affect the alignment of your body. That might be putting more pressure on your knee joints. You may get some relief by choosing better shoes or wearing shoe inserts (also called orthotics).

Because everyone is different, there’s no universal advice for shoes or inserts. Lorring recommends consulting a physical therapist or an expert in foot mechanics who can observe how you walk and help you pick out shoes or shoe inserts that match your needs. “I encourage people to look at running shoes because there are more support options,” she says.

“The goal with orthotics is to make sure your foot is moving in the best way it can so your knee isn’t getting more force than it should,” Lorring says. There are a wide variety of shoe inserts and heel wedges that you can buy in a drug store or online. You can also get them custom made or save some money and get semi-custom ones. Like with shoes, you need to get inserts and wedges that are specific to your needs.

“You can have an insert that doesn’t add much arch support but it adds cushion, which can be beneficial if you walk on the outside of your foot,” Lorring says. “However, if your foot rolls inward too much, you may need more arch support.”

You can get heel wedges that are sloped in one direction or the other, which is similar to the action of an unloader brace. It shifts pressure from one side of the knee to the other.
“Ultimately, you have to find what works for you,” Lorring says.

This article was based on one that originally appeared in Cleveland Clinic Arthritis Advisor.

]]><![CDATA[7 Hacks for aFo's and orthotics]]>Tue, 16 Jul 2019 19:00:00 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/7-hacks-for-afos-and-orthoticsThe following article was written by Lainie Ishbia in The Mighty, June 30th, 2019.

Please note that if you have any problems whatsoever with a device you receive from us (including squeaking!), contact us so that we can help you with it.

I have a love/hate relationship with my leg braces. On the one hand, they help me walk and balance (not minor things) and allow me to be independent, explore the world and have an awesome life. But they can also be super annoying, stifling and controlling. So controlling, in fact, that I’m now completely dependent on and lost without them. I take an extra set of braces and straps with me on vacation in case they break (and they have) because I am unable to walk in shoes without them.
READ MORE

]]><![CDATA[Tips for your Dynamic Chest Compressor]]>Thu, 09 May 2019 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/tips-for-your-dynamic-chest-compressor

Sleeping with Your DCC

Some of our patients have told us that sleeping with a Dynamic Chest Compressor can be a little uncomfortable at times - here our Certified Orthotist, Eric Bapty, shows you a few tips to make it easier for you. Try it out and let us know what you think!

]]><![CDATA[proposed federal accessibility legislation]]>Thu, 13 Dec 2018 19:32:09 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/proposed-federal-accessibility-legislation

Accessible Canada Act

Once approved by Parliament, the Act would add to the existing rights and protections for people with disabilities, including the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Human Rights Act and Canada’s approval of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The purpose of the bill is to make Canada barrier-free in areas under federal jurisdiction.The bill outlines how to identify and remove accessibility barriers and prevent new barriers, under federal rule, including in:

built environments (buildings and public spaces);
employment (job opportunities and employment policies and practices);
information and communication technologies (digital content and technologies used to access it);
procurement of goods and services;
delivering programs and services; and
transportation (by air as well as by rail, ferry and bus carriers that operate across a provincial or international border).

To read the summary, click here

]]><![CDATA[Winter Boots]]>Wed, 31 Oct 2018 17:42:49 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/winter-boots

Winter Boots Tips for the Snow!

Yes unfortunately winter is just around the corner. It’s time to take out those boots and ensure they still fit properly – or think about buying new ones.

Consider these suggestions when you’re in the stores:

Removable Insoles – take your foot orthotics with you and make sure that they will fit into the new boots.
Rubber Soles – provide you with traction and stability. A lower heel and wider outsole provide the broadest base of support.
Laces – give you the most adjustability and support for walking and overall comfort. Velcro straps offer less support but would be a more desired option than pull-on.
Waterproof Leather or Membrane – keeping your feet dry equates to warmth and comfort. Leather boots are fine provided they have a waterproofing treatment.
Overshoes – if you’re unable to find boots, then an overshoe such as Neos maybe your solution.
Socks – wear warm socks when you try on your boots – with your orthotics in the boots. The socks should be made from a moisture wicking material like polypropylene, acrylic or wool – never cotton!

If you have any questions about your boots
please bring them with you to your next appointment and Eric will be glad to help.

Keep warm and comfortable this winter!

]]><![CDATA[Celebrate Locke Street!]]>Thu, 30 Aug 2018 16:00:00 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/celebrate-locke-street

Locke Street Festival Saturday, September 8th

We are closed for the festival so that everyone can enjoy! There will be hundreds of vendors - definitely something for everyone.
The entertainment will start about noon, featuring local musicians, while the Family Zone will enthral the younger ones with science experiments and magic.

For more information check out Locke Street Festival or visit them on Facebook or Google+.

]]><![CDATA[Being outside is good for you]]>Thu, 09 Aug 2018 17:24:51 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/being-outside-is-good-for-you

Getting Grounded

by Carrie Dennett of the Washington Post

It is not a secret that spending time in nature is good for you. For years, researchers have been detailing how people who live near green spaces — parks, greenbelts, tree-lined streets, rural landscapes — have better physical and mental health, and practices such as Japanese forest bathing and Nordic hygge, which has a strong outdoorsy component, are being embraced here in the United States. Could grounding be next?
I was intrigued when a colleague recently recommended a mutual patient — seeing her for stress management and me for nutritional advice — experiment
with walking barefoot in the grass for a short time each day. A few weeks
later, I stumbled across an article that gave a name to that practice:
grounding. The idea behind grounding, also called earthing, is that humans
evolved in direct contact with the Earth's subtle electric charge, but have lost
that sustained connection thanks to inventions such as buildings, furniture
and shoes with insulated synthetic soles.

Advocates of grounding say this disconnect might be contributing to the
chronic diseases that are particularly prevalent in industrialized societies.
There is actually some science behind this. Research has shown barefoot
contact with the ground can produce nearly instant changes in a variety of
physiological measures, helping improve sleep, reduce pain, decrease muscle
tension and lower stress.
There are many reasons connecting with nature is good for mind and body,
but electricity probably is not one you have considered. If you think back to
the last time you took a science class, you may remember that everything,
including humans, is made up of atoms. These microscopic particles contain
equal numbers of negatively-charged electrons, which come in pairs, and
positively-charged protons, so an atom is neutral — unless it loses an
electron. When an atom has an unpaired electron, it becomes a "free radical"
with a positive charge, capable of damaging our cells and contributing to
chronic inflammation, cancer and other diseases. In this case, "positive" is
not a good thing.
One reason direct physical contact with the ground might have beneficial
physiological effects is the earth's surface has a negative charge and is
constantly generating electrons that could neutralize free radicals, acting as
antioxidants. You may think of antioxidants as coming from food, and indeed
a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and other foods that provide beta-carotene,
selenium, lutein, lycopene and vitamins A, C and E help prevent cellular
damage from free radicals. Still, it is interesting that we may be able to get
them directly from the earth, too.
Research also suggests physical contact with the Earth's surface can help
regulate our autonomic nervous system and keep our circadian rhythms --
which regulate body temperature, hormone secretion, digestion and blood
pressure, among other things — synchronized with the day/night cycle.
Desynchronization of our internal clocks has been linked to a number of
health problems, as evidenced by research on shift workers.
The key may be the impact on the vagus nerve. This is the largest nerve of the
autonomic nervous system — extending from the brain to the colon — and
plays a key role in heart, lung and digestive function. Strong vagal tone helps
you relax faster after experiencing stress, while weak vagal tone is associated
with chronic inflammation. Inflammation, in turn, is associated with a
number of chronic diseases — including cardiovascular disease, Type 2
diabetes and some forms of cancer. Vagal tone is often assessed by measuring
the variation in your heart rate when you breathe in and out, and in one
study, grounding was shown to improve heart rate variability and thus vagal
tone in pre-term infants. In another small study of adults, one two-hour
session of grounding reduced inflammation and improved blood flow.
While many clinical studies have demonstrated beneficial physical changes
when participants are grounded, studies tend to be small and are done
indoors using wires that connect to ground outlets. This is partly because
using a lab is more practical than taking study participants outdoors, but also
so participants will not know if they are grounded or not — to avoid a placebo
effect. There is little research specifically on the effects of grounding in nature
and whether it results in the same positive effects on stress, pain and sleep.
Still, since being outdoors is proved to be good for you, it probably would not
hurt to try it yourself to see if you notice any benefits. So how do you ground?
Simply allow your skin to be in contact with any natural conductors of the
earth's electricity, working up to at least 30 minutes at a time (unfortunately,
studies do not seem to have addressed how often grounding should occur).
You can walk barefoot on grass, moist soil, sand, gravel or concrete (but not
other types of pavement). You can swim in the ocean, a lake or other natural
body of water. You can sit under a tree, leaning against the trunk.
If you have concerns about whether it is sanitary to walk barefoot outside,
there are options. Keep a patch of lawn off-limits to your dog. Or put a
blanket or towel between your skin and the ground; natural fibres such as
cotton and wool do not interfere with grounding. You can even wear leathersoled
shoes. Or, garden instead. Digging gloveless in the garden also puts you
in direct contact with the earth — just make sure you are not using chemical
pesticides or fertilizers.

]]><![CDATA[What to Wear]]>Tue, 03 Jul 2018 19:05:10 GMThttps://www.advancedortho.ca/updates/what-to-wear

Best shirt to wear under a Scoliosis Brace

Brace Buddies is a Canadian company that does custom made body socks.

EmBraced in Comfort is centred in Michigan

Hope Embrace tees can be purchased through Curvy Spine in Edmonton

Suggestions? Please let us know so that we can share.

Definitely not this one!

Here's what we suggest you look for:

a stretchy material (no wrinkles)
seam-free if possible
a durable material that is thin enough so as not to be too warm
anti-bacterial and anti-mircobial
moisture-wicking
long enough that it covers the length of the brace
provides some protection for your armpits

Cotton or bamboo with spandex usually works very well. Some people have tried turning the shirt inside to deal with the seams. Athletic shirts are good too as they are moisture-wicking You can search on-line using the above criteria, but we've given you some suggestions to give you a head start.

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