Your First Choice for Braces and Orthotics in Calgary
Sometimes your body just needs a little support to work properly. Sometimes, it’s an orthotic that provides a solution that corrects and supports your arch so that you can walk without pain, or sometimes it’s a brace to help provide extra rigidity to an injured joint. Support solutions can help speed up your recovery and allow you to return to activities that might otherwise be painful.
Panther Sports Medicine in Calgary offer orthotics, braces and additional health and physiotherapy products to help support your recovery process and help you maintain your daily activities. Depending on the issue, Panther Sports Medicine has several custom and off-the-shelf options for you to choose from.
There are all sorts of braces for all sorts of injuries, but all braces are worn externally on the body to assist with the stability of a joint or reduce physical stresses. Some people need braces when they are playing sports or completing certain work tasks, while others need them almost all of the time to help support regular, day-to-day activities. Generally, braces can fall into one of two categories: custom-made braces and over-the-counter braces. At Panther Sports Medicine, we offer both options depending on your need and your budget.
CUSTOM-MADE BRACES
If you require custom-made braces, our physiotherapists take a series of applicable measurements and send the data to the manufacturer to create the custom brace. Braces typically take 10 to 14 days to arrive in our office, at which point we set up an appointment to confirm the overall fit of your new brace. If there is any sort of rubbing or pain, adjustments can be made. Usually there is a higher cost associated with custom made braces.
OVER-THE-COUNTER BRACES
We also carry over-the-counter braces at all of our Calgary physiotherapy locations. These usually come in small, medium or large and some have adjustable pieces. The cost of over-the-counter braces can be significantly less than a custom made device, however, the fit and function may not be as precise as a custom-made brace.
At Panther Sports Medicine we offer the following at each of our locations:
If you have pain in your foot, ankles and lower leg, the solution could be as simple as an orthotic. Foot orthotics fit into a variety of shoes including running shoes, skates, ski boots, hiking boots, ladies’ and men’s dress shoes and steel-toed boots. If you’re a person that spends a lot of time on your feet in your job, you’ll be surprised at how proper orthotics can help you feel less tired and sore at the end of the day. If you play sports or participate in activities like running, hiking or skiing, orthotics will correct your foot pain and gait, helping boost performance and likely stamina. In fact, fixing your gait can have an overall impact on your body, stopping you from over compensating or adjusting your body positioning.
Panther Sports Medicine physiotherapists are trained to assess your lower body and will do a comprehensive evaluation of your lower extremities (particularly your feet and ankles), observe how you walk and run, as well as assess what your arch does when you bend your knees and move your weight around. With this information, they will recommend a solution for your foot pain which could include custom orthotics, suggestions on shoe type, or modifications to your current footwear.
If custom orthotics are needed, our physiotherapists work in consultation with professional Calgary orthotists to create custom-made foot orthotics that will relieve pain in your arch and/or provide proper foot positioning drastically improve how you walk and run. If it is determined that you require proper orthotics or braces integrated into your rehab program, our physiotherapists can then assess whether any additional services such as physiotherapy or varying treatments are needed.
Our orthotic options include hard plastic or carbon laminate formed to your foot, or orthotics which provide targeted, soft foam cushioning. It all varies on your foot, your activities and the condition/pain you are trying to fix.
For orthotics to work properly, there are a few things you need to remember:
1
Most importantly, your orthotic needs to go into a stable, functional shoe. Orthotics may not be appropriate for some dress or casual shoes.
2
Start using your orthotics gradually. Wear them for one hour the first day and slowly increase the amount of time you use them in a day. After breaking them in for a few weeks, you shouldn’t have any discomfort.
If your orthotics result in any blisters or discomfort of your feet, ankles or knees, you should consult with our office and our physiotherapists can make the required adjustments to achieve the perfect fit.
Orthotics aren’t just for adults, they can make a real difference for kids by providing additional support and helping to stabilize their feet and legs. Orthotics can help relieve pain caused by injury or unusual alignment of the bones of the foot. Plus, a proper orthotic can typically help improve how they walk and run.
Orthotics are an option for kids over the age of seven, as their foot has usually fully developed by that point. If your child is complaining about foot pain or discomfort, you should first ensure they have proper, well-supported shoes. If they continue to complain about continued pain and discomfort, then it would be beneficial to have a consultation with one of our physiotherapists.
Each Panther Sports Medicine clinic has a wide range of health care products available for sale to our clients, as well as the general public. Many of these products support physiotherapy exercises, so it is not only nice, but convenient to pick them up at your appointment and have your physiotherapist teach you how to use them for the best possible results.
Some of our top products include:
Therapy Balls (in several sizes)
Lumbar Rolls
Sacroilliac Belts
Taping Supplies
Theraband resistive elastics (in various resistances)
Cervical Rolls
Ice Packs
Foam Rollers
If there is another product you need, please call us to see if we carry it. If we don’t, we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction to get it.
10 Convenient Locations in Calgary. All Physiotherapy clinics have morning and evening appointments available to meet the demands of your busy schedule. Saturday appointments are available at select locations.
Panther Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Centres are a network of ten clinics, physiotherapist operated, serving Calgary and surrounding areas. Our team offers a wide range of services including physiotherapy, massage therapy, and sports injury rehabilitation to help our clients reduce pain and recover from injuries. Panther Sports Medicine has been proudly serving our community for over 30 years.
