Our Services

ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENTS AND POSTURAL EDUCATION/RETRAINING

ERGO-CHECK has been created with the work-place environment in mind, whether it be a small business or large corporation.   The main goal of ERGO-CHECK is to teach people how to sit properly, whether you’re sitting on a $30 stool or a $2000 office chair, and to help workers set up their work-stations ergonomically correctly for their size and height.  In this computer age, we need to start taking responsibility for the strain we are unnecessarily causing to our spines, creating long-term damage from slouching and sitting incorrectly. Our ergonomic assessment and postural retraining go hand-in-hand … you can’t do one without the other.

The bottom line is that sitting in a chair is an unnatural human posture, so when we sit, we need to be consciously aware of how we’re doing it.  It won’t seem like “work” forever, but it will take a few weeks to retrain your body’s bad habits.  Sticking your chest out or holding your shoulders back won’t help!!!  We need to focus on the lower part of the spine and hips, and Dr. Shaw will train you and your staff how to do this in one short session.  There are a few tools you can use to speed up the process, but the bottom line is that you need to correct your posture before it stiffens up permanently.

CUSTOM ORTHOTICS

Almost everyone is aware that sitting at a computer for hours (and hours!) each day is bad for us, but standing occupations also create some unnecessary strain if you are having to lift, bend, or stand in one position for long periods of time.  Our postural muscles can fatigue rapidly if our feet are not being supported with proper footwear and/or orthotics.  Orthotics are corrective inserts that fit comfortably inside your shoes.  They are made from a mold of your foot, so you should hardly notice them when wearing them, and they will help support your arches and disperse weight so there is less fatigue and wear-and-tear to your muscles and joints.  Orthotics not only help obvious foot and ankle discomfort, but they can also significantly help knee problems, hip pain, and lower back problems.

Dr. Shaw is a Chiropractor, licensed and trained to evaluate your feet and gait, so she can determine if you require prescription orthotics for mechanical correction, or if you require treatment of any sort for your condition.  Approximately 95% of our population are pronators, which means that our arches flatten when we walk.  Not all pronators require prescription orthotics, but many do, and if you start wearing them early enough, you can avoid many aches and pains in the long run.  Approximately 5% of our population are supinators, which means they have high, strong arches and fairly rigid feet.  Many supinators benefit from prescription orthotics because the orthotics help to absorb shock and impact, helping to cushion their rigid feet while walking, running and standing.

Dr. Shaw will perform a complete foot evaluation for your feet, explaining her findings along the way, and whether you would benefit from prescription orthotics or not, or if you just need to find specific footwear for your problems.  Most extended health care plans will cover the cost of prescription orthotics, but please read the fine print of your plan BEFORE you send your receipts to them!    If your plan doesn’t cover the cost of prescription orthotics, Dr. Shaw can also recommend other options — please discuss these options in person after your evaluation.