Manipal Cure & Care (MCC) has launched Foot Solutions, world's largest health and wellness franchisee focusing on foot care and proper fit. This will see the entry for many medically engineered footwear brands like Chung Shi, Orthofeet, Drew and Thorlos, that focus on therapeutic, wellness and performance enhancement into India.
Foot Solutions' brands are available in over 250 locations worldwide, including US, Canada , Europe, Australia and many South East Asian countries. The concept relies on evidence based medicine and personalized advice from in-store Pedorthics who ensure that footwear and accessories are custom designed to fit each individual foot.
Footgear in four categories are launched. These are Revolutionary Footwear, Athletic Footwear, Arch Supports & Accessories. The Arch Supports & accessories will comprise of insoles prescribed by experts. The footwear is available in closed formats (shoes) and open forms (sandals). The wide range will cover footwear for athletics (jogging, walking, and hiking), casual wear (for various occasions) and also formals (for office). It will be priced between Rs 600 and Rs 20,000. MCC is recognized as Foot Solutions certified training center for India by Foot Solutions USA.
Nearly every person can benefit from proper foot care and custom foot orthotics. Foot Solutions products eliminate pain in feet, ankle, leg, knee, back and neck.. It is a boon for those with diabetes, arthritis & degenerative disorders, pregnancy, paediatrics, obesity, foot deformities resulting from neuropathy, abnormal biomechanics, congenital disorders, or surgical intervention and also athletes and sports professionals.
According to Dr Satish Amarnath, medical director, Manipal Cure & Care, "Over 90 per cent of people wear improperly fitted shoes, which in turn causes or worsens foot problems. No two feet are identical but all pairs of mass-market shoes are designed identically. There are 33 joints, 26 bones, and over 100 muscles below the knees. Improper footwear can affect from the legs, spine and cranium.
At MCC, a team of specially trained physiotherapists and counsellors administer a comprehensive foot examination including inspection, palpation, soft tissue analysis, gait analysis and pressure mapping. They use a mix of state-of-the-art equipment like 2D and 3D scanners. This "Digital Foot Mapping" provides information on bumps, curves, lines and stress points at the feet. After a thorough review with the patient, custom designed foot beds are fabricated considering the orthopaedic, vascular and diabetic condition.
Foot Solutions can produce custom foot orthotics as thin as 2mm that can slip into dress-shoes or a sneaker which provides feet comfort. "We plan to market these products through outlets spread across high streets and healthcare facilities in the next three years," said Somnath Das, COO, Manipal Cure and Care.