Healthcare costs are out of control. The majority of orthopedic conditions are secondary symptoms whereas the underlying etiology is left under-treated or ignored. View this presentation to learn more.

1. Preventative Orthopedics
Michael E. Graham, DPM, FACFAS

2. We, as a nation, have to take proactive
measures to avoid a collapse of our
healthcare system.

3. We rely on doctors and medical professionals
to help us and to provide their expert opinion
on the best course of treatment.

4. The only problem is that many times
doctors are controlled by the healthcare
insurance policy writers.

5. The ones who control the money
control the quality of care.

6. They claim to believe in “preventative
medicine” but they don’t want to pay for
preventative treatments.

7. This is especially true when it comes to the
#1 cause of disability – disorders of the
musculoskeletal system.

8. “Let’s just take the insurance premiums
and temporarily make patients feel better –
that’s the best way for us to maximize
profits.”

9. In the meantime, they hope you switch
to another company, who will be stuck
with the more expensive fix.

10. The cumulative trauma of these untreated
conditions add up over the years until the
individual is badly affected. Then it is up to
Medicare to pay for the years of neglect
and the “patch-up” services.

11. Just like anything else, the longer you
wait to fix the problem, the worse the
problem gets.

12. So what’s the fix?

13. We need a proactive approach rather
than reactionary.

14. 98% of healthcare services are reactionary
rather than taking pre-emptive measures
to combat a disease process.

15. Instead of just covering up symptoms
and undertreating/ignoring the
underlying cause,

16. let’s pay more attention to the underlying
etiology and provide better solutions.

17. let’s pay more attention to the underlying
etiology and provide better solutions.
Let’s fix what cause the disease in the
first place.

18. We have to change
our thinking and behavior
in order to positively affect
the future of healthcare.

19. In 2008, over 110 million adult US citizens
complained of one or more
musculoskeletal symptoms.
That is 1/2 of the adult population.

20. In other words:
every other person
over 18 years old
has a musculoskeletal complaint.

21. Chronic musculoskeletal complaints
are found at a 60% higher rate
than chronic coronary & heart conditions.

22. 3 out of 4 persons (69%) aged 75 years or
older report one or more musculoskeletal
symptoms.
So, the older we grow,
the more likely we are to develop
a musculoskeletal problem.

23. 62 million (62,000,000) adults
reported back pain (in 2008)

24. 39 million (39,000,000) adults
reported knee pain.

25. 17 million (17,000,000) adults 18 years
and older reported that they have
difficulty performing routine daily
activities of life without assistance
because of their musculoskeletal
complaints.

26. The direct costs for treating
musculoskeletal disease was
$575 billion
($576,000,000,000.00)

27. The direct costs for treating
musculoskeletal disease was
$575 billion
($576,000,000,000.00)
and an additional $373.1 billion
($373,100,000,000.00)
on indirect costs.

28. The total costs of musculoskeletal disease
to society was estimated at
$950 billion
($950,000,000,000.00)
in 2010.

29. What is the number
one reason for
back pain?

30. What is the number
one reason for
hip pain?

31. What is the number
one reason for
knee pain?

32. It all begins with the
most abused and
neglected part of our
body -
OUR FEET!

33. Specifically
the
talus
(ankle bone)
on the
calcaneus
(heel bone)

34. When the talus is properly
aligned on the calcaneus

35. a normal amount of forces are acting
on the bones and soft tissues
throughout the musculoskeletal chain.

36. People with aligned
hindfeet are able to
walk, run or exercise
without excess
suffering from faulty
biomechanics.

37. However,
a partial dynamic displacement
of the talus on the calcaneus

38. leads to a
pathologic chain reaction of
destruction.
M
I
S
A
L
I
G
N
M
E
N
T

39. These abnormal forces
act on the entire
musculoskeletal chain.

40. This partial talotarsal dislocation is
what leads to the development of
these chronic secondary
musculoskeletal symptoms.

41. So we have to
look at
back, hip, knee
and foot
pain
as symptoms.

42. Pain
is a warning signal
that something is wrong.

43. If we only address the symptoms
without eliminating the source of
the symptoms,
then the symptoms will just
reoccur.

44. We can keep putting air into a tire with a
slow leak, but the air will just escape and
the tire will go flat again.

45. We can invent all sorts of ways to put air
in the tire, yet we ignore the fact that it
is just a temporary fix.

46. Eventually, the small hole progressively
gets larger and the tire is completely
destroyed.

47. If we would have repaired the hole when it
was smaller it would have been a much
easier fix than replacing the entire wheel.

48. The same is true with our bodies.
It’s easier to fix a mild deformity than
to wait for it to become a severe
deformity.

49. As the population
continues to increase
and the
lifespan continues
to grow longer,
the already overwhelming costs of
treating musculoskeletal diseases
will become insurmountable.

50. We have to change our thinking and look
to eliminate, or to decrease as much as
possible,
the underlying etiology.

51. Not to just focus our attention only to where the pain
is, but to look at the entire structure.

52. Walking is the second most common
conscious function of our body.
Breathing is number one.

53. This partial talotarsal displacement
is simply ignored or undertreated.
No one ever pays attention to the
foundation of the body – our feet.

54. Typically, someone with
misaligned feet is told they have
only 3 options.

55. Do nothing.

56. Put an arch support under your foot
(that may temporarily help with the
symptoms but won’t fix the
problem.)

57. Reconstructive rearfoot surgery.
Looks like fun, right?

58. The problem with observation, or
“supervised neglect,” is that while
standing, walking, or running those
excessive pathologic forces are
destroying the body.

59. Arch supports?
Where’s the proof of hindfoot
realignment?
Even the best custom-fit device
cannot realign and maintain that
alignment of the hindfoot.

60. Rearfoot reconstructive surgery
is reserved until there is so much
destruction that there is no other
option.

61. Finally – it’s time for the real solution.
This is the answer we have been looking for.

62. What if there was a rather simple
procedure where a stabilization device
could be internally inserted to realign
the talus back on the calcaneus.

63. The normal
amount of motion
is restored.

64. No matter if the person was going
barefoot or wearing shoes, the
hindfoot would still be realigned.

65. This device could be used in both
children and adults.

66. The procedure is minimal invasive with
a relatively quick recovery.

67. And, if needed, this device could be
removed.
It’s always nice to know
that a surgical procedure
could be reversed, if necessary.

68. Once the hindfoot is realigned those
pathologic destructive forces would be
eliminated and more importantly…

69. …individuals could start walking,
running and exercising without being
punished.

70. This device would need to be
time-tested
and
scientifically proven.

71. What if I told you that this device is already
being used by foot and ankle surgeons in
over 25 countries?

72. It has been placed
in over 20,000 feet
over the past 8 years.

73. There are many scientific, peer-
reviewed articles published on this
device that include both multicenter
prospective and retrospective studies.

74. There have not been any
serious complications
as a result of this procedure.

75. Doesn’t it make sense?

76. Do your own research, look at the
people around you, ask them what
symptom(s) they have
and then take a look at their feet.

77. To learn more about this
life-changing,
problem solving procedure,
please visit:

78. www.alignmyfeet.com

79. Let’s refuse
to just mask the symptoms.

80. Instead,
let’s eliminate
the underlying problem.