Koji Duncan with foot impression materials

By Emilie Soper

A Different Approach to Foot Care

May 1, 2019 | 1:22 PM

LETHBRIDGE — Most people know what Foot Orthotics are and that they help to relieve foot pain and discomfort from conditions like Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints, and Back pain to name a few. However, Adaptive Technologies Inc., a new Prosthetic, Orthotic and Bracing clinic that opened its doors July 3, 2018 is taking a new approach to how they treat their foot care patients.

The Certified Pedorthist, Emile Soper, and the two Certified Orthotists, Ryan Cochrane and Koji Duncan, believe that every patient they see comes to them with their own unique circumstances that require individual treatment plans for their foot issues.

“When our patients come through our doors, they have generally been dealing with some kind of pain for weeks or months” says Soper. “We want to make sure that we are taking the time to listen to their concerns and to understand what is going on in their daily lives.”

It all starts with the assessment, which Adaptive Technologies Inc. is currently offering for FREE. A certified professional will take a thorough patient history and do a physical exam and gait assessment. It is from this point forward that sets Adaptive Technologies Inc. apart from other Foot Orthotic Providers.

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Most providers will generally recommend their specific ‘style’ of Foot Orthotic following the assessment. However, the clinicians at Adaptive understand that Foot Orthotics are often treating the symptoms of an issue and not the cause. So, at Adaptive patients will often be guided to other allied Health professionals like Physiotherapists, Chiropractors, Massage Therapists, etc. They believe that by working with these professionals their patients will have a better long-term outcome than they would if they just provided them with a custom foot orthotic and sent them on their way.

This new approach is born from Ryan Cochrane’s background working as both an Athletic Therapist and a Massage Therapist. “I have had the luxury of seeing a lot of different modalities at work to treat things like Plantar Fasciitis or Shin Splints and now I get to use that knowledge to guide our patients to the most appropriate path” says Cochrane.

Another interesting concept that Adaptive Technologies Inc. is embracing is retail options. They have developed a retail space in their, 2700 sq. ft. facility so that they are able to offer their patients a huge range of foot care options.

Koji Duncan, who has his Masters in Rehabilitation Science, commented that “not every patient requires a custom product”. Duncan added that “often all a patient requires is a simple heel wedge, metatarsal pad or off-the-shelf foot orthotic”. He went on to say that sometimes the patient may just require a new pair of shoes.

Soper, Cochrane and Duncan all share a passion for treating people and not just the condition. So, finding the product or treatment that works best for their patients is what drives them. The other founding member of Adaptive, Rianna Wilson, appreciates this approach. Wilson has been a lifelong user of foot orthotics and appreciates that her custom orthotics don’t always fit in the shoes she wants to wear. “Sometimes I have to use an off-the-shelf product so that I can wear a dressy shoe for an event and not be wincing in pain by the end of the night” says Wilson.

The team at Adaptive is excited to work with all the amazing health care professionals in Lethbridge and area and hear the many individual stories of the people who decide to walk through their doors. If you are looking for foot care and want to try something a little different why not give Adaptive a call.