Vittoria Phoenix

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes

 I have spent countless hours with hard to fit clients trying to get them that "perfect fit" for their feet.  How many of you have had a customer tell you that "I am a size 6 narrow with a quad A heel".  Only to find when you measure them that the actual size is a 7 and 1/2 extra wide!!  They will tell you that the shoes they are wearing are very comfortable, and cannot explain to you why their feet hurt so much.  As we get older our feet do get larger.  Along with our noses and ears I might add.  Fitting shoes today is challenging to say the least. 

   Shoes are manufactured all around the world and the size 7 we get from China may not fit the same as the size 7 we get from a manufacturer in Spain.  There is no real global standardization of shoe sizes.  That leaves us with the problem of trying to decipher our stock sizes and to be able to provide clients with a proper fit. 

   What I found works well is actually trying on all the shoes in your size and getting a "feel" for the stock.  A New Balance 9D does not translate into a 9D in an Etonic Pro III walker, the Etonic is a little more generous in the width.  It is a matter of taking the time to know the stock and be able to identify which shoe from each manufacturer fits what way.  Encourage staff to do the same to get to know the fit of every shoe style you keep on hand.

   I have also found that not everyone's feet are the same size.  I even had one client that had a size 9 right foot and a size 10 left foot.  This presents another kind of dilemma in shoe fitting.  By using various fitting aids that are readily available we can alter the fit of a shoe quickly and easily.  You could add a full length insole to the smaller shoe or add a "cheater" to the forefoot of a shoe to take up some of the room.  Add a tongue pad to keep the foot back in the heel counter (you should also remember that a tongue pad is the first option to try to prevent heel slippage).  You can also use a variety of stretchers to accommodate abnormalities in foot structure. (bunions, hammer toes, prominent naviculars etc.) 

   A shoe should feel comfortable before the client leaves the store.  How many times have you heard a sales associate say to a customer in a store "don't worry the shoe will stretch as you walk around in it".  Now if the shoe is leather and you get it soaked in water while out in the rain it may "form" to your foot but a shoe should feel good on our feet before we walk out of the store.  I have friends that have gotten blisters on their heels while waiting for the shoes to be "broken in".  I think that we are not waiting for the shoes to break in but we are waiting for our feet to get used to the ill fitting shoes.

   I have taken shoe fitting seminars and have been fitting shoes on some of the most hard to fit feet.  If you would like me to come to your facility and give a hands on demonstration for staff, please do not hesitate to contact me and we will arrange a time and place.

 

Thanks

 

Kerry  

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Scissors

 Scissors.  We use scissors most every day in our life don't we?  But at work our scissors are neglected and used improperly by most users. We tend to use them to cut things like paper, cardboard and sheet metal.  I am not saying that you should not use your scissors to cut what you like but we all know that when we go to cut a top cover and have a nice finish if the scissors are not sharp or are covered in glue they do not work right.  What you should have is a dedicated pair of scissors that are used specifically for the task you intend. 

   I recall an incident where I came into the clinic and went back into the shop and wanted to trim the top cover of a new orthotic I had previously finished.  I could not find my shears.  After looking around the work area I went out to the reception desk to find the patient co-ordinater cutting paper with my Osbourne ez cuts.  I calmly informed the person that by cutting paper the edge of the shears would be dull very quickly.  yes paper will dull a good set of shears.  so will cardboard and yes sheet metal will even if it is very thin. 

   I still use those scissors. They were given to me by the Orthotics department at Sick Kids after my work term there.  I have never needed to sharpen them.  I only cut EVA, top covers, leather and materials used in the trade.

   If you take care of your scissors they will last.  Once a week take them apart.  Clean them with thinners using a soft cloth.  Keep them away from other staff members. Take them home with you. 

   I would have to say your scissors are used probably more than any other hand tool in our clinics and shops.  Take care of them and they will work for you.

 

Kerry

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Welcome to the Blog

    Welcome to my blog.  The purpose of this blog is to inform, answer questions and to provide our customers a platform to put forth questions and to provide better service.  I hope to be able to use my years of experience in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics to help our customers with any technical problems they may have with materials, footwear, components or any other product or service we at Vittoria Phoenix provide.

   I invite our customers to submit questions to me.  No doubt those who know me will try to stump me with a difficult question (related to business only please), ha ha.  I will try to answer questions to the best of my abilities and if I do not know the answer I will do my utmost to find it for you.

   I will be posting handy hints about whatever comes to mind.  How to keep your scissors functioning properly, how to improve dust evacuation, how to use adhesives correctly, how to cook a turkey.  Who knows?

   I want this blog to be informative but also fun and to get to know our customers better.  The Internet seems to be one of the best tools to keep in touch with our customers and I hope this blog will help us at Vittoria Phoenix in continuing the best customer service we can provide.

   I am here to help you (our customers) use our products to provide their clients with the superior care they are used too.  I travel around Ontario by car and will endeavor to get to most communities over the next year.  I cannot carry the entire inventory we have in my vehicle but if you wish to see something in person that we have, send me an e-mail or call me on my cell phone and we will co-ordinate a visit when I am in your area.  I look forward to meeting you all.

   For those out-of-province customers.  I hope to see you at one of the association conferences that we are fortunate enough to support every year.

   Thank You

   Kerry

   Now about those scissors?

   See today's post

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