Most common amongst runners and those that do repetitive activities like running, but the truth is that it can strike any person at any time. Known to doctors and individuals themselves, plantar fasciitis is the common cause of heel pain. This incredibly painful foot-related issue impacts millions of people each year. For those that aren’t familiar with it, it is an inflammation of the tissue running from the bottom of your foot, connecting your heel bone to your toes. When you have plantar fasciitis you definitely know it. The intense stabbing pain presenting itself is most often found in the morning. As movement increases, the pain may diminish, but it is likely to return after long periods of sitting or standing.
Podiatrists are usually the doctor of record for this ailment. They understand that the repetitive stress on the heel and the attached tissue is one of the root causes of the problem. There are also other risk factors, including: age, foot mechanics, obesity, and occupations where employees are on their feet for significant periods of time. Dr. Stephen Bui understands this all too well. He is both a podiatrist and a runner, who has a group of friends that run together in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania each morning.
When his running group began having foot issues, as did he, he decided it was time to do the only thing he knew how to do: research the answer to plantar fasciitis and find a viable solution. Although once you have the ailment it can always come back, Dr. Bui was keenly aware that there are things you can do to help prevent reoccurrence. When he began his research, he noticed that there is an abundance of products on the market targeting those with plantar fasciitis, but in his medical opinion, few would make a significant difference. This is when he set out to invent and patent the HighHeeler.
Remember this name: Dr. Stephen Bui. You may not know him yet, but as the inventor of the HighHeeler and other aids, Dr. Bui’s 18 years of podiatry experience have helped more people than he can count. Because he is so passionate about helping people, even those he doesn’t personally know, Dr. Bui did the only thing he could: he took a sabbatical from his private podiatry practice to start Active Life Solutions, http://www.activelifeusa.com/. Active Life Solutions is an e-commerce company he started, and an incubator designed, to help find and invent products geared toward mainstream health management. Plantar fasciitis being only one of the areas it covers.
Dr. Bui’s invention, the HighHeeler, is a reasonably inexpensive, lightweight, and portable device used to aid in the treatment and prevention of plantar fasciitis. Because he understands the importance of heat and cold during times of great foot stress, he invented it so it enables the user to have the ability to include a hot or cold stone massage for the foot during use. The 5-in-1 treatment proffered by the HighHeeler virtually eliminates the symptoms of plantar fasciitis, and most importantly, the reoccurrence of it, especially since, as noted above, the risk of reoccurrence is far greater once you have had it.
“This project was extremely important to me. I put my blood, sweat and tears into the invention of the HighHealer because I feel it will help people with severe foot pain,” Bui said.
The average plantar fasciitis patient attempts to solve the problem himself or herself. This is not the smartest or quickest route to take. Instead of doing what is needed medically: proper stretching several times per day, hot and cold breaks, and more; patients tend to deal with the symptoms as they come. While this can help in part, it does not guarantee that the problem will be solved or that it won’t reoccur. The HighHeeler is a game changer in this respect. Because it is portable, it can be used anywhere, at any time, thus not requiring an extra item on the daily “to do” list.
Building foot strength and performance is something we should all do. Professional athletes do it. Many runners do it. We tend to take our feet for granted, which is a shame, since they do so much for us. By using a device like the HighHeeler, we eliminate all guesswork. Designed with Soapstone in the middle, which can be removed and heated or frozen. The HighHeeler affords relief to tender foot parts. Because of the design, it also eliminates the need for stretching as the massage is stretching you at the very same time.
What many of us don’t know is that plantar fasciitis impacts many foot modalities. The HighHeeler was designed to address the five prominent ones, including: stretching the Plantar Fascia ligament, strengthening the smaller muscles which stabilize feet, loosening calf tightness, reducing inflammation and finally, massaging the foot. Because all these areas are all integrated into the work, this product offers a much more complete solution.
Dr. Bui oversees the in-house testing of all products carried by Active Life Solutions from a medical and a non-medical perspective. “We have helped companies from several countries successfully launch innovative products,” Bui said. “We not only help companies launch, we invest in the people behind these products as well.”
The site offers a multitude of solutions, from the HighRoller to the HighHealer, HighBaller, HighTrainer, Swedish Posture, IAMRUNBOX, SP1KE seat cushion, and the SP1KE standing mat, BLACKROLL, and more. Stability, stretching and flexibility are the hallmarks of each product. While some solve an immediate problem, like the HighHeeler, others help us in our day-to-day movement and allignment.
If you happen to be running in Waynesboro one morning, you may see Dr. Bui and his friends speed by. When you do, take a moment to think about how this doctor’s professional expertise has truly created a game changer. As he puts it, “when we are doing what we need to properly to prevent injuries, the miles ahead of us seem easier and far more exciting.”