Overcoming Knee Pain

Allow me to answer the “million dollar” question that may ultimately cross your mind at any moment as you read this success story---No, I am not being held at gunpoint, I am not being paid, nor was I persuaded in any way to write this letter. Quite the opposite in fact. I am sincerely more than willing to share my personal success story involving Dr. Robert Levine and the Florida Biomechanics Group. At the age of 19, I’d lost over 110lbs. Most of my success at the time was due to a newly active lifestyle. As a daily routine, my exercise of choice was to run. I’m 32 now. After years of enjoying my passion for running I was very much dis-heartened to wake up in the mornings with aches and pains in both of my feet. Did I strain a muscle? A Tendon? Surely it must just be a bad pair of shoes. After all I was only 29 years old. Little did I know this seemingly insignificant distraction was the beginning of what would turn out to be a fight to save my enthusiasm, my joy and my passion. Over the course of the next 3 years I educated myself with reading materials on the subject of Biomechanics. I made appointments with a slew of doctors whose specialty and expertise was solely in the area of foot pain. I was willing to spend any amount of money and I was willing to follow any diagnosis short of surgery. I was so disappointed that nothing and no one seemed to have the answers that my body was searching for. Here’s what was suggested----------and here’s what I tried: (some of these were on going treatments for years)

. Reflexology (foot massage)
. Electrical therapy
. Light wave therapy
. Physical therapy
. Sound wave therapy
. Hot soaks/cold soaks
. The Graston Technique
. Root orthotics (Root being the “founding father” of shoe orthotics)
. Cortisone shots
. B-12 shots
. Walking boots
. Crutches
. Oral steroids
. Ointments and crèmes
. NSAIDS
. Daily stretching
. A closet full of new shoes

Although some of the above provided relief for a day or two, none of them got to the heart of the matter. That’s when I met Dr. Robert Levine and the Florida Biomechanics Group. His office was a good 45 minutes to an hour for me to commute too---and for this reason I almost dismissed going to see him. Another doctor, another suggestion……..another waste of time for sure. Much to my surprise, he was able to give me a new perspective on his profession within minutes of entering the room on the very 1st appointment. His explanations, experience and expertise helped me to understand why my feet were experiencing pain. There is much more to this story but all you need to know for sure is this….Within one week of wearing  a pair of orthotics that were made by his group, there was an undeniable change in the way my feet had felt in years. Within 3 months I am 99.99% totally back to normal. I have noticed a total decrease in fatigue throughout my working day. My knees, my back and my mind is young and free again. I have also learned one valuable lesson that I feel inclined to share with you. From my experiences, there appear to be many “self-proclaimed” experts in the area of foot restoration and care. I am truly thankful that during my long 3 year trial, I was eventually able to meet a “real life” expert right here in my local area. Thanks Dr. Levine always.

Respectfully,
Andrew Alfonso

Dear Dr. Levine,

I am a triathlete and avid runner and was very depressed when my right knee would become painful after only 2 miles of running. I went to several Doctors, got x-rays, MRI’s etc. and nothing helped. Another Dr. recommended you and I thought I had nothing to lose at this point. You gave me hope and a new pair of orthotics. I wasn’t running right away, but I slowly got to where I used to be and now I have surpassed myself. I am doing more mileage on the road than I ever did before the pain. Thank you Dr. Levine for being so helpful, knowledgeable and caring. I did St. Anthony’s and will do it again next year!

Rachael Carroll

Dr. Levine,

I just wanted to take a moment to send you a short note. Once I complete my ironman in April I hope to send you another success story. I just wanted to say thank you for setting me up with the orthotics. Yesterday I ran 18 miles with no pain during or after the run. This was the most I’ve run since my marathon in January 2007.  I can’t tell you how happy I am to run pain-free again. Prior to seeing you last October, I was worried about the marathon portion of the ironman. I was sure that I would struggle with pain. Now, I am very hopeful and confident that any pain I have will be from the natural course of competing in a race that distance, not from a long-standing injury. I can’t say thank you enough!

I’m forever grateful
Tammie Wonning
Brandon, Fl.

Dear Dr. Levine,

I just wanted to drop a short line to thank you for the wonderful orthotics and giving me my running life back.

As I told you during our first appointment, I had been an avid runner in my twenties and thirties. I ran 3-4 miles a day and felt it kept me in great shape. Following the birth of my children, I abandoned running for too many misconceptions…mainly that it caused long-term injuries. Recently, I read several books that corrected those misconceptions. I have learned that women can run healthfully until a ripe old age.

I always believed that along with a good diet, there was nothing better than running for keeping the weight off. Over the years, I had a collection or orthotics to deal with flat feet and a persistent knee pain. After moving to Florida, the running bug bit me again. But I had countless false starts as I tried to do too much too soon, with too little.

I so appreciated your perseverance and working with me to find adjustments in the orthotics you made. Each visit fine-tuned them so that gradually, every ache and pain I had as I reentered my beloved sport, disappeared.

None of my previous orthotics matched the quality and comfort of yours. I have now returned to running for an hour every day, and the lingering 15 pounds have melted off. I can’t tell you how glad I didn’t order them off the internet. If I had, I’m sure they would have joined my fabulous collection of atrophied others.

Thanks so much again for your expertise, time and patience!

Sincerely,

Ellen Jaffe Jones

Dear Dr. Levine:

I was experiencing pain in my feet, knees and hips for a long time. I was fitted with orthotics in Massachusetts but they did not help much.

When I came here for the winter season I went to a Chiropractic Internist in palm Harbor whom I had been to before. She suggested that I visit you and have you evaluate my problem.

I was never aware that there was any procedure in our health system using biomechanics adjustments to the body by the use of orthotics for the feet such as your practice.

My first visit with you was most impressive, by virtue of your knowledge of the body and its functions, in relation to the feet. I was never aware that the feet had such a profound effect on the body.

After viewing the way I walked, you diagnosed that my hips were not level in a horizontal plain, my feet were rolling and I was walking like a duck. Also that the orthotics I was wearing were not adjusted properly.

Subsequent adjustments to these orthotics diminished my aches and pains to zero.

These orthotics were not very good quality, thus they did not hold these adjustments very long.

I had you and John, your associate make me a new pair of high quality orthotics in your on-site lab, to the exact requirements of my feet. With some small subsequent adjustments they have resolved my problems and given me a greater quality of life and have held the adjustments for the past year.

I am forever grateful to the caring, personal attention and professionalism of you and your staff in resolving my problems. You may display this letter as you wish.

Sincerely
Thomas Bittelari
Colonel, AUS, (retired)

Sincerely,
Clare Peacock

PS When my daughter went to Washington DC and had to walk an average of 5 miles a day to and from the metro, Dr. Levine worked with her during her vacation visits here and actually spoke with her long distance to get her over the hardest times. She had really let the pain build to a very high level. She is now pain free!!

My name is Sue Beecham, and I am originally from Okemos, Michigan. In Michigan, the summer of 2003, I was going to a foot doctor because of the pains in my feet, knees and hip. He wanted to do surgery on my foot and remove a nerve and take care of a bunion that was growing. Eventually he said, I would need to have my knee taken care of and then probably my hip. I told him I would think about it, but first I had an appointment with my Rheumatology doctor. He suggested that before I had the surgery, to find a good foot doctor. I told him, who I was seeing and he said “I said a good foot doctor, not a good surgeon”. I was leaving for Florida the end of September , so I went back to my foot surgeon and told him I wasn’t going to have the surgery before I went to Florida. He told me that by the time I came back in the spring I would come crawling in begging him to do the surgery because the pain would only get worse.

A while after I had been in Florida about a month, one of my friends told me that a foot doctor was coming to the Club House to give a talk, so I went. He was Dr. Robert Levine of Florida BioMechanics Group. It was like listening to my Rheumatology doctor all over again. What did I have to lose- so I made an appointment. He it is 2005 and I am rid of the knee and hip pain caused by just needing a correction in my feet. I never did go back to the foot surgeon in Michigan. It is really amazing what can happen when you take care of the feet.

PS. And find a good foot doctor

Sue Beecham

Dear Dr Levine,

I want to take this time to write you and than you for the inserts you created for me. After I had knee surgery I was told by my orthopedic surgeon that I would not be able to run again. I had tried everything to enable me to run again and was about to give up with I was given your name.

I started using the inserts you created for me in my running shoes and I was amazed that not only could I run again but as my knee got stronger, I was running as fast or faster than I was before the injury! I am now looking forward to running the Disney marathon which is something I was told I would never be able to do again.

I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to run again. Running has been a part of my life and you have given me my life back.

Sincerely,
B. Welter

Dr. Levine urged me to have orthotics made for my very, very, very flat feet, claiming that they would help my knees which were painful and my lower back as well. I am glad I listened to him, because everything he said came true and I am on my 3rd pair of orthotics, which I keep permanently in my shoes.

Thank you Florida Biomechanics Group.
J. Machbitz

I had knee and hip pain. I also had right shoulder pain. Dr. Levine told me he would help my knee and hip pain and possibly my shoulder pain. Well, thanks to him I am pain free at all points!

James D. S.

In recent years, I have been experiencing pain which I attributed to past injuries throughout several areas of my body. After meeting with Dr. Levine about the pain in my feet and Achilles tendonitis, he suggested (foot) orthotics, claiming that their support would help to straighten out my body and fix some of my aches.

In less than four months, a large percentage of my back pain has left and I no longer experience any pain in my knees. My feet and ankles are on the mend and for the first time in two years I can stand or walk all day without discomfort. Thank you Florida BioMechanics Group!

Daryl Hill