Meet Inna
Pedorthist
Inna Chon has been a Pedorthist since 2005. She graduated from The Foot and Ankle Institute of Temple University in Philadelphia and holds a degree in Physical Therapy from South Korea. Her background in physical therapy enables her to understand how to restore joint mobility without relying on medication or surgery.
Unique Perspective
After moving to the United States, Inna’s journey took an unexpected turn as she became an animator for Disney Feature Animation Studio, contributing to 16 films. As an animator, she honed her ability to analyze movement, considering weight and ground reaction forces, and capturing the subtleties necessary for realistic animation.
Inna believes that her path was divinely guided toward the field of pedorthics. With a keen eye for detail, she examines the intricate tarsal joint—a group of 12 bones that supports our body weight while walking. This unique perspective allows her to analyze foot structure and mechanics in ways that differ from her peers.
Research
Through her research, Inna discovered that the tarsal joint often falls out of alignment with each step, leading to misalignments in the anklebones and contributing to various foot problems. She emphasizes the importance of properly supporting the tarsal joint to maintain alignment in the anklebones.
In her analysis, she categorizes body compensations into two types. The first is a primary compensation, where the body adopts a zigzag posture due to tilted anklebones, which can only be corrected through proper alignment. The second involves three subtle compensatory behaviors—toe-grabbing, body tilting, and energy-pumping from the belly—that hinder accurate balance testing. By recognizing and controlling these behaviors, a precise anklebone alignment test can be conducted.
Anklebone Alignment
Inna firmly believes that proper anklebone alignment is crucial for effective treatment and healing. Therefore, she advocates for the anklebone alignment test to be performed before any treatment, except in emergencies.
Her expertise in analyzing the biomechanics of foot structure has led to a paradigm shift in clinical methodology, particularly with her Anklebone Alignment Test (AA Test). This test assesses whether your feet—and, by extension, your entire body—are balanced. Inna is also the author of “Pedorthics 101: For Your Foot Health,” where she educates audiences on the interaction between foot mechanics, weight, and ground reaction forces. Her passion lies in restoring the body’s mechanical functionality while promoting the practice of pedorthics.
Testimonials
Inna Chon has worked with thousands of patients over the course of her career. Here are just some of the feedback from her patients.
I have Feet Balance orthotics in all my boots and shoes—even dress shoes. Ms. Inna Chon has custom made each pair, paying particular attention to balance. As a result, I am able to walk, run, climb and maneuver right along with much younger people. Body balance through my Feet Balance orthotics is one of the keys that makes this possible.
I used to tell people that my legs felt like sticks, but now I do not have any pain in my legs. I am convinced that if I had had this help earlier, I would not have a bunion today. Even the bunion doesn’t hurt as much, and I can wear all my old shoes again.
Luckily I found Inna who did her usual tests and replaced my orthotics with her own design. within a couple of days my physical problems cleared up and I am now pain-free. She really knows what she is doing.