The most common foot or heel conditions that step in this office are:
- Achilles tendonitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Shin splints
- Bunions
- Flat feet
- Calf pulls/tears
- Turf toe
Most of these conditions have developed over time as opposed to a single violent mechanism. It might have been a specific event (picking up a pencil, moving a couch, etc) but more likely than not, the environment has been being created for years. Foot dsyfunction is rampit in our society and that's one of the reasons that orthotics are so popular.
Predisposing Factors
1. Poor ankle flexibility - Sometimes people are born with poor flexiblity in their ankles as a result of their anatomy. The majority of us, on the other hand, have excessive flexibility from side to side, and inadequate flexibility from front to back. A lot of this can occur from single or multiple ankle sprains throughout your life. Even after no longer being in pain from those old injuries, stiffness and limited flexibility can remain.
2. Fallen or High Arches - When there is too much or too little flexibility in the arch of the foot, it leads to more stress on surrounding joints. With the prevelance of flip flops and poor footwear in our culture, this dysfunciton is very common.
3. Poor Hip stability - This may be surprising to some, but when there is poor strength and control in the hips, people are much more likely to have foot or ankle problems. Research supports this unfortunate link.
Treatment Options
Beyond an orthopedic and range of motion testing to the immediate structures involved in the injury, the second aspect to look at is what predisposing factors are at play. Once found there would be a combination of:
1. Chiropractic Manipulation to any joint restriction in the foot or ankle.
2. Soft tissue Manipulation to any adhesion, scar tissue, or imbalances in the musculature surrounded the foot or ankle. The treatment options involve Active Release Technique (ART), Graston Technique, Trigger point treatment, muscle energy techniques, etc.
3. Exercises aimed at retraining the movement and control of the body at the core, hips and lower extremities.