Biomechanics of the Foot, Ankle, and Leg
Many times patients will tell you, “Well, I avoided coming in sooner because I thought it might go away.” Now, people say this because it has happened before, right? I mean, their pain did go away, at least at some point somewhere in their body at some time. The truth is, sometimes it doesn’t, though, and if it lasts for more than 6 weeks, you need to do something.
I am usually pretty flexible about most things. I mean, sometimes people get the idea that I hate surgery. I don’t. I’m just not crazy about surgery as a first choice of treatment.
How about injections? That could help, right? Not so fast! If you get repeated shots of cortisone in weight-bearing joints, you could speed up joint destruction.
Pills? How about some pills to reduce pain or inflammation? Will that get rid of your pain? If they do, great, but if not… now what?
Unfortunately, few people think of the fact that the biomechanics of the foot and ankle might be off. It makes sense that if your foot, and, and leg are moving properly, you would walk better, with less pain and inflammation, and the joints and soft tissues could heal up. Then you wouldn’t even have to consider surgery, injections, or pills!
I am here to tell you that understanding a person’s body, precisely, through mechanical analysis and hands-on measurement is exactly what is required to make this happen. It takes time, patience, and commitment to the patient, but once you do, it’s golden!
How does this work? Well, you can get a doctor’s order for occupational therapy evaluation and treatment, and then I take my time and get a thorough run down for you. We do a neurological examination; I check to see whether you can feel a tuning fork; we measure strength in each part of the leg, foot and ankle. We lay you on a bed and measure how much range of motion is available throughout your body, in your feet, ankles, and legs; I then take these same measurements in a weight-bearing position to see exactly how much of that available range of motion you are actually using.
Once we have this information, we use all of it to figure out exactly what is going on in your body and exactly what we are able to do for you to correct your biomechanics for standing and walking. We might need to strengthen particular muscles in the hips. We might need to correct the foot and ankle positioning if it is off by a few degrees. When we do this, we correct the motion not only in the foot but also in knee, hip, and back! No guessing involved! We know exactly how many degrees off, and 1°=1/16”, so we can create a wedge measured to the exact specifications, and you’re satisfied with the precise results. All of this reduces the wear and tear on your joints, preventing bursitis and tendinitis, and getting you on your feet and moving comfortably!
Call TriState Hand, Foot and Ankle Therapy and schedule an evaluation today! Call (301) 759-4263 for an appointment or a free screening. If you are an athlete, maximize your performance with a biomechanical evaluation that puts you over the top. Get your problem handled at TriState! Call now!
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