Foot Pain, Heel Spurs, and Custom Orthotics – We Adjust Feet
• Feet assume three crucial roles: support your body, assist in locomotion, and shock absorption
• 26 bones in the foot
• Improper position (subluxation) of foot bones cause stress and mechanical failures that lead to injury and conditions
Foot Pronation
• Foot/ankle is most common maladies of the body
• By age 20, 80% of us will have foot problems
• Foot pronation (flat feet) is the most common malady of the foot. Foot arches are not in proper alignment. Increases stress of feet, knee, hips, spine
• Windless effect (the arch of the foot should go flat upon full weight bearing during gait. Than the arch is restored once foot is off ground. This effect is primarily for better distribution of the body's weight and for shock absorption
Common Conditions of the feet
• Plantar Fascitis: a stress irritation of the sheath of elastic tissues running nearly along the entire length of the foot.
• Calcaneous commonly posterior putting stress on fascia.
• Morning soreness, medial arch pain
• Chronic fascitis leads to heel spur
• Heel Spurs: chronic fascitis pulling on the calcaneus bone caused bone growth, resulting in the development of a bone spur.
• Other factors: overweight, abnormal biomechanics of heel, running regularly on hard surfaces, poor shoe support.
• 11%-16% of the population have heel spurs.
Solution
• Foot pain sufferers are turning to their neighborhood chiropractors in record numbers because chiropractors treat one of the most common causes of foot problems-the subluxation .
• Dr. McRoberts have extensive trainings in caring for the extremities. (2 of 600 world wide CCEP; Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner)
Research
• A group of patients presented with heel pain varying from 2 months to 5 years in duration. Radiological confirmation of heel spur was evident in each case. Chiropractic treatment was delivered via “chiropractic adjustments” on the foot, ankle, and calcaneous. Treatment resulted in complete resolution of all symptoms in the studied group of patients with no recurrence being demonstrated over a protracted period of time.
-- (Chiropractic Sports Medicine, 1995; 9(2): 44-5)
• Researchers found that chiropractic adjustments were superior to ultrasound therapy.
– (JMPT 2001; 24: 17-24)
Rehabilitation
• Ankle Exercises: use of theraband or towel for mild resistance. Do one ankle at a time
- Dorsi flexion (ankle flexed upwards toward knee)
- Plantar flexion (ankle flexed downwards while pointing toes down)
- Eversion (ankle laterally flexed to outside)
- Inversion (ankle medially flexed to inside)
Orthotics
• Examination and adjustments to feet first!
• Measure Rear foot and Forefoot; unique, posting under orthotic.
• Custom shoe inserts designed especially for each foot. “Like walking on a cloud”
• Outside markets pre-made (prototypes) often too rigid for proper foot biomechanics during gait.
CCEP
• Certified Chiropractic Extremity Practitioner (post-graduate training in extremities)
Dr. Tim McRoberts carries his CCEP and specializes in extremity adjusting and sport related injuries.
