TORONTO CHIROPODIST DISCUSSES BIOMECHANICAL CORRECTION EXERCISES FOR PLANTAR FASCIITS

ALWAYS THINK IN TERMS OF CORRECTING THE ABNORMAL BIOMECHANICS.  THIS IS WHERE EXERCISE THERAPY COMES IN.  THE MOST REMEDIAL EXERCISES TO PRESCRIBE ARE STRETCHES AND SIMPLE ROUTINES THAT PREPARE THE FOOT FOR MOVEMENT:

1. ROTATIONAL HAMSTRING STRETCH: STAND WITH YOUR WEIGHT ON YOUR LEFT FOOT AQND PLACE YOUR RIGHT HEEL ON A TABLE OR BENCH AT OR NEAR WAIST HEIGHT.  FACE STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH YOUR UPPER BODY AND KEEP BOTH LEGS NEARLY STRAIGHT.  AS YOU STAND WITH YOUR RIGHT HEEL ON THE TABLE AND YOUR LEFT FOOT ON THE GROUND, ROTATE YOUR LEFT FOOT FORWARD (TO THE LEFT) APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES, KEEPING YOUR BODY WEIGHT ON THE FULL SURFACE OF YOUR LEFT FOOT (BOTH HEEL AND TOES ARE IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND).  YOU ARE NOW READY TO BEGIN THE STRETCH.

LEAN FORWARD WITH YOUR NAVEL AND SHOULDERS UNTIL YOU FEEL THE STEADY TENSION (STRETCH) IN THE HAMSTRING OF YOUR RIGHT LEG.  DON'T INCREASE THE STRETCH TO THE POINT OF PAIN OR SEVERE DISCOMFORT, BUT DO MAINTAIN AN EXTENSIVE STRETCH IN YOUR RIGHT HAMSTRING WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ROTATING YOUR RIGHT LEG IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION FOR 20 REPETITIONS.  AS YOU MOVE THE RIGHT LEG IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION, STAY RELAXED AND KEEP YOUR MOVEMENTS SLOW AND UNDER CONTROL.

AFTER THE 20 REPS, REVOVE YOUR RIGHT LEG FROM THE TABLE AND REST FOR A MOMENT.  THEN LIFT YOUR RIGHT LEG UP ON THE TABLE AND REPEAT THIS CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE STRETCH OF THE RIGHT HAMSTRING, BUT THIS TIME KEEP THE LEFT (SUPPORT) FOOT ROTATED INWARD (TO THE RIGHT) APPROXIMATELY 10 DEGREES AS YOU CARRY OUT THE APPROPRIATE MOVEMENTS.  PERFORM 20 REPETITIONS (CLOCKWISE AND COUNTERCLOCKWISE) BEFORE RESTING.

FINALLY, REPEAT THE ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF STRETCHES, BUT THIS TIME HAVE THE RIGHT FOOT IN SUPPORT AND THE LEFT FOOT ON THE TABLE FOR THE REPETITIONS (DO 20 CLOCKWISE REPS WITH THE LEFT FOOT ON THE TABLE AND THE RIGHT [SUPPORT) FOOT TURNED OUT 45 DEGREES, AND 20 MORE WITH THE RIGHT FOOT TURNED IN).  THE ROTATIONAL HAMSTRING STRETCH ENSURES HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY IS DEVELOPED IN THE TRANSVERSE PLANE AS WELL AS THE SAGITTAL PLANE.

TO BE CONTINUED TOMORROW.  BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOUR TORONTO CHIROPODIST AND TORONTO FOOT SPECIALIST, MARZ HARDY, D.Ch., B.Sc., PODIATRIC MEDICINE AND THE TEAM FROM ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS

 

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