Dr. Fox trained in Chiropractic Extremity Adjustment to the Foot and Ankle

Dr. Fox recently participated in additional training for Sports and Occupational Injuries of the Foot and Ankle, presented by International Speaker Dr. Mitch Mally, who is considered a "10th degree black belt in extremity adjusting.



Common injuries and pathologies of the foot and related mechanics were covered, including inversion sprains, plantar fascitis, achilles tendonitis, high ankle sprains, avulsion fractures, and arch problems, just to name a few. Specific Chiropractic adjustments were demonstrated by Dr. Mally for each type of foot imbalance. Major areas of focus were in adjustments to the Calcaneus, Talus, Navicular, Tarsals, Cuneiforms, Metatarsals, and Phalanges.



Dr. Mally's review of the literature further supported altered gait and mechanics throughout the body, including tibial torsion at the knee, femoral bone anteversion, sacral & lumbar spine unleveling, piriformis muscle strain, and other global symptoms.



The emphasis is added that the imbalance of the foot, in any situation, is going to alter muscle and other supporting structures of the body which are likely to cause pain. This is clear evidence that a doctor must have a whole view of the body when treating pain disorders.



The most common type of foot and ankle pain is due to inversion sprains of the ankle. Over time, the affect on the arch is usually pronation of the foot and a valgus deformity of the ankle or mortise joint. This type of fallen arch causes the tibia bone to internally rotate and force the quadricep muscle to over-work in order to keep the knee aligned. Medial knee pain or anterior knee pain over the infrapatellar tendon is a common result. This can lead to a condition called Osgood Shlatter's in children or Chondromalacia Patella in adults. Dr. Fox received specific one-on-one instruction in correcting this type of tibial torsion or rotation in the weekend symposium.



Furthermore, an inverted type foot imbalance will cause femoral head anteversion, which literally means the femoral head has internally rotated and move anterior to the acetabulum. This type of motion stretches the piriformis muscle and psoas muscle, causing multiple biomechanical and postural changes. The piriformis muscle is particularly problematic because it may cause a general imbalance to the entire spine by shifting the sacrum from its normal position and causing a mal-alignment of the foundation of the spine.

The most common symptom of a Piriformis imbalance or Piriformis Syndrome is Sciatica. A properly trained Chiropractor can easily detect if the imbalance lies in the spine, pelvis, or lower in the foot and ankle. At times, an orthotic may be necessary to correct a foot and ankle problem once the ankle has been adjusted into a correction position and supported by muscular rehab.

Due to the precision of the body's proprioceptive mechanism, foot imbalance can cause pain symptoms throughout the body, including head and neck (including headaches), jaw & TMJ, low back, pelvis, and knees. After a visit to a Chiropractor, symptomatic relief of pain usually occurs in a short amount of time yet stabilization and correction of the imbalance take time in order to allow proper healing.