Monday, October 21, 2019

Foot, Ankle, Knee, Hip

 An aberrant condition in the foot often affects the related ankle, knee, and hip. This is known as a “kinematic chain.” Vice-versa, a hip or knee problem can reverberate downward and affect the ankle and foot.
For example, pronation in the foot causes ankle destabilization and results in rotation of the knee. This is easy to demonstrate in someone who pronates by having them stand barefooted, without support for the arch of the foot.
Abnormal rotation at the knee causes stress in the joint, leads to abnormal wear-and-tear, and contributes to degenerative breakdown of the joint tissues.
In turn, this aberrance at the knee reverberates upward and creates abnormal stress in the hip joint.
When patients present in my office with foot pronation, I check and balance their pelvis and entire lower extremities, and prescribe orthotics to support the foot and correct pronation.