In these instances, my typical process was to assess the injury but have difficulty replicating their pain using any ranges of motion or muscle testing at the foot, ankle, or knee. Pain with pressure was common, however.
After attempting to treat the plantar fascia with no benefit, I had to flip switches and try something different. Having some experience with this before (and with the wonderful handiness of the internet) I zoned in on testing a couple nerves instead.
Most people assume that nerve pains follows the trend of always beginning centrally near the spine and extending down the length of the limb. However, it is only a trend, not a rule. If entrapment of the nerve occurs further than the spine or in several, less severe areas separately, then the symptoms can absolutely manifest at only the end of the limb, like in these "plantar fasciitis" cases.
Both the sciatic and the saphenous nerves have the potential to cause plantar pain that many people may think to be fascial. (Both can be dull, diffuse, or burning pain.) However, upon proper testing where we put the nerve itself on stretch, we were able to determine the root of the cause. Without fail, after treating these clients up at their hips or back instead, we were able to relieve the pain.
Just a good example that therapy and rehab isn't as easy as chasing the pain. Often, you have to go quite a ways up the chain in order to find the cause. In these cases, finding that cause can be a hard thing for clinicians to do, considering that protocol wouldn't normally involve having to rule out joints as high as the spine in cases of foot pain. However, therapist or client, it's important to keep in mind that the body works as whole.
Subscribe to the Weekly Updates
Do you like the content that you're reading? Sign up to receive the weekly blog update from Cain Exercise Rehab directly to your email!
No comments:
Post a Comment