Foot Mobilisation

As soft tissue therapists, our forte is soft tissues. Within this group specific to the feet are the interossious membranes, ligaments, tendons and muscles. We look at restoring functional movement with range of motion exercises, either passive or motive, with or without resistance/pressure, when we mobilize the feet. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and tendons. A complex array that needs to be well positioned to ensure efficiency.

Foot mobilizations can be generic to a group of joints like the meta-tarsal’s or specific to a single joint. We usually use very little force as we are trying to restore normal function by encouraging the body to move as opposed to forcing it to move. Ligaments are there to support the joints, so forcing them causes them to protect the joints. We may work between the tips of the toes to the top of the lower leg on the Tibia and Fibular.

If you have pain in your feet and have been struggling to get relief, try Foot mobilizatations. Sore feet when in high heels (depending on the heels up to %70 loading through the ball of the foot), try regular sessions to maintain normal foot function. Plantar fasciitis, if your Talus has moved forward on your Calcaneous then this needs to be addressed, this is a similar presentation for medial shin splints/pain. Rolled your ankles/ankle sprains, they feel weak and prone to rolling again, this can help.

In all aspects of injury it is encouraged that the first option is to see a Sports Doctor for assessment precluding any pathologies and then we are right to go.