Leg to toe, we've got you covered!
Yes, it's true we treat a lot of Victoria runners and other athletes with knee and foot pain. But we also help many regular people who just want to be rid of their knee, foot and other led pains so they can get back to doing the activities they love. Maybe your foot is so sore you can’t put any weight on it. Or perhaps your knee pain has been getting worse over a long period of time for no apparent reason. Maybe you are suffering with metatarsal pain that causes your foot to cramp when you walk too far, or you have pain around your hip or in your groin that’s affecting your gait.
Lower leg injuries, especially of the knee and foot, are vast and complex, and finding the right treatment quickly is often difficult. As a life-long runner, I have experienced virtually every type of leg injury first-hand, and know all too well how frustrating it is to have the activity you love curtailed by pain. What I have learned from 50 years as a competitive runner, and over thirty years as a chiropractor and rehab specialist, is that the cause of a knee or foot injury may not be as simple as it may appear on the surface. Once I have diagnosed the underlying cause of your pain, I'll provide you with my recommendations for getting better in the shortest amount of time.
How we treat leg, hip and foot pain
There is a frequent phrase that realtors use that's very true: "location, location, location!" In health care, at least in our office, it's "diagnosis, diagnosis, diagnosis!"
Finding someone with the knowledge and experience to correctly diagnose the underlying cause of your leg, hip or foot pain is paramount. To do this, I start with a detailed history, followed by a thorough examination of the area of complaint. I will examine your gait and posture, and perform specific strength, mobility and balance tests. Once I understand the precise nature of your injury or condition, and what caused it, I can begin to help you recover.
Equally important is that this practitioner has the right ‘tool box’ of treatment tools to help you heal as quickly and effectively as possible. My experience is the best practitioners for most lower limb injuries, be it leg, knee, ankle or foot, are those doctors who possess a strong background in running or similar sport. Not only do they have a vested interest in understanding lower limb, knee and foot biomechanics, they also develop the right toolbox to best treat these conditions. It is this insight and experience that I bring to every patient, runner and non-runner alike, who limps into my office.
Like most chiropractors, I started practice with a pretty meager ‘tool box’ of techniques and approaches to pick from. But doctors have good reason to use the word ‘practice’… As the years and decades went by, my experience and learning grew, and my tool box became filled with techniques that are not only evidence-based and cutting-edge, but also ones I have found personally, though extensive trial and error, to be the most effective.
Depending on the nature and severity of your leg, knee or foot injury, my experience will assist me in selecting the best treatment approach or technique to help you. For patients with particular joint problems, this may be precise, gentle joint adjustments using my hands or an instrument. For patients with muscle or tendon conditions I use a combination of techniques such as TRIGENICS, A.R.T., PNF or trigger point therapy, among others, to help restore normal muscle tone and function. Specific strength and balance exercises may be introduced to address particular deficiencies. I might recommend particular strength, stretch or other exercises and techniques to use at home or at the gym. For some patients, their leg, knee or foot alignment, or foot and gait mechanics, might benefit from custom orthotics. I can prescribe, fit and have made custom orthotics created specifically for their unique feet and needs.
Many years of experience combined with my post-graduate training has taught me that many patients with chronic lower limb pain have an underlying postural or spinal alignment problem. It is critically important for long term symptom relief that these alignment issues are correctly addressed. It goes without saying that if your body is out of alignment, and you’re putting a lot of years or miles on it, something is going to break. Therefore, as soon as your leg or foot pain is betting better, I may recommend a program of Structural Rehabilitation using a specific technique called Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP). The goal of Chiropractic Biophysics is to improve your postural alignment to as close to normal as possible. Chiropractic Biophysics is among the most researched, advanced, results-oriented and effective chiropractic techniques.
Besides teaching you key exercises to help resolve your condition or injury, I will also provide you with the knowledge and on-going support so you can help yourself stay pain-free.