The foot is a complex bit of mechanics that we all take for granted until of course it goes wrong.

So many different things can affect the feet and not all are a direct result of trauma to the foot. Sometimes the problems in the feet i.e. flat feet can stem from the weakness of muscles higher up in the leg.

Conditions like Plantar fasciitis, however, do affect the feet directly and to resolve these the foot mechanics need to be addressed so here is a brief description of foot mechanics.

There are arches in the foot as you will be aware, so I am going to describe them here:

Medial Arch is from the big to the heel this is the arch referred to when people talk about being flat footed and the most known one.

Lateral Arch is from the little toe to the heel.

The transverse arch is from the big to the small toe.

These arches must all be working properly for the foot to maintain good mechanics and a loss of these arches can lead to Plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma and generalised foot pain.

A change in foot structure like bunions, corns, Hard skin on the feet will also all have an impact on these arches and mean a change in your walking mechanics which will affect the whole body in the long term.

The essential structure of the foot can be represented by a triangle.

The 3 points of the triangle are the 3 Points that will have contact with the floor. These points are the heel, the distal end of the 1st metatarsal (The big bony part before the big toe) and the distal end of the 5th metatarsal. (The bone  beofre the 5th toe starts ).

The lines that connect these points create the 3 arches of the foot the Transverse Arch the Medial Arch and the Longitudinal Arch.

So why not try it now, stand up and see if the 3 points mentioned above are in contact with the floor, and then if there is an equal amount of weight on your right and your left legs.

As an osteopath I want to help restore your foot mechanics which will entail:

Working directly on your foot muscles and your leg muscles.

Checking the rest of your posture looking for muscles that are not firing or engaging properly or that are weak.

Checking the mechanics of your ankles, knees, hips and back with a little more attention on the lower back however, this could extend further depending on your history.

I look to improve your overall mechanics so that the problem should not keep reoccurring, or should it you will also have the resources to recognise it early and some tools to stop it or know when to seek treatment.

If you would like to find out more then, please call 07960941461 for an appointment or email info@ elvinas-osteopathicclinic.co.uk for more information or to make an appointment.