Runner stopping to Stretch left Quadriceps and Stabilizing herself by holding onto the fence        In treating the lower extremity, it is very important to emphasiz...

When treating lower extremity problems, proper achilles and plantar fascial stretches are commonly prescribed. There are many versions of these stretches and I emphasize not to do negative heel str...

The last four installments in this forum dealt with the three steps of required documentation for reimbursement for custom foot orthotics and L3000. To summarize those steps were proper clinical do...

Dr Pearl (Ben), excellent introduction to the use of video in your practice. It is so fun to have patients bring in video of their sport, even ones I had never heard of. Sports with repetitive moti...

     The above flat feet can be very stable, but if over pronated, they are probably not. This blog post summarizes the injuries or pain syndromes that have been tied to over pronati...

  Relaxed Calcaneal Stance Position      Measurement showed over 10 Degrees of Heel Everted Positioning        The Relaxed Calcanea...

  Evaluating movement as part of our exam can add a lot of clinical information as well as provide our patients an opportunity to give feedback. It should  serve to amplify but not repla...

Rich-I'm trying to remember if I've had a patient that was 9 degrees everted and NOT maximally pronated. An 9* everted RCSP is usually beyond the "tipping point" where the foot will automatically f...

Great post- thanks Dr. Blake!

  The last three installments in this forum dealt with the first three steps of required documentation for reimbursement for custom foot orthotics. To summarize those steps were proper clinic...

I specialized in biomechanics and designing functional foot orthoses. Patients would present with a great myriad of lower extremity symptoms and I had to determine if I could help them. I learned a...

The following video is a summary of the basics aspects a Podiatrist should look for in their Gait Evaluation. This process should point the clinician towards problems with over pronation tendencies...

My dad wore big, heavy orthotics in his everyday shoes. I held that picture frozen in my mind for many years.  Not long ago, I was training for a race in Central Park. My arch started to both...

Fun with Numbers: RCSP, OCSP, MPP     I love taking measurements! I measure everything I can, and I have done this for years! I want to talk about one of the students from my class a...

The following is a simple but effective Mobilization of the big toe joint that I have used in practice for many years. When I measure restricted motion in the big toe joint, mainly times in early s...

Case Study: Metatarsal Pain in a Runner     (Answers in Red at the End) History and Chief Complaint A 52 year old runner presents with metatarsal pain both feet  He could n...

Dr Pearl (Ben), great summary of "lift or not to lift" the heel in achilles tendon problems. Thank you for your contribution to biomechanics. Rich Blake

  Heel lifts are one way to try to take tension off an Achilles injury. There is concern of long term use of heel lifts because this generally leads to a shorter heel chord. Although studies ...

  Ben Pearl, DPM  practices at Arlington Foot and Ankle. His practice has an emphasis in sports medicine which is complimented by his own participation in running, skiing , cycling and s...

Biomechanics 2 Q & A   When you want to support forefoot varus deformities, yet not block first ray plantarflexion, how can you adjust the overall width of the orthosis (basically wide...