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...

@Lucy Best You are so right Lucy. Orthoses are a tool we use to achieve biomechanical success for  our patients. They are much more important than may other things we do. They have the power ...

Patient #19: Anterior Shin Pain                             &n...

I totally agree with you. This is the way I work in my private practice. In the local hospital the patients tell me that they often have to pick up the orthotic insoles from an office and don't hav...

Biomechanics 1 Q&A   There is both intrinsic (built within the plastic) and extrinsic (attached to the plastic) forefoot varus support. What seems to be the highest tolerated intrinsic...

Patients may come into your offices with Grade 1 through 4 Bunions and want help slowing them down. Probably Stage 4 are too far gone, but there are many conservative tips you can give them for the...

     A few posts ago I discussed (really just reviewed) the Inverted Forefoot Deformities, and today I will do the same with Everted Forefoot Deformities. Typically seen with the pat...