At northlondonosteopaths Alan Nevies and his colleagues may deal with problems arising from the malfunction of all areas of the musculo-skeletal system.

Of all the miraculous parts of the human body, today’s spotlight is on the fabulous foot! It has been described as a biomechanical marvel. A distinctive feature of the foot is the arch that provides stability and enables forward movement. The stability is provided by the weight bearing area which stretches from the heel to the fourth and fifth toes. A strong sheet of tissue, called the plantar fascia, holds everything in place. The big toe is the lever that moves and propels the foot forward. Who (besides a podiatrist) would have known and waxed lyrical?

Unfortunately, often it is only when things go wrong that we learn to appreciate them. Good foot health is such and important part of mobility that Alan Nevies and his colleagues at northlondonosteopaths are very focused on helping those with foot issues either rectify them or send them to the relevant foot experts where indicated. For example, people who suffer with plantar fasciitis, which is a common inflammation of the plantar fascia, experience excruciating pain on walking. Alan Nevies and his colleagues at northlondonosteopaths can suggest and show you specific exercises that stretch and strengthen the fascia, recommended 3 times daily. This has shown to be a more effective remedy than the previously recommended rest and topical application of ice and anti-inflammatories.

Stiffness in the big toe can also cause big problems. It can put pressure on surrounding muscles and ligaments that become painful and inflamed.

Alan Nevies and his colleagues would recommend specific and regular stretches and exercises for the foot and associated muscles/ ligaments. Alan Nevies and his colleagues would suggest good shoes are worn to help protect and support the arches of the foot to ensure good and proper force transference occurs throughout the whole limb.

They would also assess gait cycle and running technique to see ensure the correct method is used and strain isn’t being put on certain areas by poor biomechanics.

Treatment might include direct articulation to the stiff joints of the foot to increase mobility and ensure a cohesive and balanced relationship between all aspects of the foot.

Sometimes corrective surgery may be the recommended solution if all else fails, but at northlondonosteopaths we would use the appropriate methods to prevent this last resort.