San Ramon Valley Physical Therapy
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The BEST Stretch for Plantar Fasciitis

3/15/2019

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​Try this easy stretch for plantar fasciitis. All you need is a step! Put your big toe on the step with the ball of your foot and heel on the ground. Drive the front knee forward, holding for 3-5 sec. Perform 10x and this can be done 3-6 times a day.

This can also help out some folks with Achilles and heel pain.  Give it a try and let us know how it helps.  If you have any questions, you can always contact me at dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com
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Get Rid of That Plantar Fasciitis!!

2/6/2017

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I recently came across a study that found from 2007-2011, almost 1 million people went to their doctor for plantar fasciitis, accounting for over 5.7 MILLION visits.  Pretty amazing how prevalent of an issue foot and heel pain is in America.  What was even more staggering was that only 7% of those patients went on to see a physical therapist to help treat their symptoms.  Really??

While plantar fasciitis is difficult to treat, physical therapy, from a good clinician, should, at the very least, be able to minimize your discomfort,  Yes, passive modalities are helpful (ultrasound, iontophoresis, ice, TENS, etc.) but hands-on treatment, further understanding of the cause of your symptoms, and a solid home exercise program that is correctly followed should give you significant relief.  We see it in our clinic every day.

Don't blame the heel spur, please.

Another interesting study looked at people with and without plantar fasciitis and found almost 50% of people WITHOUT plantar fasciitis had a heel spur.  The study further went on to say that "key radiological features that differentiate the groups were not spurs but rather changes in the soft tissue."  

2 (of many) Things to Try:
1. Toe/Achilles Complex Stretch - 5 sec holds 10x; 3-5 x per day, especially in the AM and before you hit the sack.
Put toes comfortably on a stair and drive your knee forward
I have pretty good range of motion in the toe/achilles complex
2. Ball on soft tissue - 2-5 minutes 3-5 x per day...especially in the AM and before bed time.
Picture

​You're aiming for along the arch with good pressure into the muscles of your foot.

I mention that both exercises should be done once before bed as symptoms are typically worse after not being on your feet throughout the night.  Get your feet as loose as possible beforehand. 
Please come and see us if you have been having persistent heel pain.  There is a good possibility we can help get rid of your symptoms.  Let me know if you have any questions: dominick@sanramonvalleypt.com
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Ankle Mobility

7/1/2016

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Picture
Look at that picture above...24 degrees of dorsiflexion (ankle/toes pointed towards your body).  I know this isn't meaningful to most people, but if you have trouble squatting or had ankle, knee, hip, or back pain, lack of ankle mobility could be the reason (or at least one of them).  Recently, I have seen an increased number of patient complaining of knee pain without major trauma.  The first place I look? The ankle...And you should be looking at yours.  IT'S EASY!

ASSESSMENT​
Ankle mobility check san ramon valley physical therapy
Crouch down in a half kneel with our foot about a fist length away from the wall.
ankle dorsiflexion san ramon valley physical therapy
Next lean forward and see if your knee can touch the wall...WITHOUT YOUR HEEL COMING UP!
Ankle cheat san ramon valley physical therapy
Cheaters never prosper! Keep that heel down!
If your knee touches, you most likely have sufficient ankle range.  Congratulations, you can stop reading.  If your knee does NOT touch the wall, then read on.  We need to fix this...Below are 2 easy exercises to start working of your ankle dorsiflexion.

TREATMENT

Calf Stretch: 30 sec hold; 2-3 rounds
​
Picture
Lunge position with back knee straight, bend the front knee until a stretch is felt in the calf of the back leg. Please, keep both feet parallel aka pointing forward.
Picture
Please...Parallel people. Don't let the back foot turn out. You are wasting your time doing it this way. We see it way too much.
​Heel Raises Off a Step: 15-20 reps; 2-3 sets.
Picture
Keep knees straight and don't let butt stick out. Sink heels down and hold 2-3 sec.
Picture
Press up on your toes, making sure your heels stay level. Try and have 50% of your weight on the balls of your feet and the other 50% distributed to the remaining 8 toes.
Picture
Do not come up on the outside of your feet like the picture...you are compensating for a whole bunch of other things...different post.
There you go.  2 easy ways to improve ankle mobility; there are tons more.  This by NO MEANS solves all ankle mobility issues.  There are many components to ankle mobility and consulting with a knowledgeable physical therapist is advised.  

​I hope you have a geat 4th of July!
-Dominick
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    The therapists at SRVPT have a variety of backgrounds and are interested in sharing our knowledge with you!  Check out their bios for more specific information.

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San Ramon Valley Physical Therapy proudly serves the Alamo, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton areas,  along the 680 corridor.
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