The feet are the base support of our posture and gait. When they are off, the joints and structures above them can suffer as well as the feet themselves. Plantar fasciitis pain is the most common foot complaint I treat in my Boston area Neuromuscular Therapy center. It helps to simplify this complex base of […]
With either true plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the fascia) or an underlying problem with the muscles, I treat pain in the bottom of the feet in basically the same way in my Boston area Neuromuscular Therapy center. 1) Warm-up the feet with manual work to get the blood circulating and soften the connective tissue. Fascia […]
When patients come to my Neuromuscular Therapy center outside of Boston with a complaint of plantar fasciitis pain, I assume they have been medically diagnosed and treated. After checking the medical and treatment history for their foot pain, I think about their symptoms and about possible sources for the onset and perpetuation of the pain […]
Elsie was referred to my Neuromuscular Therapy center in Metro-West Boston for treatment of plantar fasciitis by a long-time patient whose foot pain I had treated successfully within the previous few months. She had such typical symptoms that I thought it would be instructive to review her case. Elsie’s symptoms started after a party when […]
Sometimes it’s little things done often that provide chronic pain relief. Here are five easy and reliable suggestions to help you feel better today. 1) Keep moving. Even random movements will move toxic fluids and increase blood and lymph flow. It may be hard to get up and going, but once you do, your energy […]
Here is a simple and effective stretching routine for knee pain originating in muscles that move the knee joint from the thigh and lower leg: quadriceps, hamstrings, popliteus and gastrocnemius. 1) Stretching the quadriceps in the front of your thigh: Standing on one leg (hold on to something for balance) bring your other knee up […]
When knee pain is of muscular origin, the quadriceps, hamstrings, popliteus and gastroc muscles are the most common causes. If treatment of those muscles doesn’t relieve pain, therapists might think about these tips for solving the pain puzzle: Pes anserinus, short adductors, ITB/TFL, a Baker’s cyst, or chondromalacia. Remember this odd name from your therapy […]
That’s right. The calf muscles can cause pain behind your knee! It’s mostly from the two-headed gastrocnemius you see bulging when athletes go up on their toes, but the soleus muscle makes a contribution. If you have calf cramps at night, then the “gastroc” could be the cause of your knee pain. This one is […]
Pain behind the knee when crouching or going downstairs could be from the little popliteus or plantaris muscles. More likely the pop. I had a personal experience with this muscle backpacking in New Hampshire. My son and I hiked down the mountain after being in the sky for a few days and when reaching flat […]
Knowledge is power. The better you understand the muscles of your knee the more empowered you will be to keep them out of pain. The last post discussed the quadriceps in the front of the thigh. The “hamstrings” are in the back of the thigh. Guys refer to them affectionately as “hammies” at the gym. […]