How A Biomechanical Assessment Can Benefit You
A biomechanical assessment is based on the cause-and-effect relationship between your foot, legs and upper body. The movement of one joint has an effect on the movements of other joints, and every time your foot hits the ground to take a step, any imbalances in the feet can have an effect on the rest of the body.
What Does A Biomechanical Assessment Involve?
A biomechanical assessment involves analyzing the body, its alignment and how it functions. If you are experiencing pain in your feet, lower limbs or back, a biomechanical assessment can be very beneficial to you. Here at Ballsbridge Physiotherapy, we treat a biomechanical assessment as the key starting point when trying to assess and understand the cause of your problem. At the biomechanical assessment we will also be able to identify what type of treatment is required and whether further investigations will be necessary.While you may be suffering from pain in the feet, the cause of your pain may actually lie further up the biomechanical chain. One of our chartered physiotherapists will assess your lumbar spine, hips, knees, ankles and feet, as necessary while also assessing the length and strength of your muscles.When a foot is not functioning properly in terms of alignment, it is not absorbing shock properly. This may place abnormal stress on the spine. A biomechanical assessment will be of benefit to you in terms of the physiotherapist being able to identify if you have weak muscles and if these weak muscles are causing excessive loading of certain joints, for example; the knee. Weak muscles on the outside of your hip can cause excessive loading of the inside of your knee.
Is A Biomechanical Assessment For Me?
A biomechanical assessment is not only designed for sports people; it can be of benefit to people of all ages. It is a very beneficial method for anyone who is experiencing pain in your feet or lower limbs, but where no cause has been established. Many people who are suffering with bunions or fallen arches can also experience pain in their shin, knee, hip or back, and realignment of the feet will greatly improve their posture, which can therefore have a significant impact on their pain.There are a variety of recommended treatments following a biomechanical assessment, depending upon your results. Here at our physiotherapy clinic in Dublin 4, the most common type of treatment that we prescribe is foot orthotics combined with functional screening. This combined approach allows us to provide excellent management of these lower limb problems. Orthotics provide shock absorbency and support the painful tissues, whilst also correcting alignment issues where appropriate.If you would like to know more about a biomechanical assessment and foot orthotics, please contact us.