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Hypermobility foot treatment Cairns is available at FNQ Podiatry and Orthotics. What is Joint Hypermobility? It’s a condition in which some, or all of the joints within the body, have the ability to move beyond their normal limit into an extra range of motion, much like a rubber band. There are a number of causes of joint hypermobility, with the most prevalent cause falling under the banner of benign joint hypermobility. Hypermobility in the joints of the feet is a common presentation, often contributing to persistent lower limb and foot pain. If you have hypermobility and associated pain in this area, we can help with the assessment and development of a professional and individualised hypermobility foot treatment Cairns plans.
From a foot and lower limb perspective, we most commonly see joint hypermobility in children and adolescents with the main presenting complaint as tired, achy legs, often being mistaken for growing pains. Muscle pain, joint instability, recurrent injury and early muscle fatigue can all be signs attributed to joint hypermobility, with the knee and ankle two of the most commonly affected joints. When a joint is subjected to increased and ongoing instability, the surrounding muscles are required to ‘over work’ in an attempt to create stability. However, in doing this the muscles contract too frequently and at incorrect times within the gait cycle, therefore becoming overused and inefficient, leading to pain.
At FNQ Podiatry & Orthotics our team can conduct a biomechanical assessment, to ascertain if you / your child has hypermobility. If this is found to be the case, we can prepare an individualised hypermobility foot Cairns treatment plan, tailored to their specific requirements.
Joint hypermobility is a disorder within the connective tissues of the body. There is believed to be a familial link, as the genes involved in the creation of collagen are believed to play a role. Underlying connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers Danlos syndrome, Marfan’s syndrome and Down syndrome are all known to cause ligament laxity and joint hypermobility; however there are no external addressable risk factors.
Due to the increased range of available motion in the joints around the feet and ankles, most hypermobile individuals will have a flat, over-pronated foot posture. This style of foot posture is significantly linked to pain throughout the feet, legs, knees and even into the lower back.
With regard to the feet and lower limbs, joint hypermobility is diagnosed clinically through a range of tests. There are multiple hypermobility scales, the most common known as the Beighton’s scale. This is a nine point scale which requires five separate maneuvers to be performed. For adults, a score of 5 out of 9 is considered positive for joint hypermobility, whereas a score of 6 out of 9 is positive for children.
There’s a range of Cairns hypermobility foot treatment options. Firstly, a targeted exercise program is key to improving muscular strength and endurance – and we will use our Cairns VALD Strength Testing in conjunction with this. The stronger the muscles through your core and lower limbs, the higher tolerance to stress they provide, therefore decreasing injury frequency and severity.
At FNQ Podiatry & Orthotics we use a highly regarded exercise prescription program, Physitrack, which is not only individually customised but has video demonstrations of each exercise to assist in complying and completing the exercises correctly.
Another Cairns hypermobility foot treatment option is improving lower limb biomechanics and joint alignment through proper footwear and if required, custom foot orthotics has proven to be enormously beneficial in reducing short term pain, while long term minimizing ongoing joint trauma and muscle overload.
Our team of Cairns podiatrists are all educated to assess joint hypermobility under the most current guidelines and grading programs to ensure accuracy and consistency in our results and Cairns hypermobility foot treatment programs, plans and options.
Flat feet and lower limb biomechanics can cause lower back pain. We can help with a range of effective treatment options.
If you have knee pain, you might have Patellofemoral syndrome, which left untreated can become a chronic condition.
Active individuals often get shin splints. We can help with custom orthotics, massage and strapping.
Heel pain (Plantar Fasciitis) is the most common condition that presents at our clinics. We can help.
The average pair of feet walk approximately 200,000 km over the course of a lifetime - have you had yours checked recently?
Our new modern, purpose built clinic on Mulgrave Road in Earlville, is the only podiatry clinic north of south-east Queensland to include a running rehab room and gym. This clinic is a game changer for podiatry in North Queensland. Podiatrist Cairns.
