Foot Mobilisation techniques (FMT) is a manual therapy specifically developed to improve your foot and ankle function by targeting stiff, mal-aligned or dysfunctional joints to improve the function of your lower limb. This form of manual therapy involves finding and treating the cause of your pain rather than just the symptoms, by individually assessing each bone and joint in the foot and ankle and using your own body’s natural repair process to reduce pain and improve foot posture.

What can FMT be used to treat?

    • Ankle sprains and instability

 

    • Bunions

 

    • Claw, mallet, retracted and hammer toe

 

    • Cuboid syndrome

 

    • Osteoarthritis

 

    • Flat feet

 

    • Morton’s neuroma

 

    • Musculoskeletal injuries

 

  • Improving orthotic therapy outcomes

How does FMT work?

Allows the body to naturally repair itself through mobilising restricted joints to promote joint fluid production.

Returns bones and joints to their optimal position which allows chronic musculoskeletal injuries to heal.

Improves joint integrity, foot posture and muscle strength

What can I expect from an FMT consultation?

The treatment consists of the Podiatrist addressing the movement in the joints in your feet and ankles. This will involve you either sitting or lying on your front to enable the therapist to address the problems found. Some of the movements can be uncomfortable and there may be popping or cracking of the joint. This is merely  change in joint pressure rather than bone moving on bone and is not damaging to the joints.

We may use strapping on your feet following treatment and give you some exercises to do at home. We may discuss with you your current level of activities and may advise on a short term change to this.

FMT works best with a short intensive course of treatment and we would usually see you for 3-4 weeks and then look at extending treatments as your foot becomes used to working in a new alignment. There may be a case of using orthoses to support your feet and function in its new alignment. There may also be ongoing exercises to reinforce a new movement pattern.

There may also be a muscle weakness associated with muscles that may cross the joint or when muscle tendons attach into one of the bones that make up the joint. The therapist may test these muscles before and after treatment and you may experience a large change in muscle function.

Your Podiatrist will discuss your treatment plan in your initial assessment consultation which will include a biomechanical assessment, gait analysis and lower limb muscle strength test to determine if FMT is the right treatment for your condition. From the initial consultation, your treatment plan will be individually created to best improve your joint mobility and allow your feet to return to their most optimal position. Which will be a series of short mobilisation sessions and take home exercises to maintain your results. After this your treatment consultations will begin, which will include:

Foot and ankle mobilisation

Postural stability

Individual rehabilitation program designed to suit your needs

If you would like any more information on foot mobilisation techniques then please contact us.