Knee-Foot Relationship

In review, we talked about an approach known as RICE; rest, ice, compression and elevation. This is a common approach to dealing with a new injury or an old injury that has flared up.  For the most part, this will help you alleviate initial symptoms and is useful as maintenance care.  Tendonitis is a common source of pain, but it's not the only type of problem you may have to deal with.  What happens in the case of a serious injury like a fracture or major ligament damage and repair?

The knee is a very susceptible joint and is a common place of injury for any athlete.  A large percentage of athletes have had at least one knee reconstruction in their career.  In fact people who have torn a major ligament or cartilage in the knee usually have on going problems (chronic) and usually are susceptible to re-injury. 

There are lots of approaches to managing chronic knee problems, but there is one approach that most people don't even think about.  Taking care of the feet.   Structurally, the foot is connected to the knee via the tibia and fibula bones of the lower leg.  The foot and ankle are considered the primary shock absorbers of the body.  The knee is considered the secondary shock absorber.  Shock absorption occurs as a result of the dissipation of forces through complicated movements in the foot, ankle, knee and hip.

The foot and ankle are designed to absorb shock as it enters the body.  When you are walking there is a point where all of your body weight is on one foot and leg.  If you weigh 150 lbs. then there is 150lbs. of force reverberating back up into your body from the ground through your foot.  If you are running or jumping this force can be double or even triple. If you didn't have this shock absorber system every time you took a step it would be like landing off a jump and bottoming out your suspension.  Your head would move around and your vision would be all distorted. This force can be damaging to your body and cause premature wear and tear, so nature equipped us with a way of dissipating this force.

The foot consists of three functioning parts.  Simply labeled as the hind, mid and fore foot. The foot/ankle complex is designed to be extremely flexible in order to adapt to varying terrain.  When walking, just before your heel strikes the ground your foot tends to roll inwards (your little toe dropping below your big toe), this is called supination.  When the heel strikes the ground the foot is supinated.  As the entire foot comes in contact with the ground there is a rolling-twisting of the foot and ankle.  The foot and ankle actually roll outwards. This motion is called pronation. It is this rolling and twisting that absorbs and dissipates the force of your body landing on the ground.

Now here is how the foot and knee function together.  As the foot/ankle pronates it causes a rotation of the tibia bone (the main bone of the lower leg), therefore causing rotation in the knee joint and also the hip joint.  This rotational movement helps dissipate force at the knee joint.  In other words, this rotational movement initiates the shock absorption at the knee.  So, if there are any problems with the foot and ankles ability to move correctly and absorb shock this will in turn create more force or pressure at the knee.  More force and pressure on a knee that has already been damaged can do nothing but cause more problems.  So if you have problems with your knees and cannot do the things you used to be able to do, you might want to have your feet checked out. If you have ever sprained an ankle or broken a bone in the foot the chances of having a problem are even greater.

An orthotic arch support is the common approach to correcting a foot/ankle problem, but it's not as easy as buying something off the shelf.  A professional will balance all three sections of the foot and make sure the foot and ankle are working correctly as one unit. Besides, it is always wise to seek the advice of a professional when dealing with an injury or a chronic issue. 

Dr. Mark utilizes the highest quality supplements and products available. For more information:

drmark@proactivehealthcare.net   or  408-294-4074

Copywrite 2007 Dr. Mark Lucas, D.C.