Functional Podiatry Services

Our State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Approach

Mainstream podiatrists rely on XRay and MRI to diagnose foot conditions, but those modalities do not provide much insight into foot mechanics, nerve entrapment and other issues that are most often the cause of foot pain. Patients are frequently underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and treated with generic protocols that do not relieve their foot pain.

At NYDNRehab, we use high resolution diagnostic ultrasonography to explore the interdependent structures that impact foot function, including bones, muscles, connective tissues, and nerves. Dynamic ultrasound imaging lets us compare the injured foot with its non-injured counterpart, to confirm our findings.

A 3D gait analysis enables us to measure gait in the transverse plane, where most gait injuries occur, and gives us objective data on joint angles, weight distribution, muscle firing patterns and other metrics that influence gait efficiency. We also conduct a biomechanical analysis of your foot and lower kinetic chain to observe how various structures interact.

We use the collected data to establish a baseline, set goals, and monitor the effectiveness of your treatment plan, to ensure that progress is being made and healing is taking place.

Avoiding Foot Pain and Dysfunction

Your feet and ankles enable locomotion and provide stability for your entire body, while sending messages to your brain about your body’s position in space. During physical activity, your feet absorb and mediate force loads multiple times your body weight. Protecting your feet from injury can enhance your performance, reduce your risk of injury, and help you sustain a healthy lifestyle.

There are several things you can do to avoid foot pain:

• Maintain a healthy weight — excess body fat is deadweight that intensifies the forces that cause foot pain.
• Exercise regularly — strong muscles throughout your body help to manage force loads during physical activity, reducing the load on your feet.
• Wear supportive shoes that absorb shock. High heels, flimsy sandals, and shoes with flat soles force your feet into unnatural movement patterns that make them work harder.
• If you’re athletic or physically active, a gait and/or biomechanical analysis can assess whether your feet are being overworked by inefficient movement strategies.