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Tag: walking

When and where you feel foot pain during walking is key for diagnosis

When and where you experience foot pain during walking is diagnostic. This means we can figure out the pain generator. That is a large list. It can be the fat pad, your fascia (the most common, incorrect diagnosis), plantar intrinsics (muscles on the bottom of the foot which is primarily the flexor digitorum brevis, abductor hallucis, and abductor digiti minimi), the flexor hallucis longus, the tibial nerve, the medial or lateral plantar nerve, the calcaneus, the talus, the bones of the midfoot and forefoot, the foot and ankle joints, ligaments, the hallux (big toe), or the little toes. It does not include referral into the foot from your low back or hip. With the foot, we know when the different structures that can cause pain are loaded during walking and we know that the location of pain is likely where the pain generator resides because of the higher receptor field

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The Modified Low Dye

A physical therapy band-aid for foot pain during running Running-related injuries are commonly seen for physical therapy at Smith Performance Center. Unlike some of the advice, you may hear, stopping can prolong the problem.  Rest does not automatically equal recovery or resolution of an injury.  A nice tool to consider learning is the modified low dye.  It can help to reduce foot and lower leg pain while allowing you to continue training. Where is it from? I learned about the modified low dye from Dr. Tom McPoil.  He is faculty at Regis University and was previously faculty at Northern Arizona.  He is an expert on the foot and wrote an article on tissue stress theory that still impacts my practice today.  The purpose of the modified low dye in a physical therapy program is to limit stresses to the tissue of the lower leg and foot to allow desensitization. In

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Craig Smith, PT, DPT, conducts a knee exam at Smith Performance Center, demonstrating expert physical therapy techniques in knee pain assessment, rehabilitation, and injury recovery while flexing his arm in a lighthearted moment.

Knee Pain and Physical Therapy: A Structured Approach to Recovery

  Updated by Craig Smith February 22, 2025 Understanding Knee Pain: Why Won’t It Go Away? Knee pain is a common and persistent problem that affects daily life. Whether you’re avoiding stairs, switching from running to biking, or waiting for a knee replacement, chronic knee pain can disrupt your routine. And it is more complicated than we often admit or see online. At Smith Performance Center, we believe that effective knee pain treatment requires more than just exercises or quick fixes—it needs a structured plan. This is where our SPC Phases come into play. Our phase-based system ensures that each step of rehab is intentional, guiding patients from pain relief to long-term performance. This article explores why knee pain occurs, how physical therapy should address it, and what steps you can take to regain control over your movement. Why Is Knee Pain So Common? The knee may seem like a

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