Leg pain, Knee pain, Foot pain.
Osteopathy can help with leg pain (including sciatica), knee pain, ankle pain, or foot pain. Here, at the ICOM clinic in Ewell, we see a large number of patients with such issues. Your ICOM Clinic osteopath can advise you in detail, however below is a general guide to problems with the leg and foot.
Symptoms:
Sciatica can cause shooting pains and immobility in the leg, although it is linked to the sciatic nerve in the back. The knee is the largest joint in the body and can be susceptible to pain and stiffness from conditions like arthritis. The ankle and the foot can suffer pain due to trauma associated with trips and falls, overuse or longer term conditions such as arthritis.
What causes it?
Sciatica tends to be a ‘cover-all’ term for pain and altered sensation that travels down the back of the leg and calf that is caused by compression of the sciatic nerve in the back or sometimes the buttock area.
The knee is a major weight-bearing joint and is one of the most frequently injured joints in the human body. It is made up of a number of structures including ligaments, muscles, capsule, synovial membrane and two ‘c’ shaped pieces of cartilage which sit between the femur and tibia known as the menisci. Damage, strain or sprain to the structures of the knee can give rise to symptoms. Poor alignment and altered joint mechanics in relation to other joints such as the hip, ankle and foot are often significant. Osteoarthritis or wear and tear is a common condition that affects the knee.
Arthritis can also affect the ankles and the feet, as well as issues such as plantar fasciitis that can impair walking considerably.
Can Osteopathy help?
We will first complete an assessment, make a diagnosis and advise you if we think your condition may require referral or more specialist help.
Osteopathic treatment can’t cure arthritis, and it depends on the severity of the wear and tear, but treatment and advice can often help ease the symptoms.
Osteopathic treatment would involve gentle manual techniques to help reduce pain and muscle spasm and improve movement. Exercise advice would also be given to strengthen injured or weakened tissues.