Conditions of the lower extremity are common and require specialized care. The lower extremity does most of our weight bearing and the joint surfaces are vulnerable to wear and tear in adults. Furthermore, sports injuries are common in the lower extremity. Examples include ankle sprains, ACL tears, and muscle contusions.

The joints and muscles in our lower extremity work together to form a “kinetic chain”. A kinetic chain is a series of joints and muscles working in perfect harmony to produce complex actions such as walking and running. When one of the joints or muscles in this system is injured the whole kinetic chain will malfunction.

When considering a rehabilitation program of a single joint or muscle it is absolutely crucial to develop a program that incorporates the entire kinetic chain. It is not uncommon for our physical therapists to apply treatment techniques to the hip in a patient who sustained a knee or ankle injury. At Dynamic Physical Therapy we excel at developing individualized programs that incorporate these concepts. By doing so we achieve optimal results for our patients and reduce the likelihood of re-injury.