Tenth International Congress on Anti-Aging & Biomedical Technologies

December 6-8, 2002

Faulty Biomechanics of the Lower Extremities

A Presentation of how Simple

Biomechanics Dysfunction Accelerates the Aging Process

Dr. James Stoxen, DC

President, Team Doctors, Chiropractic, Treatment and Training Center, Chicago, IL

President, Dr Bob Goldmans Introduction

Page 1:  What is pronation or supination syndrome?

Page 2:  Cause and Symptoms of pronation or supination syndrome

page 3:  Patient Examination of pronation or supination syndrome

Page 4:  Objective Findings of pronation or supination syndrome

Page 5:  Treatment and prevention of pronation or supination syndrome

What is pronation or supination syndrome?

First of all I am excited to share some of my techniques that I have developed over the last 15 years. I’d like to thank the Academy, Dr. Rob Goldman, Dr Klatz for participating as a large group here of over 4500 delegates.  First of all, I am going to talk about faulty biomechanics and the effect on the lower extremities. We’re going to have one of the gentlemen here who works for the prime media who will be coming up and another lady friend who will be coming up to be my sort of guinea pig, so to speak so we can give them a little applause.  I have not examined them yet.  I have talked to them briefly, but we are going to find out what’s wrong with them in the front here.  So you’ll get a demonstration of my techniques, of how I examine patients and how I treat them.

Pronation or Supination Syndrome - A common condition.

First of all, this type of problem that we have here is very common.  It’s going to be very common in your practice.  it’s very common in my practice. The most common problem that we see as chiropractors is low back pain, as you know, also headaches.  However, before we used to look at the lower back only and we used to look at the lower, examine the lower back and x-ray the lower back and we found out that over the years after putting our hands on patients and looking at them in more detail and evaluating the biomechanics that the foot has more to do with the back than the back itself.  First of all, how common are conditions related to faulty biomechanics of the lower extremities.   The average person takes about 10,000 – 15,000 steps per day.  That’s 640 metric tons of pressure on the joints.  Even subtle, very subtle changes in biomechanics of the foot can make large changes in the other joints of the lower extremities as well as in the back, the neck and in the shoulders. 

Abnormal Biomechanics Long Term Effects on the Aging Process

oOne of the long term effects of this aging process, first of all, if you have a patient who is not actively participating in some form of exercise, they’re going to have some form of heart disease, they’re going to be depressed, they’re not going to be excited about doing more things.  They’re going to be spending more time at home, basically just sitting on the couch, watching television eating potato chips.  Basically what we’re finding here is the abnormal strain of faulty biomechanics causes an effect on the kinematic chain effecting all muscles, all tendons, ligaments and joints.  And what we find is that this abnormal strain could create atonic protective reflex.  This atonic protective reflex that I’m speaking of is your common spasm.  Basically, a lot of times doctors will overlook these spasms; however spastic muscles do not have good circulation.  So if you’re dealing with a spastic muscle in the calf, you’re dealing with a patient who does not have good venus return.

Patient Presentation

The condition progresses because the patient doesn’t know what to do.  Commonly, the patient will come to your office and say they have sort of incidental.  You’ll be evaluating them for some other problem that they may have.  And as a result of your consultation, you’ll find out that they have some lower back pain that they’ve had over the year.  It’s not surgical in nature, but that may be the only symptom that they bring to your attention.  The problem is that you’re going to maybe – sometimes doctors are going to overlook that lower back pain as this is something that they’ve had for a while and this is not surgical in nature and we don’t have to do anything about it.  I’m telling you that’s a mistake.  It could be a sign that we have more going on than what the patient is telling you. 

Chronic Fatigue

First of all, the majority of these patients are suffering from chronic fatigue.  A lot of you will be doing some diagnostic tests that are unnecessary as a result of the fact that you’re not understanding what’s wrong with the patient.  You have to look deeper into the situation in order to figure out exactly what’s happening.  What we’re talking about  here is depression, as a result of the chronic fatigue.  Basically, the patient has come to your office.  They’re giving you information about their problem.  However you maybe overlooking it.  as a result, the patient turns to their other doctor.  If you’re suffering from the symptoms of a normal backache, then take Doan’s pills.  Now, that television commercial acted as if that was your doctor.  They have decided that since you’re not able to do anything for their problem, they’re going to Walgreens.  They’re going to CVS pharmacy.  They’re going to pick up the medicaiton becuz we are not doing what we have to do to take care of the problem.  Or they’re coming to me. 

Chronic Arthritis

Basically, the long-term effects of the faulty biomechanics of the lower extremities is chronic arthritis.  Chronic arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the elderly.  43 million cases in 1997, heart disease as well, heart disease is one of the genetic factors, one of the other things we talked about today at the conference, as well as diet and exercise.  Obviously, you can work with the patient on diet, but if they are not capable of moving their lower extremity, then you’re going to have a lot of problem with heart disease.  But since the simple foot pronation and since it is so common in your office, it’s something you should look into.  We’re going to find simple ways how we can find it.  The most common examples of biomechanics of the lower extremities is simple foot pronation.  This is kind of a ……. Type of injury. Simple foot pronation causes collapse of the kinematic chain. 

Page 2

Cause and Symptoms of pronation or supination syndrome