Biomechanical Dysfunction - Case Profile

Profile
17-year-old high school student with chronic swelling and pain on the inner right ankle due to a blow from a baseball. X-rays revealed no structural damage. Over the course of a year, he’d undergone physical therapy, chiropractic and strength training, and he used braces for balance and a heel lift to equalize leg lengths. All modalities had been only moderately effective. NMT examination revealed a significant adhesion between the tibialis posterior muscle and the distal/medial soleus muscle, possibly sourcing the biomechanical dysfunction in the ankle joint.

Treatment
The following lower extremity tissues were treated: tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, flexor hallucis longus, gastrocnemius, soleus, Achilles tendon and the plantar fascia. NMT treatment around the site of the baseball impact/trauma restored normal ankle movement and proper weight bearing distribution. Increased extensibility in these muscles equaled out leg length, and the heel lift was removed.

Results
Gains were made quickly in this case due to prior chiropractic and physical therapy care. After the initial NMT session, he had less pain and discontinued the use of a brace. Client was able to run without pain after four NMT treatments, and then resumed baseball training. NMT treatment to the adhesive tissues in the lower extremity was the missing link in this collaborative recovery program.