Foot mobilisation therapy (FMT) is the epitome of the saying “everything works best when it’s in the right place” - with the hands-on FMT treatment being the catalyst for helping our bones and joints to be in that right place.

Our podiatrists and patients love foot mobilisation because it’s able to help stiff and dysfunctional joints while relieving pain and improving comfort without medications, needles or surgery. Foot mobilisation therapy is available at both our Brisbane City and Newmarket clinics.

How Does Foot Mobilisation Work?

There are a lot of things that can lead to a suboptimal position and alignment of the bones and structures in our feet. From long days spent on our feet at work, to forcing our feet into shoes that don’t adequately support them, to placing our feet under high forces during physical activity without the right preparation and care. Over many years, these occurrences can add up and the overall result can be that we have a foot posture and movement pattern that now overloads or strains our tendons, tissues, bones or joints. Ultimately, this can lead to us developing foot pain and predisposing ourselves to a range of pains and conditions.

Foot mobilisation works by addressing dysfunctional and stiff joints to help bring the foot back into an alignment that will promote better foot health and movement. As such, foot mobilisation is often a key component of many treatment plans designed to help resolve an existing pain, while also helping prevent the problem from recurring in the future.

During foot mobilisation, your podiatrist will intricately manipulate your foot and its joints to help free up restrictions and restore better foot biomechanics. Specifically, foot mobilisation works by helping to:

• Break down scar tissue and adhesions around joints that may be restricting your foot function and forcing your body to compensate in unnatural ways
  
• Lubricate the joints by increasing synovial joint fluid production, which helps support movement while also helping with joint cartilage nutrition
  
• Relieve pain by helping desensitise joint pain receptors while also decrease muscle guarding - this means the ‘pain messages’ to the brain are reduced, and so less pain is felt
  
• Stimulate the body’s proprioceptive systems, supporting your postural stability and balance
  
• Improve muscle strength - by revitalising the nerve messages from the brain to the associated muscles that are being worked on (together with completing prescribed strength building exercises)
  

Overall, there is a great deal that can be gained from foot mobilisation therapy - and it doesn’t require any surgeries, needles, or medications that may put you at risk.

What Happens In A Foot Mobilisation Session? 

Foot mobilisation is only started after we’ve completed an initial assessment to confirm that the symptoms or problems you’re experiencing (in light of your unique characteristics) can benefit from foot mobilisation. 

During your session, you sit back and relax while your podiatrist will use their hand to gently guide your feet through their passive range of motion, and then work on specific mobilisations related to your restrictions and pain. The goal is to help release the connective tissue tightness, this is something that we can feel as we work on your joints.

After your session is complete, your podiatrist will also likely prescribe a series of stretching or strengthening exercises for you to help you get the most out of your mobilisation therapy.

We typically perform a series of foot mobilisation treatments, and the results are cumulative with each session building on your progress. Your podiatrist will advise you on the number of sessions you will initially need based on your symptoms and the restrictions present in your feet. After your pain is gone or the problem is fixed, we may recommend ‘maintenance’ sessions once or twice per year.

What Conditions Can Foot Mobilisation Help With?

Foot mobilisation can help with a range of conditions including:

• Arthritic foot pain
  
• Heel and arch pain and spurs, including plantar fasciitis heel pain in adults and Sever’s growing pains in children
  
• Painful flat feet 
  
• Ankle pain from sprains or instability, Achilles problems, arthritis and more
  
• Neuroma
  
• Toe deformities like hammer or clawed toes
  
• Bunions
  
• Cuboid syndrome
  
• Ongoing unresolved foot pain
  
• Painful high arches
  
• Sore or tight calves
  
• Achilles tendinopathy
  
• Balance problems
  
• Shin splints
  
• Knee pain
  
• Pregnancy foot pain
  

Frequently Asked Questions

Is foot mobilisation effective?

Yes, foot mobilisation is proven in research to help in the treatment of a range of foot pains and problems, including plantar fasciitis heel pain.

Is foot mobilisation painful?

No. Foot mobilisation is a gentle form of treatment and may feel ‘tight’ at times or you may feel pressure, but it is typically not painful. Any discomfort that you may experience usually comes directly from the injury or pain you currently have (the problem we are treating) as opposed to coming from the movements of the treatment itself. Most patients feel a sense of release following the treatment.

Is foot mobilisation suitable for everyone?

Almost everyone. We’ll always assess your suitability for foot mobilisation during your assessment with us, but we generally won’t prescribe it as a treatment if you have hypermobile joints in your feet, have a joint coalition or a bony block, have a bony lesion, or we suspect that you may have a fracture.

Does foot mobilisation eliminate the need for orthotics?

Custom foot orthotics are a completely different treatment to foot mobilisation, and whether or not you will need orthotics will depend on your unique circumstances and the pain or problem that you have. In many cases, foot mobilisation works fantastically well together with custom foot orthotics to help relieve pain and prevent future re-injury.