Foot Pain

A weak lateral chain will stop you in your tracks.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

One very important job of your hip muscles is to maintain the alignment of your leg when you move. One of the primary hip muscles, the gluteus medius, plays an especially important stabilizing role when you walk, run, or squat. The gluteus medius attaches your thigh bone to the crest of your hip. When you lift your left leg, your right gluteus medius must contract in order to keep your body from tipping toward the left. And when you are standing on a bent leg, your gluteus medius prevents that knee from diving into a “knock knee” or “valgus” position.
Weakness of the gluteus medius allows your pelvis to drop and your knee to dive inward when you walk or run. This places tremendous strain on your hip and knee and may cause other problems too. When your knee dives inward, your kneecap is forced outward, causing it to rub harder against your thigh bone- creating a painful irritation and eventually arthritis. Walking and running with a relative “knock knee” position places tremendous stress on the ligaments around your knee and is a known cause of “sprains”. Downstream, a “knock knee” position puts additional stress on the arch of your foot, leading to other painful problems, like plantar fasciitis. Upstream, weak hips allow your pelvis to roll forward which forces your spine into a “sway back” posture. This is a known cause of lower back pain. Hip muscle weakness seems to be more common in females, especially athletes.

You should avoid activities that cause prolonged stretching of the hip abductors, like “hanging on one hip” while standing, sitting crossed legged, and sleeping in a side-lying position with your top knee flexed and touching the bed. Patients with fallen arches may benefit from arch supports or orthotics. Obesity causes more stress to the hip muscles, so overweight patients may benefit from a diet and exercise program. The most important treatment for hip abductor weakness is strength training. Hip strengthening is directly linked to symptom improvement. Moreover, people with stronger hip muscles are less likely to become injured in the first place. The exercises listed below are critical for your recovery.

Bryan Cobb RMT.

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Since 2005, Bryan has been dedicated to helping all people with chronic and acute pain caused by soft-tissue damage.

His training and experience make him uniquely qualified to treat a wide variety of pain and dysfunction and to give instruction on prevention and self-care.

Bryan is the only Massage Therapist in Manitoba — and one of the few in Canada — to be certified by the Certification Board for Myofascial Trigger Point Therapists (CBMTPT).

Bryan holds a degree as an Advanced Remedial Massage Therapist (ARMT) from the Massage Therapy College of Manitoba.  Course work at MTCM includes
• over 2,000 hours of practice, as well as
• intensive course work,
• a supervised clinical practicum, and
• community outreach placements.

MTCM has a credit transfer affiliation with the University of Winnipeg, ensuring that its courses are held to the highest level.  When Bryan studied at MTCM, the college was the only massage therapy college in western Canada accredited by the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation.  Today, the college is a member of the Canadian Council of Massage Therapy Schools.

Bryan is a member in good standing of the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada.

Bryan also has a background in Anatomy, Exercise Physiology, and Sport Sciences from the University of Manitoba, and he has worked as a personal trainer and fitness leader.

He is an avid natural bodybuilder and fitness enthusiast, and has a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

I’ve got a sharp burning pain in my foot, what could it be? 

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Morton’s neuroma is a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of one of the nerves in your foot. The problem most commonly occurs between your third and fourth toes, but can occur elsewhere. Morton’s neuroma is a nuisance for 10% of the adult population, with females being affected 5 times more often.

The irritation is thought to be brought on by activities that require repeated or forceful back-bending of your toes, like dancing, walking, squatting, and running- particularly running on your forefoot, or on hard surfaces. Wearing high heels or shoes that are too tight can provoke your symptoms.

You may experience brief, intermittent episodes of sharp burning pain that are followed by a persistent dull ache begins near the ball of your foot and radiates into the toes. You may feel as though you are “walking on a marble.” Occasionally, numbness, tingling, or cramping may accompany your pain. You may find relief by removing your shoe and/ or gently massaging your foot. Be sure to tell us if your symptoms affect your entire foot, if you notice any weakness, or have pain that starts in your back and travels into your thigh and leg.

You should avoid wearing high-heeled narrow or unpadded shoes. If you are a “forefoot” runner, you may consider transitioning to a mid-foot strike. Your treatment will likely consist of wearing a specially designed felt pad to help take stress off of the irritated nerve. Most patients report relief by modifying their shoes and undergoing conservative therapies, like the ones provided in our office.

I’ve got ITB Syndrome Doc! Now What?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Your iliotibial band is a fibrous band of tissue running from the crest of your hip, down to your knee. A muscle near the crest of your hip called the tensor fascia lata, attaches to this band to help control movements of your leg. Your iliotibial band passes over the point of your hip and over another bony bump on the outside of your knee called the lateral epicondyle. When the band is too tight, it can become painfully inflamed as it repeatedly rubs over the top of either of these bony projections. Irritation at the bony bump near the knee is called iliotibial band friction syndrome.


The condition usually presents as pain on the outside of your knee that becomes worse with repetitive knee flexion or extension. This condition is the leading cause of lateral knee pain in runners, especially slower “joggers.” The pain usually develops 10-15 minutes into the workout. You may sometimes feel or hear a click during movement. Symptoms generally ease at rest. Running on slick “wintry” surfaces may aggravate the condition. Excessively worn running shoes may be a culprit.

This problem is commonly caused by weakness in your gluteal muscles. When these muscles are weak, the muscle that attaches to your iliotibial band must contract harder to stabilize your hip. Having one leg longer than another is a known aggravating factor.

Runners should minimize downhill running and avoid running on a banked surface like the crown of a road or indoor track, as well as wet or icy surfaces. Runners should reverse directions on a circular track at least each mile. Bicyclists may need to adjust seat height and avoid “toe in” pedal positions. Avoid using stair climbers or performing squats and dead lifts. Sports cream and home ice massage may provide some relief of symptoms.

Runner’s Knee Sucks.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) describes a painful irritation of the cartilage behind your kneecap. Although anyone may be affected, it is often the result of overuse of the knee in sports that require jumping or running so it is sometimes referred to as “Runner’s knee”. PFPS is the most common cause of knee pain in the general population, affecting an estimated 25% of adults.

One of the most common causes of PFPS is an imbalance between the muscles that help to guide your kneecap in its V-shaped groove at the end of your thigh bone. Repeatedly flexing and extending a misaligned kneecap leads to pain, swelling and eventually arthritis. Misalignment of the kneecap (patella) is often secondary to problems in the hip and foot, especially weakness of your gluteal muscles or flat feet.

PFPS produces a dull pain behind the kneecap that is aggravated by prolonged walking, running, squatting, jumping, stair climbing or arising from a seated position. The pain is often worse when walking downhill or down stairs. Longstanding misalignment can cause damage to the cartilage, which results in popping, grinding or giving way.

Conservative care, like the type provided in this office, is generally successful at relieving your symptoms. Initially, it is important for you to minimize activities that provoke your pain, especially running, jumping and activities that stress you into a “knock-kneed” position. Don’t allow your knees to cross in front of your toes when squatting. Some athletes may need to modify their activity to include swimming or bicycling instead of running.

Performing your home exercises consistently is one of the most important things that you can do to help realign the patella, relieve pain and prevent recurrence. The use of home ice or ice massage applied around your kneecap for 10-15 minutes, several times per day may be helpful.

What is Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome?

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The tarsal tunnel is the space behind the bump on the inside of your ankle. The tibial nerve lives in this tunnel along with some tendons. Tarsal tunnel syndrome means that the tibial nerve is being irritated within the tunnel. This results in pain, numbness or tingling into your heel and the arch of your foot.

The tibial nerve may be irritated by compression (from trauma , arthritic spurs, or swelling of other tissues within the tunnel), or more commonly by constant stretch (from flat feet). Research has shown that tarsal tunnel pressure increases almost 30 fold in people with flat feet.
Tarsal tunnel is slightly more common in women, and high heels are suspect. The condition often affects both feet. Conditions like diabetes and thyroid disorders may aggravate nerve problems like tarsal tunnel. Plantar fasciitis commonly accompanies tarsal tunnel syndrome.

The discomfort is often described as “burning”. Symptoms may increase with long periods of standing, running or exercise. Almost half of patients report increased symptoms at night.

Your doctor will make the diagnosis of tarsal tunnel syndrome based on your history and an exam. Your doctor may take an x-ray to rule out other problems like arthritic spurs or a stress fracture. In severe cases, more sophisticated nerve testing may be necessary.

The first goal of treatment is to allow you to return to pain-free activity as soon as possible. The second goal is to correct the mechanical problem that allowed this condition to begin with.

The all too common knee cartilage tear.

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

The meniscus is a piece of tough, smooth, rubbery cartilage in the middle of your knee. Each of your knees have a meniscus on the inside (medial meniscus) and another on the outside (lateral meniscus). Each meniscus attaches to the top of your shin bone (tibia) and acts as a shock absorbent guide for your thigh bone (femur), which rests above.
Meniscus

Damage or tears to the meniscus are common. Males are affected three or four times more often than females. Tears may occur at any age. In children and adolescents, the menisci are more durable and rubbery, so most injures are “traumatic” as a result of a forceful twisting injury. As we age, our meniscus grows weaker, and “degenerative” tears become more likely, often resulting from simple or even unrecognized injuries.

Symptoms of meniscus injury depend on the type and severity of damage. Patients sometimes hear a pop or snap at the time of initial injury. Patients with acute injuries may have difficulty bearing weight and may develop a limp. Stiffness is a common complaint. Clicking, catching, locking or giving-way is possible. Meniscus injuries are usually aggravated by movement and become particularly uncomfortable with deep squatting.

Although some meniscus injuries may require surgery, most can be treated conservatively with the type of treatments provided in our office. Your age roughly correlates with the need for surgery. Approximately 2/3 of acute meniscal tears in children and adolescents will require surgery, but only about 1 in 20 patients over the age of 40 will require knee arthroscopy. Surgery is necessary more often in patients who cannot fully bend or straighten their leg, or whose knee locks and gets stuck in one place.

Home management includes rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE). You should apply ice over your knee for 15 minutes at a time, three or four times a day. Wrapping an ACE bandage around your knee will provide compression to help minimize swelling. You may elevate your leg by placing a pillow beneath your knee to help reduce swelling.

You may need to limit your activity to prevent further damage while you are recovering from injury. Activities that involve twisting on a weight-bearing flexed knee are the most harmful. You may need to temporarily or permanently discontinue some high energy sports activity. Other activities, like water walking, may be substituted for higher energy sports, like soccer and tennis. Ice or ice massage should be used following activity.

Patients who have undergone surgical repair of their meniscus are more likely to develop arthritis. These patients will also benefit from a well-planned home exercise program.

What is Sever’s Disease?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ 1 Comment

Severs disease, also called calcaneal apophysitis, is a painful swelling near the insertion of the Achilles tendon on your heel.

As our bones develop, we have “growth plates” which are softer areas where the bone is still growing. In children, this growth plate is weaker than in adults. This means that children are more likely to suffer growth plate injuries than adults, especially during periods of rapid growth.

The powerful calf muscles attach onto your heel through the Achilles tendon. When your calf muscle contracts (like during running or jumping), it places a shear force on the growth plate of your heel. Severs disease is an irritation to this sensitive growth plate.

Athletically active children, who run and jump frequently in sports like soccer, basketball, gymnastics and track & field are most likely to suffer from this condition. Severs disease is slightly more common in boys and the condition affects both heels about half of the time.

Symptoms usually start as heel pain that gradually worsens during activity. Sometimes this can cause a “limp”. Rest usually temporarily relieves the pain.

Your doctor will make the diagnosis of Severs disease based on your history and an exam. Your doctor may take an x-ray to rule out other injuries like a stress fracture.

The first goal of treatment is to allow you to return to pain-free activity as soon as possible. This may require avoiding stressful activity like running and jumping for a short period of time. Cross training on a bike is usually acceptable. Ice should be applied for 15 minutes after any activity. You should always wear shoes with good arch supports and avoid walking barefoot. Your doctor may recommend a small heel lift to decrease strain on your achilles tendon.

I’ve got Shin Splints; what do I do?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Shin splints, also called “Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome,” (MTSS) is caused when the muscles of your lower leg pull too hard on your bone, causing local pain and inflammation. Over half of all leg pain in athletes is caused from shin splints. Up to 1/3 of runners and soldiers experience shin splints at some point in their lifetime.

MTSS is an overuse injury frequently seen in sports involving running, jumping, or frequent stopping & starting, i.e. field hockey, soccer and cross-country. Shin splints do not occur overnight but over a period of time, often show up during the first two or three weeks of training for a new season. Shin splints can occur when there are changes to your exercise regimen, such as an increase in activity, change in shoes or a change in the surface you play on. Some doctors refer to these training areas as “the terrible toos,” – too much, too hard, too long, too fast.


Symptoms of shin splints include tenderness or pain over the inside lower portion of your shin. The discomfort begins at the start of exercise and eases as you continue. Some patients report “bumps” when touching the inner portion of their leg bone. Be sure to tell your doctor if you experience weakness, numbness or cold feet during exercise or find a very small area of sensitivity.

Unfortunately, MTSS usually develops during a time when you are training heavily for a sport or an upcoming event. Continuing this activity will often lead to ongoing problems and decreased performance. Shin splints are now believed to be a forerunner to stress fracture, so adequate rest is critical. You may need to consider non-weight bearing cross training, such as using a stationary cycle or pool running.

When directed, your return to activity should start slowly, beginning with a 1/4 mile run and progressing by 1/4 mile each time you have no pain for two consecutive workouts. You should initially avoid running on hard or uneven surfaces and begin at a lower intensity and distance, increasing by no more than 10-15% per week- first increase distance, then pace, and avoid hard or unlevel surfaces, including hills.

Sports creams and home ice massage may provide some relief. Use ice after any activity. Patients who have flat feet are predisposed to developing shin splints and may need arch supports or orthotics. Avoid using heel cushions in your shoes, as they may increase the recurrence of this problem.

I have Plantar Fasciitis; now what?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

The “Plantar fascia” is a fibrous band running from the under surface of your heel to the ball of your foot. “Plantar fasciitis” is a painful inflammation of this tissue caused by chronic over stretching and mild tearing.

Plantar fasciitis is commonly associated with fallen arches of the foot. To understand how this happens, cup your hand to make a “C” shape. This represents a foot with a high arch. Imagine a band running from your fingertips to your wrist. This represents the plantar fascia. Now, straighten your fingers to simulate what happens when the arch “falls.” When this happens in your foot, the plantar fascia is stretched and can begin to tear away from your heel.


Plantar fasciitis affects 10% of the population and is more common in women. Approximately one fourth of patients have the problem in both feet at the same time. People who place excessive stress on their feet by being overweight, standing for long periods, or participating in endurance sports are more likely to develop the condition as well. Shoes without adequate arch supports, including sandals or going barefoot, increase your chances of developing plantar fasciitis. Wearing high-heeled shoes or boots may contribute to the problem.

The most common symptom of plantar fasciitis is pain in the heel or arch when standing up after a period of inactivity, particularly first thing in the morning. When you are sleeping, the arch is in a relaxed or shortened state, and the plantar fascia is able to heal. When you stand up first thing in the morning, you stretch the fascia, once again tearing it away from its attachment on the heel. The condition may progress to the point that you experience pain throughout the day, even while resting. The pain often eases after you walk for a period of time, only to redevelop. You may notice some tenderness when you touch your heel, and you probably have tight calf and hamstring muscles as well.

Plantar fasciitis can be a frustrating condition, often lasting 18 months or more if left untreated. Fortunately, you may recover more quickly with proper treatment. One of the most important things that you can do is to make sure that you are wearing shoes with good arch supports on a consistent basis. A period of rest may be necessary to help you recover. Runners may need to temporarily decrease mileage or switch to less stressful activities like swimming, cycling, or using an elliptical machine. A splint or “Strassburg sock” worn at night will help to keep your plantar fascia in a stretched position while it is healing.