Lesson 1Comprehensive subjective history: pain characteristics, occupational demands, running history, footwear, past injuries, prior treatments, red flagsThis lesson guides how to gather a full patient history for foot and knee pain, including details on pain patterns, work and sports activities, shoes worn, training levels, old injuries, past care, and important warning questions to direct the physical exam.
Clarifying pain onset, pattern, and irritabilityOccupational and daily load profilingRunning and sport training historyFootwear, surfaces, and equipment reviewPrevious injuries, treatments, and red flagsLesson 2Strength and flexibility testing: hip abductors/extensors, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf complex, intrinsic foot muscle testingThis lesson covers tests for muscle strength and flexibility in the hip, knee, and foot areas, such as abductors, extensors, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles, and foot intrinsics, and connects weaknesses to movement habits, injury chances, and needs for orthotics.
Hip abductor and extensor strength testsQuadriceps and hamstring strength checksCalf complex strength and endurance testsIntrinsic foot muscle function testsKey flexibility tests for lower limbLesson 3How assessment findings guide orthotic decisions: linking pronation/supination, alignment, mobility and symptom drivers to orthotic featuresThis lesson shows how to combine exam results to decide on orthotics, connecting foot rolling in or out, body alignment, joint movement, and pain causes to specific insole designs, support additions, and material selections tailored to each patient.
Mapping impairments to orthotic goalsChoosing rearfoot and forefoot postingManaging mobility with shell stiffnessPressure redistribution and offloadingIterative orthotic adjustment over timeLesson 4Postural and lower-limb alignment assessment: static standing, weight-bearing symmetry, tibial torsion, Q-angle, pelvic heightThis lesson teaches careful watching of posture and leg alignment while standing, covering balance under weight, shin bone twist, knee angle, and hip levels, and how these relate to body loading and plans for orthotic use.
Static standing observation checklistWeight-bearing symmetry and shift patternsMeasuring Q-angle and tibial torsionPelvic height, tilt, and leg length cluesRelating alignment to pain mechanismsLesson 5Ankle ligament and stability tests: anterior drawer, talar tilt, inversion stress, proprioception assessmentsThis lesson reviews main tests for ankle steadiness, like the front pull test, ankle tilt test, inward stress test, and balance sense checks, with tips on doing them, understanding results, and their role in planning orthotic support and recovery exercises.
Anterior drawer test: setup and cuesTalar tilt and inversion stress testingHigh ankle sprain and syndesmosis checksProprioception and balance test optionsLinking instability to orthotic featuresLesson 6Functional and sport-specific tests: single-leg squat, step-down, hop tests, timed walk/run toleranceThis lesson includes practical and activity-based tests like one-leg squat, step down, jumping tests, and timed walking or running, focusing on movement quality, stamina, and pain reactions to plan recovery stages and orthotic prescriptions.
Single-leg squat quality and controlStep-down and stair negotiation testsSingle-leg hop and triple hop optionsTimed walk and run tolerance testsUsing tests to guide return to sportLesson 7Gait and dynamic observations: barefoot and shod walking, running analysis, stride, cadence, rearfoot vs forefoot strikeThis lesson centers on watching walking and running without and with shoes, looking at step length, rhythm, foot landing, and adjustments, and how these active observations improve diagnosis and insole choices for various activity needs.
Barefoot versus shod gait comparisonStride length, cadence, and step widthRearfoot, midfoot, and forefoot strike patternsIdentifying dynamic valgus and trunk swayVideo-based gait analysis essentialsLesson 8Foot and ankle-specific tests: navicular drop, arch height index, arch mobility stiffness tests, talocrural joint mobilityThis lesson offers targeted tests for foot and ankle, including bone drop measure, arch height check, arch firmness tests, and ankle joint movement, with methods, accuracy, and how findings shape orthotic designs.
Navicular drop test: method and normsArch height index and arch profilingArch mobility and stiffness assessmentTalocrural joint mobility testingIntegrating measures into orthotic planningLesson 9Red flag and differential diagnosis screening: inflammatory, neurological, referred pain, systemic causesThis lesson outlines checks for serious warning signs and other possible causes of foot and knee pain, such as swelling issues, nerve problems, pain from elsewhere, and body-wide conditions, and when to send to specialists or adjust plans.
Key inflammatory and septic arthritis signsNeurological and radicular symptom patternsVascular, metabolic, and systemic indicatorsScreening questions that trigger referralDocumenting and communicating red flags
