Lesson 1Comprehensive subjective history: pain characteristics, occupational demands, running history, footwear, past injuries, prior treatments, red flagsThis lesson shows how to gather a full patient history for foot and knee pain, including how pain behaves, work and sports demands, shoes worn, training levels, old injuries, past care, and questions to spot serious problems that guide your exam.
Clarifying when pain starts, how it patterns, and what irritates itProfiling work and daily activity loadsHistory of running and sports trainingReview of shoes, ground types, and gearPast injuries, care received, and warning signsLesson 2Strength and flexibility testing: hip abductors/extensors, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf complex, intrinsic foot muscle testingThis lesson covers testing strength and flexibility in hip, knee, and foot muscles like abductors, extensors, quads, hamstrings, calves, and foot intrinsics, connecting weaknesses to load patterns, injury risks, and needs for orthotics.
Tests for hip abductor and extensor strengthChecks for quad and hamstring strengthTests for calf strength and staying powerTests for intrinsic foot muscle workMain flexibility tests for the lower legLesson 3How assessment findings guide orthotic decisions: linking pronation/supination, alignment, mobility and symptom drivers to orthotic featuresThis lesson explains combining exam results to decide on orthotics, connecting foot rolling in or out, body alignment, movement range, and pain causes to insole designs, supports, and materials suited to each patient.
Matching problems to orthotic aimsPicking rearfoot and forefoot supportsControlling movement with shell firmnessRedistributing pressure and easing offAdjusting orthotics step by step over timeLesson 4Postural and lower-limb alignment assessment: static standing, weight-bearing symmetry, tibial torsion, Q-angle, pelvic heightThis lesson teaches observing posture and leg alignment while standing, checking balance under weight, shin bone twist, knee angle, and hip levels, and how these link to load ways and planning orthotics.
Checklist for standing posture watchPatterns of weight balance and shiftsMeasuring knee angle and shin twistClues from hip height, tilt, and leg lengthLinking alignment to pain causesLesson 5Ankle ligament and stability tests: anterior drawer, talar tilt, inversion stress, proprioception assessmentsThis lesson looks at main ankle stability tests like front drawer, ankle tilt, inward stress, and balance sense checks, with tips on doing them, reading results, and what they mean for orthotic support and rehab plans.
Front drawer test: how to set up and guideAnkle tilt and inward stress testingChecks for high ankle twist and joint linksOptions for balance and position sense testsConnecting instability to orthotic designsLesson 6Functional and sport-specific tests: single-leg squat, step-down, hop tests, timed walk/run toleranceThis lesson covers practical and sport tests like one-leg squat, step down, hops, and timed walks or runs, focusing on movement quality, stamina, and pain reaction to plan rehab stages and insole prescriptions.
Quality and control in one-leg squatTests for step down and stair handlingOptions for one-leg hop and triple hopTests for timed walk and run limitsUsing tests to guide back to sportsLesson 7Gait and dynamic observations: barefoot and shod walking, running analysis, stride, cadence, rearfoot vs forefoot strikeThis lesson focuses on watching walking and running barefoot or with shoes, looking at step length, rhythm, foot landing, and adjustments, showing how movement findings sharpen diagnosis and insole choices for various activities.
Comparing barefoot and shod walkingStep length, rhythm, and widthPatterns of rear, mid, and front foot landingSpotting inward knee lean and body swayEssentials of video walking analysisLesson 8Foot and ankle-specific tests: navicular drop, arch height index, arch mobility stiffness tests, talocrural joint mobilityThis lesson gives a targeted way to test foot and ankle, including bone drop, arch height measure, arch firmness, and ankle joint range, explaining how to measure, reliability, and impact on orthotic designs.
Bone drop test: method and normal valuesArch height measure and profilingAssessing arch movement and firmnessTesting ankle joint rangeFitting measures into orthotic plansLesson 9Red flag and differential diagnosis screening: inflammatory, neurological, referred pain, systemic causesThis lesson details screening for warning signs and other possible causes of foot and knee pain, like swelling, nerve issues, pain from elsewhere, and body-wide problems, and when to refer or adjust plans.
Main signs of swelling and joint infectionPatterns of nerve and spine-related symptomsSigns of blood flow, body chemistry, and whole-body issuesQuestions that lead to referralsRecording and sharing warning signs
