The North American Healthcare Foot Rocker is billed as helping with many different conditions of the foot and ankle. They like to claim the Foot Rocker is effective in helping a multititude of conditions of the foot and ankle ranging from Plantar Fasciitis to Back Pain. Will it work for all the conditions it claims to work for? The answer is yes and no. This article will discuss the conditions that the Foot Rocker will be most effective treating.
There is a Foot Rocker in practically every physical therapists office in the country, so it does have medicinal value. The basic effect of the Foot Rocker is stretching out the Achilles Tendon and Plantar Fascia. A tight Achilles Tendon can lead to a multitude of Foot problems.
So what conditions will the Foot Rocker Work For:
Plantar Fasciitis– This one is a definite. It stretches both the Achilles and the Plantar Fascia. A tight Plantar Fascia is essentially the cause of Plantar Fasciitis. Now, you can get similar results rollling the ball of your foot over a cold soda pop can, but the foot rocker can be just as effective.
Achilles Tendonitis– A tight Achilles is essentially the cause of Achilles Tendonitis. Anything that stretches the Achilles can help the pain. As anyone who has Achilles Tendonitis the number one through three treatments is to stretch your Achilles.
The above are the two ideal candidates.
Now others I am skeptical of; note it may help but I have my doubts.
Ankle Sprain– Yes, the foot rocker will stretch out the ligaments of the ankle that will help rehabilitate the ankle. However, if you sprained your ankle bad enough that you need rehabilitation the ideal way to perform that is to go to Physical Therapy. I would recommend the Foot Rocker if for some reason you can not afford physical therapy or have no desire to attend PT.
Arch Pain– This is a generic statement and since the most common causes of arch pain really do not benefit from stretching I have sincere doubts.
Back Pain– This would require so many ifs, if you have back pain from a slipped disc or muscle spasm the two most common causes the rocker will not help. If it from an imbalance in your feet during gait, then orthotics would be the better treatment in my opinion.
Feel free to email me at sjstinehour@yahoo.com if you have a condition that you want to know if it might work for.