What is Functional Hallux Rehabilitation (FHR)?
Functional Hallux Rehabilitation is the work that we use to correct improper walking/ running biomechanics.
Every step there is a series of events that has to happen. This series of events is what is called your biomechanics. The key concept that must be understood is that it must happen every step.
If your biomechanics are off, times every step, that puts excess wear and tear on the joints and excess strain on the soft tissues of the lower extremity. That excess wear and tear/ strain has a cumulative effect, or adds-up, and will eventually lead to a running related injury.
How Do I Know If My Injury Is Due To Poor Biomechanics?
The number one factor is whether or not there has been an acute injury or trauma (which is rare with running related injuries). If there was not an acute injury or trauma then it is almost always biomechanics related.
It is rare that someone comes into our clinic and says “I tripped and fell off the curb while I was running and I felt a pop in my knee, and now my knee is swollen and has hurt ever since and I can’t run.”
Most likely, someone comes into the office and says “I don’t have any issues or pain when I’m not running, but for some reason when I run, all of a sudden at around mile _____ (fill in the blank- could be mile 3, 7, 10, 15, 22, etc.) my _____ (fill in the location- could be foot, shin, knee, hip, etc.) starts hurting.” With some people the pain gets worse the longer they run. For others, the pain kicks in but the longer they run, the pain seems to subside, usually only to return again later in the run, and usually more intense. This is a stereotypical example of a running injury due to improper biomechanics.
We know this injury is biomechanically related because the onset was ‘out of nowhere’- for no apparent reason. That means that each step as the individual was running, things were not working the way they were intended to. The series of events which should be happening (times every step) was not- leading to excess wear and tear on the joints and strain on the soft tissues. The wear and tear causes an inflammatory response which builds with each step.
What Does FHR Consist Of?
Functional Hallux Rehabilitation consists of 3 Phases: Examination, Correction, Prevention.
When Can I Expect To See Results?
You will see results on your first visit. It takes only one treatment to correct your altered biomechanics using Functional Hallux Rehabilitation. Unfortunately those changes will be lasting in only 10% of the population. For the remaining 90%, it will take a second treatment to have a lasting correction to your biomechanics.
That’s it! After two treatments with Functional Hallux Rehabilitation, you will achieve a full correction of your altered walking/ running biomechanics.
How Long Does FHR Last?
The length of time your biomechanics will be corrected after Functional Hallux Rehabilitation will vary among individuals. Conservatively we say that the correction will last months to years, with the overwhelming majority lasting years.
What Is The History Of FHR?
Functional Hallux Rehabilitation has been developed by Dr. Chad Wells DC of The League Chiropractic Clinic in San Diego, CA.
After years of development, evolution, and teaching, we kept getting the same two questions over and over. 1) What is this work that you do called? 2) Why don’t more people do this work?
Studies related to FHR
Sensitivity and Specificity of the Functional Hallux Limitus Test to Predict Foot Function
Gait style as an etiology to chronic postural pain. Part I. Functional hallux limitus.
