Feet Joint Facilitation

Facilitation of the feet.

In this clip, the therapist holds the patient's bare foot and ankle, with her hands at the heel, arch and toes, and guides the joints of the foot and ankle through precise motion.

Facilitation of normal joint motion is a manual physical therapy technique aimed at restoring a joint's natural, pain-free mechanics. Your therapist uses precise hands-on input to prompt the central nervous system and the surrounding tissues to carry out proper joint motion naturally, rather than forcing the joint. When a joint becomes restricted, your body compensates with muscle tension and altered movement patterns. Restoring the joint's natural glide and range of motion reduces that pressure and gives your body the foundation it needs to move freely.

Facilitation is the first step of the F.A.S.T Approach™ (Facilitation, Activation, Systematic Therapy), developed by Fix It founder Dr. Kelly Roberts Lane, DPT, FACSM. Once the joint is moving well, we follow with targeted exercise and neuromuscular re-education so your muscles learn to support the new motion.