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Link Between the Foot and Cerebellum

Discussion in 'Biomechanics, Sports and Foot orthoses' started by Brian A. Rothbart, Mar 19, 2024.

  1. Brian A. Rothbart

    Brian A. Rothbart Well-Known Member


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    By C. Norman Shealy, MD, PhD

    For centuries, poor posture was a well know cause of most musculoskeletal pain. With the rise of modern medicine, posture and its ill effects fell from notice. Now, researchers are re-examining the role of foot hyperpronation as a primary pathological mechanical event that results in postural distortions (poor posture).
    Brian A. Rothbart, DPM, PhD, reviews his long career and provides a nice re-examination of the research that led to the discovery of the etiology of postural distortions and resulting chronic musculoskeletal pain.6 This research is three-fold:
    • Foot hyperpronation was found to be the primary pathomechanical event that results in postural distortions.
    • Two inherited, abnormal foot structures were found to be the most common cause of foot hyperpronation; Primus Metatarsus Supinatus (aka Rothbarts Foot) and the PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity. Dr. Rothbart notes that the PreClinical Clubfoot Deformity "is actually the same foot structure that has been found in the fossil records of a hominin (Australopithecus sediba) dating back over four million years."
    • These two foot structures are linked to dysfunction of the cerebellum, which results in global postural distortions.
    This research has lead Dr. Rothbart to study mechanical receptors on the bottom of the foot, as well as where to place foot wedges in order to attenuate hyperpronation. "I postulated that poor posture starts in the mechanical receptors stimulated by the two abnormal foot structures and ends with the cerebellum automatically adjusting the posture according to the information it receives from these abnormal foot structures," he noted.
    "The more severe the hyperpronation, the greater is the distortion in the patterns of stimulation and hence, the greater is the distortion in the signals to the cerebellum," he added. The result of poor posture is stress on the joints and muscles. Unless the posture is corrected, the pain will become chronic.
    This discovery and subsequent development of proper specific orthotic corrections of the feet has relieved pain in a huge majority of patients. I have seen adequate photographs and case reports from Dr. Rothbart and at least one of his trained specialists to consider this a very major breakthrough.
    1. Rothbart BA. The link between the foot and cerebellum. Resolving chronic musculoskeletal pain. J Comprehensive Integrative Med. 2015;1(2):45-57.

    Originally posted by Dr Brian Garrett
     
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