Full Course Description

Feet First: How to Assess Fall Risk from the Ground Up

If you’re not evaluating the foot in your fall risk assessments, you’re missing a critical piece of the puzzle. 

The foot is the body’s foundation for standing, balance, and movement—yet foot mechanics are rarely the focus of fall prevention. Many patients present with no foot pain, but subtle impairments in strength, alignment, or proprioception can lead to instability, altered gait, and increased risk of falling. 

In this high-impact training, Dr. Courtney Conley and Dr. Jen Perez, founders of Gait Happens, will walk you through simple, evidence-based foot and ankle assessments that reveal hidden contributors to fall risk—even in patients who don’t fit the typical profile. 

You’ll learn how to connect anatomy to function and apply clinical reasoning to assess diagnoses commonly linked to falls, including bunions, forefoot instability, and posterior tibial dysfunction. They will also share a real-world case study of a 71-year-old patient with no pain but a history of falls—and how targeted foot assessments uncovered the root cause. 

Here’s What You’ll Walk Away With: 

  • Simple foot & ankle tests to screen for fall risk—even in patients without pain 
  • A clear clinical reasoning model: anatomy → assessment → intervention 
  • Clarity on which foot & ankle diagnoses increase fall risk (and how to spot them) 
  • A real case breakdown: exact assessments used and how to apply them tomorrow 
  • Greater confidence in treating the “invisible contributors” to poor balance 

Whether you’re working with athletes, weekend warriors, or aging populations, understanding foot function is non-negotiable. If you’re not looking at the foundation, your treatment plans are incomplete. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to level up your assessments and deliver results that actually last. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Determine how impairments in foot and ankle anatomy—including forefoot instability, first ray stiffness, and posterior tibial weakness—can disrupt balance and increase fall risk during daily activities.
  2. Choose foot and ankle assessments that help identify fall risk factors in patients with or without pain, to support safer gait, transfers, and functional mobility.
  3. Utilize a clinical reasoning framework that connects foot structure and movement to fall prevention strategies, improving patient outcomes in standing tolerance, walking stability, and overall independence.

Outline

Why Feet Matter in Fall Prevention 

  • The foot’s role in balance, posture, ADLs, and proprioception 
  • How common foot dysfunctions contribute to fall risk—even without pain 
  • What your assessments may be missing 

Key Anatomical Connections to Fall Risk 

  • Intrinsic vs. extrinsic foot muscle function in postural stability 
  • First ray mobility, forefoot stability, and the base of support 
  • Visual cues and movement patterns that indicate increased fall risk 

Simple, Targeted Foot & Ankle Assessments You Can Use Tomorrow 

  • Forefoot instability testing 
  • Posterior tibial loading & collapse tests 
  • Balance reactions and barefoot standing mechanics 
  • Integrating these tests into your current fall risk screen 

Diagnoses that Commonly Contribute to Falls 

  • Bunions & hallux valgus: what’s functional vs. structural 
  • Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD): the silent collapse 
  • Forefoot instability and its role in late-phase gait disruption 

Real Case Application 

  • Case Study: 71-year-old patient with no pain, but frequent falls 
  • Step-by-step walkthrough of the foot & ankle assessments used 
  • How findings shaped the treatment plan 
  • What you can apply to your next patient 

Target Audience

  • Physical Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Chiropractors
  • Athletic Trainers
  • Strength and conditioning coaches
  • Exercise physiologists

Copyright : 12/12/2025

Treating Foot & Ankle Dysfunction: The Direct Route to Fall Prevention

If you’re seeing balance issues, instability, or recurring falls—and you’re not treating the foot—you’re missing the fix.

This down-to-earth, clinically driven session with Dr. Courtney Conley ad Dr. Jen Perez, founders of Gait Happens, is all about what to do when you see dysfunction. No fluff, no overcomplication—just clear frameworks and treatment strategies you can apply immediately to reduce fall risk, improve movement control, and build true lower body resilience.

Whether you’re working with older adults, athletes, or anyone in between, foot and ankle dysfunction contributes to falls more often than you think. You’ll get the tools to mobilize what’s stiff, stabilize what’s weak, and re-train what’s lost, using their three-part model: mobilization, motor control, and strength. 

From ​exercise progressions to practical footwear guidance, you’ll walk away with a solid, real-world system for treating the most common foot and ankle issues linked to instability and falls. 

Here’s What You’ll Walk Away With: 

  • A simple “see this → do this” framework for treating the top foot & ankle dysfunctions tied to fall risk 
  • Go-to progressions for building real foot strength—no fluff, just function 
  • Smart strategies for choosing footwear that promotes balance and movement control 
  • Diagnosis-specific approaches for ​Hammertoes, ​PF,​ and ankle sprains 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Use a function-driven clinical framework to implement assessment-driven   treatment strategies for common foot and ankle dysfunctions that contribute to fall risk.
  2. Utilize mobilization and strengthening techniques to improve foot and ankle stability, proprioception, and motor control in patients of varying ages and activity levels.
  3. Choose appropriate footwear modifications to enhance foot function and reduce balance impairments in patients with fall risk or recurrent instability.

Outline

Part 1: Why Fixing the Foot Fixes the Fall Risk

  • ​​How foot and ankle dysfunction directly contributes to falls—even without pain​​​
  • ​​Functional Anatomy Review – form drives function​ 
    • ​​​​​Why foot function is essential for balance, gait, and postural control

Part 2: Your “If You See This → Do This” Treatment Framework

  • ​​​Key Assessments for Balance and Fall Risk​​
    • ​​​Measuring Foot Strength​​
    • ​​​Toe Mobility and Splay​​
    • ​​​Ankle Dorsiflexion​​
    • ​​​Getting More out of your single leg balance test​​
  • Corrective Strategies You Can Use Right Away: 
    • ​​​​​Toe ​Splay​ & ​Banded Foot Training​​​: Build intrinsic strength and ground awareness
    • Mobility Work: Restore motion in the​ midfoot and ankle to improve push-off and gait quality
    • Stability Drills: From isolated to integrated—train what the foot actually does in real life

Part 3: Footwear—Everyone’s Favorite Topic (for Good Reason)

  • Why shoe selection matters more than you think
  • What makes a “functional” shoe—and what to avoid
  • How to transition out of over-reliance on structured footwear

Target Audience

  • Physical Therapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Physical Therapy Assistants
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Chiropractors
  • Athletic Trainers
  • Strength and conditioning coaches
  • Exercise physiologists

Copyright : 12/12/2025