ANKLE/FOOT
Ankle and foot injuries can be incredibly disabling. Not only do they keep you from doing or getting the most out of the things you love, they can even make it difficult to simply walk. Like all injuries we see, successful treatment starts with successful diagnosis.
Common Diagnoses
Ankle and foot conditions we see often include:
Plantar Fasciitis: Inflammation of the band of tissue (plantar fascia) that connects the heel to the toes.
Achilles Tendonitis: Inflammation of the Achilles tendon, leading to pain at the back of the heel or lower calf.
Ankle Sprain: Stretching or tearing of ligaments around the ankle, causing pain and swelling.
High Ankle Sprain: Injury to the ligaments above the ankle, affecting stability between the tibia and fibula.
Neuropathy: Numbness and tingling through different areas of the foot that are often misdiagnosed.
Neuropathy: Numbness and tingling through different areas of the foot that are often misdiagnosed.
Shin Splints: Pain along the inner edge of the shinbone, often caused by repeated stress. Peroneal/Fibular Tenonitis: Irritation of the muscle and tendons that wrap around the side and bottom of your ankle.
Arthritis: Degenerative changes in the joints of the foot or ankle, leading to pain and stiffness.
Turf Toe: A sprain of the big toe joint resulting from injury during sports activities.
Common Symptoms
If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you are not alone!
Pain with your first step out of bed in the morning.
Pain when Pushing Off: Discomfort during the push-off phase of walking or running.
Sport-Related Pain: Pain in the ankle or foot during or after engaging in sports or running.
Heel and Calf Pain: Pain in the back of the heel or lower calf, often associated with Achilles issues.
Great Toe Pain: Discomfort or pain in the big toe, possibly due to turf toe or other conditions.
Arch Discomfort: Pain through the arch of the foot, which may indicate plantar fasciitis or other issues.
Heel Pain: Pain in the bottom of the heel, a common symptom of plantar fasciitis.
Forefoot Pain: Pain in the ball of the foot, which can be related to various conditions including metatarsalgia.
Our Approach to Treatment
Treatment plans are always developed based on two basic components. The first is the diagnosis we are treating, and the second is the individual needs and goals of the patient.
Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques to improve mobility, alleviate pain and stimulate healing. Often times the greatest driver of pain may be a lack of mobility through a major joint in the foot. Joint mobilization is one form of manual therapy that can be particularly effective in improving range of motion and pain.
Strengthening: Specific exercises to strengthen the muscles surrounding the ankle which have been determined as weak through evaluation. If a tendon is irritated, it must be loaded to reduce irritation and improve tendon strength.
Gait and Balance Training: Techniques to correct abnormal walking patterns and improve balance.
Orthotics and Footwear: This can play a major role in mitigating pain, albeit a short or long term solution.
Orthotics and Footwear: This can play a major role in mitigating pain, albeit a short or long term solution.
Dry Needling: A technique used to expedite the healing process and reduce pain.
Education and Prevention: Understanding aggravating factors in your life- often things which you may have never realized are affecting you.
Our goal is to help you achieve optimal function and return to your daily activities without discomfort. Our goal is always pain free return to all desired activities. If you feel that anything on this page sounds like you, please reach out for a free consult now.