Foot and Ankle
Click on the body parts or the list below to find out more about your pain and how physical therapy can help.
What is Achilles Tendonitis?
Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon that attaches your calf muscle to the back of your heel. Achilles tendonitis is typically caused by tightness in the hamstrings and calf muscles. In addition, limitations in ankle and foot range of motion can alter your walking pattern, putting excessive strain on the Achilles tendon, causing tendonitis.
Typically, the back of the ankle and heel is very painful to touch, especially after prolonged walking. Rest tends to help Achilles tendonitis while walking aggravates it.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is one of the best treatment options for Achilles tendonitis. Our physical therapists will evaluate your leg, ankle and foot mobility, range of motion, strength, balance and walking patterns. This will help us discover the root cause of your pain and resolve that for long term results.
We focus on treatments to resolve your pain quickly, improve your joint mobility and strengthen muscles as needed. The result is the ability to walk and run without pain in the back of your heel returning to the activities you love to do.
What is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis refers to inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is a thick band of tissue on the underside of the foot, connecting from the heel to the ball of the foot. Plantar fasciitis typically occurs from tightening of the tissues under the foot and even further up in the legs. In addition, changes in the shape of the foot, such as fallen arches or changes in shoe wear can affect plantar fasciitis. Furthermore, with changes in walking posture for a variety of reasons, the strain on the plantar fascia can increase significantly.
Plantar fasciitis is commonly felt as burning or sharp pain when standing on the affected leg. This typically occurs first thing in the morning or with initial standing after sitting for a prolonged period. Inflammation builds up during the day in the fascia, and may begin to hurt after prolonged walking. As you sit or sleep the inflammation thickens and the plantar fascia stiffens. When you go to step on the foot, the inflamed and stiff tissue stretches causing pain. Pain may be felt mostly in the heel, but can extend along the bottom of the foot.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is very beneficial in treating plantar fasciitis. At first we evaluate your movement, posture, walking pattern, ankle and foot mobility. Our gentle hands-on therapy is great for soothing the irritated tissue in the foot and also improving range of motion in the foot and ankle joints.
Modalities, such as ultrasound and ice may be used to reduce swelling and pain quickly. Our goal is to reduce your pain quickly and strengthen your feet for long-term results. Call us today to discover how we can help resolve your plantar fasciitis pain and get you quickly back on your feet!
About Ankle instability
Ankle instability typically occurs after the ligaments in the ankle have stretched out, losing the normal stability of the bones in the ankle and foot. This can be a result of an injury or occur over a long period of time from poor foot positioning, bad shoe wear or genetic predisposition.
When there is ankle instability the probability of further ankle sprains increases significantly. While the ligaments themselves may not be able to shorten back to normal, the muscles supporting the ankle can be strengthened to take up the slack. This compensation allows for better stability in the ankle and foot with walking, running and sports. Bracing may also be needed depending on the severity of the instability.
How physical therapy helps
Our physical therapists work with different physicians, including podiatrists to rehabilitate ankle and foot injuries. By assessing your ankle and foot joint movements we can determine what areas need to be strengthened bringing support and stability to your ankle.
With years of training in analyzing and treating joint mechanics, walking and movement, we put together a custom treatment plan that will improve your ankle stability. Call us today to discover how we can help increase your ankle stability!
Foot and Ankle Post-surgery Rehab
There are many different surgeries for the foot and ankle from fracture repairs to tissue repair from trauma. In addition, common surgeries such as bunionectomies, hammer toe, and even ankle fusions will require physical therapy.
After surgery, due to limited post-operative movement and inflammation from the surgery, your range of motion and strength will be diminished. The loss of strength and range of motion in the foot or ankle can cause many problems in daily life including difficulty standing for short periods of time and an inability to easily use a set of stairs. When you are unable to stand for periods of time or walk on your own it can result in lost work hours and financial loss. But with a skilled physical therapist working with you, you can get great results and return to previous activities without pain or loss of function.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is an important part of the rehabilitative process after ankle or foot surgery. Depending on your surgery and surgical protocols, we will progress you through a structured physical therapy rehabilitation program. Our goal is to restore pain-free range of motion in the ankle or foot while maintaining surgical rehab protocols. Our highly skilled physical therapists will also work to improve your walking coordination, balance, and strength to ensure that you are able to return to normal pain-free walking and have the ability to easily traverse a set of stairs.
Ankle Sprain / Strain
Ankle sprains are very common injuries and typically occur from improper footwear on uneven terrain. Most often, sprains occur from sports or trips over objects that were unseen. Sprains refer to injuries of the ligaments (connect bone to bone) and strains refer to injuries of the muscles or tendons (connect muscle to bone). Sprains and strains occur from quick over-stretching of the tissues causing micro-tearing and subsequent injury. Swelling begins as part of the inflammation process, causing pain and difficulty with movement.
The first step in treating sprains or strains in the ankle is to rest, ice and elevate it. Common sprains in the ankle occur on the outside of the ankle where 3 main ligaments attach. There are different levels of sprain or strain from mild to severe. With severe limitations in movement you should see your physical therapist right away. In some cases, the tearing can be complete and even be in need of surgical repair.How physical therapy helps
In most cases, physical therapy can effectively help you recover from a sprain or strain. We first evaluate the injured area to determine the extent of the injury and ensure that the ligaments or tendons are still intact. We then formulate a treatment plan that will quickly relieve your swelling, pain and begin restoring range of motion.
The goal of physical therapy is to restore your normal range of motion and eventually restore normal strength. If you participate in sports or are very active, we will work closely with you to make sure that you fully recover and can participate in those activities you love to do. Call us today to discover how we can effectively treat your ankle sprain or strain.
Ankle and Foot Fractures
There are many bones that can be fractured in the ankle and foot. Typical fractures that occur are to the fibula bone (avulsion fracture), metatarsal bone fractures and calcaneal fractures. Fractures are typically immobilized with casting or bracing. In severe cases surgery may be required to align and stabilize the bone with pins or plates.
After being immobile for a period of time whether from casting or surgery, the ankle and foot joints will become quite stiff. This loss of motion in the joint also causes discomfort and results in lost muscle strength in the ankle and foot.
How physical therapy helps
Physical therapy is very important in the rehabilitative process to help you regain normal range of motion, reduce swelling, resolve pain and regain function of your ankle and foot.
Physical therapy is gentle and will help you quickly resolve your pain while working with your doctor to follow protocol and restore your function. Improvement in range of motion, strength, stability, walking and running will occur. With physical therapy, you can make a complete recovery quickly and safely. Call us today to learn more how we can help you fully recover after a fracture.