Foot and Ankle Pain: Our feet bear the brunt of everything we do in our daily lives once we’re upright. They absorb the shock impact of all of the steps, stumbles and heavy jogging strikes that we ask of them. And, of course, we often “ask” this while wearing high heels, or other poor footwear with virtually no support where it’s needed.
In fact, the lower part of our body is such a complex interplay of bones, tendons and joints that it shouldn’t be a surprise when some sort of problem eventually shows up. You probably won’t be able to “outrun” some level of ankle or foot pain in your lifetime, whether you’re a sports junkie or a couch potato. Ironically, both a very active lifestyle and an extremely sedentary one can lead to foot and ankle pain, and aging is often a factor as well.
What types of conditions can be helped with physical therapy?
With the legs’ tibia and fibula bones coming together at the ankle and arching over the foot’s talus bone, problems in your feet can influence ankle pain, and vice versa — as well as put stress on your knees, and throw off hip and spine alignment. For that reason, the number of problems addressed by physical therapy relating to feet and ankles is fairly substantial. Conditions include:
Balance and mobility issues
Plantar fasciitis
Achilles tendonitis
Sprained ankles
Collapsed arches
Non-specific foot pain
Arthritis of foot and ankle
Sports injuries
Post-surgical rehabilitation
What happens in physical therapy?
Our physical therapist is trained to evaluate what you will need to work on, based on existing medical information. We’ll also evaluate your footwear and how you walk, and assess your ability to move your feet and ankles in various positions.
Because so many foot and ankle issues stem from muscle tightness and inflammation, causing a kind of seizing-up effect, much of physical therapy will likely focus on deep tissue mobilization and stretching techniques as well as simple movements that encourage flexibility and range of motion. In addition, if your ankles aren’t able to properly support your weight, strengthening exercises might also be an important part of your therapy.
Our physical therapist will also teach you how to improve your posture when walking and running, if gait issues are resulting from — or even causing — your foot and ankle pain.
Are you ready to take the “first steps” toward making the rest of those steps pain-free?
Contact us today for a physical therapy evaluation, so that you can begin your journey to healthy, strong feet and ankles.
Hear from some of our Foot Therapy patients
“
Cindy is absolutely wonderful to work with. I am a huge advocate for physical therapy but I wanted to see someone who can address all the pain I was experiencing and not just one specific area. I... ”
“ Cindy is absolutely wonderful to work with. I am a huge advocate for physical therapy but I wanted to see someone who can address all the pain I was experiencing and not just one specific area. I like how I got 1:1 attention for a full hour. I noticed an improvement almost immediately. She's extremely personable and so smart. Sessions with her are worth every penny and I look forward to coming back whenever I need a little tune up. ”
Richelle W
Canton, CT
“
I have had such a great experience with Cindy. She is kind, easy to talk to and extremely knowledgeable in her field. She goes out of her way to do whatever she can to help you. I couldn’t say... ”
“ I have had such a great experience with Cindy. She is kind, easy to talk to and extremely knowledgeable in her field. She goes out of her way to do whatever she can to help you. I couldn’t say enough about her. I would recommend her to anyone. She is outstanding! ”
Carrie
Submitted on website directly
“
I had been having trouble with my knees for over a year. I had to stop running altogether and was having trouble doing the WOD's at the gym. I had been to two surgeons, cortisone shots and physical... ”
“ I had been having trouble with my knees for over a year. I had to stop running altogether and was having trouble doing the WOD's at the gym. I had been to two surgeons, cortisone shots and physical therapy already and didn't know what else to do. Surgery wasn't an option and I wasn't ready to give up. I read an article about BodyFit and Cindy and decided to give it a try. I was hesitant at first because BodyFit is out of network for my insurance and I didn't know if it would be any different from what I already had done. It was definitely worth it! I signed up for a series of treatments and my knees started feeling better. The pain I experienced everyday and especially at night started to go away. I am working on adding more exercises that I never thought I would be able to do again. Cindy is very knowledgeable and really listens to you. She sets up a plan customized just for you. I never felt rushed and she never looked at the clock. She only takes one person at a time. Most importantly, she truly wants to help you and get you back to whatever it is you are trying to do. My knees are still a work in process but I feel I wouldn't have come this far without her help. ”
