Health blog Category: Foot and Ankle
Solving Foot and Ankle Problems
Foot and ankle conditions are very common for every age group. Even if it’s just general discomfort, foot and ankle conditions cause a lot of problems with daily, functional activities. The most frequent complaint we see in the clinic is pain at the ankle joint that can radiate up into the leg or down into the heel. This symptom causes difficulty walking or standing for a prolonged period of time. It can also create trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain.
What Happens When Foot and Ankle Problems are Not Taken Care Of?
Read full blogWalking and Standing Shouldn’t Be Painful
Foot and ankle pain, and discomfort in the heel and arches are common problems for every age group. This type of discomfort and pain makes daily, functional activities such as standing, walking and using stairs difficult. It can also mean we have trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain.
What causes foot and ankle problems?
Foot and ankle pain can stem from a number of factors.
Read full blogSports Related Ankle Sprains
Defining Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are a common injury in sports and are a result of excessive stress on either side of the ankle causing excessive motion in the joint. Most commonly, people roll their ankle inward causing the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch, tear or rupture. Some common causes of a sprained ankle might include a fall that causes you to twist your ankle, landing on your foot after jumping or pivoting, walking or running on an uneven surface or someone stepping or landing on your foot. 
Symptoms of an Ankle Sprain
- Pain, especially when you bear weight on the affected foot
- Tenderness when you touch the ankle
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Restricted range of motion (inability to point the foot without pain)
- Instability in the ankle
- Popping sensation or sound at the time of injury
Why is treatment so Important?
Read full blogShoes can be the Cause of Foot Pain
Extended time using sandals over the summer can result in pain and/or other symptoms of the foot and ankle.
Why wearing sandals and flip-flops can cause foot pain:
These sandals and flip-flops lack the arch and heel support provided by tennis shoes and other closed toed shoes, which can result in pain, nerve irritation, and/or muscular dysfunction.
The Importance of Arch Support
When there is less arch support provided by shoewear over an extended period of time, this can cause you’re arch to “collapse” or overpronate.
Read full blogIs Standing On One Foot Difficult?
Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in the bottom of your foot when you take your first few steps in the morning? Does your ankle feel unstable or painful when you’re walking or running? Do you have difficulty balancing on one foot without holding onto something for support?
These are all signs of common foot and ankle conditions that we often treat in physical therapy. Although there are many contributing factors leading to the aforementioned symptoms, here is a breakdown of the most frequent causes of foot and ankle pain as well as resulting ankle instability.
Foot and Ankle Pain Should not be Ignored
Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in the bottom of your foot when you take your first few steps in the morning? Does your ankle feel unstable or painful when you’re walking or running? Do you have difficulty balancing on one foot without holding onto something for support?
These are all signs of common foot and ankle conditions that we often treat in physical therapy. Although there are many contributing factors leading to the aforementioned symptoms, here is a breakdown of the most frequent causes of foot and ankle pain as well as resulting ankle instability.
Read full blogAre You at Risk for Developing Plantar Fasciitis?
Ouch! If you’ve ever had plantar fasciitis, you know just how excruciating those first few steps are when you get out of bed in the morning. It can feel like you’re stepping on a knife as the tight connective tissue on the bottom of your foot stretches out.
What Exactly is Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia, or connective tissue along the bottom of your foot, gets tight, swollen and irritated.
Our Feet Could be Causing Our Back Pain
You know that old song, ‘the knee bone is connected to the hip bone?’ That catchy tune has a lot of truth to it and explains what is called the biomechanical chain. For many people, simply standing or walking for more than 20 minutes means their back starts aching. This can be due to a whole host of factors, but believe it or not, your feet and ankles can be a culprit.
When we walk, our hips, knees, ankles and feet rotate in opposite directions to act as shock absorbers.
How to determine if We Have Plantar Fasciitis
Many of us may have or of had Plantar Fasciitis, and we are not alone! It is one of the more common foot injuries people experience. The pain can be caused by injury or an insidious onset. Some of the most common symptoms include stabbing or dull pain on bottom of our foot or by our heel, many times greater in the morning. We may also feel or notice that the tissue on the bottom of our foot is tender to touch.
Read full blogFoot and Ankle Mechanics
The foot and ankle complex are one of the most important structures in our body. Our ankle and foot together provide a main weight bearing joint that supports your body weight, absorbs shock, and provides stability to your body. The foot and ankle complex is made up of:
- 28 bones, 33 joints
- 112 ligaments
Controlled by:
- 13 extrinsic muscles
- 21 intrinsic muscles
The extrinsic muscles are primarily comprised of the muscles starting from the lower leg that cross over the ankle joint and are responsible for ankle movements such as pointing your foot.
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