Health blog Category: Foot and Ankle
Sprains and Strains
I’m sure you’ve heard someone say they sprained or strained something. Maybe you’ve even experienced an injury like this. Sprains and strains are common injuries that affect the soft tissues of your body. You don’t have to be an athlete to experience one of these injuries. People of all ages and activity levels are susceptible to sprains and strains. Sometimes these injuries can be confusing to keep straight, so what is the difference between a sprain and a strain?
Read full blogEnjoy Your Walk on the Beach This Summer
With warm weather and sunny skies, you are likely to go out to purchase a new pair of flip flops to rock on your summer vacation. While your new flip flops may be your favorite, and most comfortable pair of shoes, how much support to they actually provide?
Flip flops can fall into two categories of shoes; Barefoot shoes and Minimalist shoes. Barefoot shoes, are shoes where the soles provide the bare minimum in protection from potential hazards on the ground.
Read full blogIs Foot and Ankle Discomfort Disrupting Your Everyday Life?
We spend a lot of time on our feet so it’s no wonder foot and ankle pain, and discomfort in the heel and arches are common problems for every age group.
How do Foot and Ankle Problems Affect You?
Foot and ankle problems make daily activities such as, walking, standing, using stairs,and running difficult. It also means you a can have trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain, and can have trouble walking your kids to and from the bus stop.
Can an Ankle Sprain Heal Itself…
Whether we are participating in sports, running outside or just trying to step down off a curb, our ankle can twist into an abnormal position and cause swelling and pain. This is what is commonly referred to as a “rolled ankle” or ankle sprain and is one of the most common injuries that people experience. It is always a good idea to wear supportive shoes when being active and warm up prior to exercise. After exercising or walking, it is also important to stretch the calf muscles to prevent them from getting too tight.
Read full blogPut Our Foot Down
Can you put your foot down without experiencing any pain or discomfort? We don’t typically give our feet much thought. However, when we think about it, our feet and ankles do quite a bit for us on a daily basis. They help propel us as we walk, they help us stay level when we are hiking through the rugged mountain trails or through the shifting sands on the beach; they help us press on the gas pedal as we drive; they help us rise up taller so that we can look over the crowd of taller people blocking our view at a concert.
Read full blogFlat Feet: How Physical Therapy Can Help The Pain
Flat feet is caused by many things, genetics, age, weight, etc., and can create painful body issues. A physical therapist can treat and suggest simple lifestyle changes like exercises to lengthen and strengthen muscles, shoes and insoles that will lift the arch and posture builders to engage and strengthen the core. But those with flat feet should understand what happens to the body when there is no arch in their feet.
What Does The Arch Do?
The arches add elasticity and flexibility causing the middle of the foot to spread and close.
Read full blogAnkle Sprain Symptoms
An ankle sprain is one of the most common musculoskeletal injuries and can have long-lasting effects on daily living and recreational activities. Initially, ankle sprains will present with pain, swelling, bruising (bleeding under the skin), and loss of function, which can mean time off from work, without being able to stand, walk and possibly no driving depending upon the ankle that is injured.
Once taut ligaments are stretched out beyond their normal limits, they may become loose, or lax, leading to instability. Often times, after an initial ankle sprain, the ankle will continue to feel loose or unstable for months or even years so it is very important to address an ankle sprain or strain as soon as possible. Waiting could cause further loss of mobility and keep your from running in that 5K you have been training for the past few months.
Common Foot & Ankle Injuries
When is the last time you could walk the dog, go shopping, take your kids to the amusement park, go for a run, or even just stand for prolonged periods of time without experiencing nagging foot & ankle pain? Have you ever gotten up in the morning and felt pain in your heel when you put your foot down on the floor? You’re probably wondering why your foot & ankle would hurt after you’ve been off your feet and sleeping all night. One of the most common causes of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis arises from the inflammation of the thick band of tissue on the bottom of the foot.
Read full blogHow your shoes can impact your feet and ankles
Foot and ankle conditions are very common for every age group. We treat general pain and injuries in this part of the body often at Loudoun Sports Therapy because 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 often causes the patient to have difficulty walking or standing for a prolonged period of time.
Read full blogStanding a lot during the day…
We spend a lot of time on our feet so it’s no wonder foot and ankle pain, discomfort in the heel and arches are common problems for every age group. Foot and ankle problems make daily, functional activities such as standing, walking and using stairs difficult. In addition, it can also mean we have trouble going from a seated position to a standing one without pain. Even taking just a few steps can be painful due to muscle tightness and joint stiffness.
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