Health blog Category: ankle pain
It’s Not ‘Just’ an Ankle Sprain
Have you ever “rolled” your ankle?
Chances are that you have, because what is commonly referred to as a “rolled ankle” or ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries that people experience. It’s important to know though that once an ankle is sprained, the chances of re-spraining it go up dramatically. Fortunately, there are steps you can take in order to get back on your feet.
First, let’s talk about what happens when you “roll” your ankle.
Read full blogCommon Foot and Ankle Injuries
Foot and ankle injuries are common across all populations. Whether you’ve stepped wrong off a curb, slipped in the shower, have trouble standing for more than a few minutes, or have noticed a structural issue physical therapy can help fix the problem. We’ve seen it all when it comes to foot and ankle injuries. A few of the most common are:
Common Injuries to the Foot
- Plantar fasciitis
- Fascia on the bottom of the foot becomes tight.
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are a common injury for people. Ankle sprains are when your ankle “rolls” either in or out and causes the ligaments in your joint to stretch. The most common ankle sprain is when your foot rolls inward and you have pain on the outside of your ankle. This can happen from playing sports, or just stepping off a curb wrong. If not treated properly you can have chronic problems with your ankle such as:
- Decreased rain of motion
- Recurring ankle sprains
- Pain
When ankle sprains first happen you might experience any of the following signs or symptoms:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Tenderness in or around the ankle
- Limited range of motion
- Inability to bear weight
- Pain with ankle or toe movement
To help with the initial pain of the ankle sprains:
- Elevate your ankle
- Ice your ankle as soon as you can for no more than 20 minutes
- Wrap your ankle with an ACE or compression wrap to help reduce some of the swelling
You should consult a medical profession to make sure your ankle injury not anything more serious and to help get you back to your favorite activities.
Read full blogStrengthening the Foot and Ankle
Strengthening the Foot and Ankle: Ankle and foot strengthening is very important in preventing all sorts of injuries including plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains and tendinopathy. Here are some basic exercises to help:
Toe Raises: Standing or sitting with your feet shoulder distance apart, try lifting your toes up off the ground, and slow and controlled come down.
Heel Raises: Standing or sitting with your feet shoulder distance apart, go up and down onto your toes and come down slow and controlled.
Foot and Ankle Injuries Commonly Seen
The foot/ankle is a joint in the body that is made up of a multitude of different structures and tissues that can each be injured in many different ways. Primary structures in the ankle include bone, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and fascia.
There are many injuries that can occur to these structures, but most common include:
- Ankle sprains
- An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments in the ankle.
- Sprains are classified in “grades” (1-3) which describes the severity of the sprain.
Foot and Ankle Problems
There are many reasons as to why your foot and ankle could be bothering you. Some of the primary injuries we see here at LSTC are:
- Ankle sprains
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles Tendonitis
Ankle sprains are a very common injury we treat here at LSTC. The most common ankle sprain is an inversion sprain which happens when your foot gets turned towards the other foot and stretches the tendons and ligaments on the outside of the ankle causing the injury.
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 blogHip, Knee, and Ankle Joints Are All Affecting Us
The knee joint is the second most complicated joint in our body and has to move in many directions. The knee and hip work in tandem allowing us to walk, run, squat and kneel. When either our hip, knee or ankle have problems moving, the other joints can be strained causing pain. Therefore, even if we have pain in your knees, it could be a problem stemming from your hip or ankle.
Most problems in the knee or hip come from either too little activity or too much activity.
Enjoy 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 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.
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