Health blog Category: foot
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.
Fractures, and How To Treat Them
You may have had a fracture or know some who has fractured their bone. But how serious can fractures be?
Well let’s start with determining what exactly a fracture is.
The word, ‘fracture’ is a medical term that refers to a crack or break in a bone. Bones are made of calcified materials, which give them their hard rigid structure.
Serious fractures can have dangerous complications if not treated promptly.
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.
Foot 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.
Read full blogSprains 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 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.