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Foot and Ankle Injuries

Many foot problems can be corrected with Orthotics

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the strong tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and connects the heel to the base of the toes. This common overuse injury is characterized by heel pain that is worse in the morning with the first few steps.

Potential Causes Include:

Tight Achilles tendon
Flat or high arches
Poor shoe support
Sudden increase in activity level

Effective Treatment Will Address decreasing pain, restoring flexibility to tight structures surrounding the arch and ankle, strengthening the muscles in and around the foot, addressing faulty biomechanics and possible orthotic intervention, and a GRADUAL return to full activity.

Your physical therapist can design a rehabilitation program that is the most appropriate for you.

Injuries of the foot and ankle range from sprains, strains, fractures and overuse trauma.

The most common type of injury is a sprain. A sprain results from the stretching and tearing of ligaments which are fibrous bands connecting bones in a joint.

Although sprains of a ligament frequently occur during athletic competition or exercise, ankles are just as often injured during daily activities like stepping off a curb or onto uneven ground.

Treatment for Foot and Ankle Injuries *

Most soft tissue injuries (sprains) can be effectively treated by the following principle: R-I-C-E

REST (AS NEEDED, MAINTAIN MOTION WITHIN PAIN TOLERANCE)
ICE (USE ICE BAG OR COLD PACK ON INJURED AREA WITH A LAYER OF DAMP CLOTH IN BETWEEN)
COMPRESSION (USE AN ELASTIC WRAP TO GENTLY COMPRESS THE AREA)
ELEVATION (KEEPING BODY PART HIGHER THAN HEART LEVEL)

*Treatment protocols vary depending on the type and severity of injury.