Foot and Ankle Pain Relief

The foot and ankle are amazing examples of fine architecture. Through a series of arches, domes, and pulleys, the foot and ankle are designed to do the contrasting duties of providing both stability and adaptability. They do this very well too, often lasting a lifetime without degenerating like knees and hips commonly do. That’s not to say, the foot and ankle aren’t common sources of pain. On the contrary, foot and ankle problems are known to effect between 15-25% of the population.

If you’re suffering from foot or ankle pain, here’s a few things that would be useful to know:

• Sometimes, the pain of a sprained ankle can be relieved rapidly with mobilization and taping techniques. It’s easy to test, and helps immediately.
• People often sprain the same ankle over and over. There are several reasons for this, all of which can be addressed with a good physical therapy program.
• If the ankle bones are fractured, it is common for the joint to experience some degeneration over time. This type of degeneration is what we sometimes call degenerative arthritis.
• Pain in the feet, and the inability to tolerate walking barefoot are two common signs of Plantar Fasciitis. This condition is simply an overload of your tissues due to prolonged weight-bearing, and a gradual weakening of the muscles of the bottom of the foot.
• While massaging the foot feels very good, the best treatment for Plantar Fasciitis is a progressive strengthening program. It takes 1-3 months to gain enough strength to remedy the problem
• The tendons that both support and move the foot and ankle are susceptible to overloading or overtraining. Even without tearing these tendons, they can remain sore for a long time unless treated appropriately.
• The therapists at Essential Physical Therapy frequently encounter each of these conditions, and can help you get back up on your feet again!

For more information, Contact Essential Physical Therapy today at our Eugene, OR Center.