Foot & Ankle Pain
Is Your Ankle/Foot Pain Making It Difficult to Walk, Run, Jump, Descend Stairs, or Perform Your Daily or Household Duties?
Does This Apply to You?
- You expected the pain to subside after a few days or weeks, but it didn't?
- Did you try heating pads, ice, and home TENS machines without success?
- You had a couple of massages, but the pain returned after a few days.
- You went to a doctor, who took some pictures of you and gave you an injection or advised you to take some medications, but the relief was fleeting?
- You've tried physical therapy in the past but it didn't help?
- You've decided that if you just avoid the unpleasant activities, you'll be fine?
We Are Here to Help You Find Long-Term Solutions!
We treat the following common ankle and foot problems:
- Arthritis
- Ankle Sprain
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Posterior Tibial Tendinopathy
- Achilles Tendinopathy
- Midfoot Pain
- Morton's Neuroma
The Most Common Reasons
1. Impaired Mechanics: restricted range of motion due to joint stiffness or decreased muscle flexibility; weakness and muscle imbalance contribute to impaired joint stability.
2. Injuries occur as a result of a sudden impact or stress on the tissue.
3. Chronic compensations: a previous injury or fear of future harm may cause avoidance of exercise in certain muscle groups while overusing others.
Inside Track Physical Therapy & Wellness Approach
- Breaking the pain cycle requires educating patients, using manual therapy, and improving tissue mobility.
- Improve the mechanics of the area's joints, muscles, and nerves while performing daily functional duties as well as exercising/participating in sports.
- Load the tissue to increase strength, power, and endurance so that it is ready to meet all demands without risk of re-injury.
- Look "upstream" to see if the foot pain is caused by a mother region of the body.
Ankle and Foot Treatments
- Bracing, taping, and massage can help to reduce tissue inflammation.
- Stretching, instrument-assisted mobilization, cupping, and dry needling can all help to increase tissue mobility.
- To reduce irregular ankle forces, and improve core, hip, and knee control.
- Calf and intrinsic foot muscles should be strengthened.
- Improve joint nourishment and restore full range of motion
- Improve your single-limb control and balance.
- Plyometric and functional exercises should be increased (jumping, running, cutting, squatting, climbing)
- Improve your aerobic and endurance fitness.
- Discuss suitable footwear options.
Important Ideas to Remember
- Tissues repair themselves. The body is designed to heal itself, but now and then, our system becomes stuck in the inflammatory phase of tissue repair and requires assistance to progress to the recovery phase.
- The true source of pain is frequently unrelated to x-ray or MRI imaging results. Tissue injury that causes no discomfort or functional limitations is possible based on imaging. Pain can also occur when there are no obvious findings on imaging, which is frequently caused by nerve tissue oversensitivity.
- Although soreness after exercise is undesirable, it is not always causing concern. True strength gains necessitate a system overload, which results in micro-damage. When that tissue heals, it thickens and becomes stronger than before. Soreness should be used to determine whether the tissue is ready to handle more load, whether it should be maintained at its current level, or whether training intensity should be reduced until the tissue is better prepared.
- Returning to previous/desired activities is nearly always possible with appropriate education, adequate mechanics, and gradual tissue loading.
Begin Right Now!
What Other People Just Like You Are Saying About Inside Track Physical Therapy & Wellness in Goshen, IN
4+ 5-Star Reviews!
- Jaime A.
★★★★★ 5/5
“My patients get better so much faster than any other location I’ve worked at because we can give them one-on-one care, take time to answer their questions, & make sure they have a plan of care that works for them.”
- Brian S.
★★★★★ 5/5
“They are wonderful. The exercises and stretching are set up to where I want do them. I have made great progress. Very happy with them.”
- Janara F.
★★★★★ 5/5
“I would highly recommend. Jaime was a life saver for me while playing college basketball. Saw great improvement while being in her care. I’ve went to many physical therapist and I think she gave me the help and attention that I truly needed. She is amazing at what she does and I will be forever grateful!”