Foot and Ankle Pain

Foot and ankle pain

There are a variety of differing causes of ankle and foot pain which often overlap and are multifactorial. Below is a brief list of the common issues that we see in clinic. Physiotherapy can help to work out why your ankle or foot is sore, and how to address it.

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Ankle sprains

Going over on your ankle can overstretch and stress the ligaments and joints in the ankle and foot and cause ongoing issues if not treated correctly. A bad sprain will present with lots of swelling, bruising and pain on weight bearing. Acute management in this phase can include ice, compression, elevation, and crutches. If you have torn the lateral ligament (anterior talofibular ligament or ATFL) there may be a lot of bruising, and once this has settled, it is important to progress rehab to include balance and strengthening.

Ankle fracture

This will need medical attention and require offloading on crutches and a boot or plaster cast until the fracture is healed. After this point, you may need to have the foot and ankle joints mobilised if they have become stiff and painful to walk on. You will also need to stretch and strengthen the calf muscles as they will have become tight and weak with offloading. You may also need to be reminded of how to walk properly through the foot.

Stress fractures of the foot and ankle

Unfortunately, these can be common especially in the sporting population, and the earlier these are identified, the quicker they heal. It is important to look at why these have occurred as they are often due to overload and may be due to biomechanics or training error.

Ankle and foot pain

Although it is possible to get arthritis in the foot and ankle, pain can often be due to stiffness in the joints of the foot and ankle, which are causing you to walk differently. It can often be resolved with mobilising the joints to improve biomechanics and foot function.

Shin splints

Shin splints or medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS) is pain down the inside of the shin. It is often caused by incorrect training loads, poor foot mechanics, and tight calf muscles.

Plantar fasciitis

This is pain on the bottom of the foot near the heel and is often worse in the morning when you first get out of bed, or after you have been sitting for a while. It can also hurt during or after exercise. This can be due to biomechanics, poor foot and calf strength, or irritation of the nerves through the foot and ankle.

Morton’s neuroma

This neural pain in the forefoot may be due to poor foot mechanics, and can respond well to hands on treatment and podiatry.

FHL and tibialis posterior tendon pain

The flexor hallucis longus (FHL) is the tendon that goes through the calf and down to the big toe under the foot. Tibialis posterior is a muscle that helps to hold your arch up. Both can get sore due to tightness, weakness and poor biomechanics, but do respond well to physiotherapy and podiatry if needed.

How do we help you get back on the road to recovery?

Here at CSPC, we have a wide range of treatment options to help get you off the physio bed and back out and about doing whatever you want to do. The physiotherapist will take a thorough case history and assess your foot and ankle, and also joints further up the lower limb. Treatment can include

Taping and sports strapping
Training advice and load monitoring
Retraining of running technique
Referral to podiatry if necessary for leg length assessment and biomechanical analysis
Onward referral for imaging or consultants if required (self-funded or via private medical insurance or a letter to your GP)

To book an appointment, please call reception on 0113 2750606

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Constantly challenging ourselves to be the best

We are dedicated to continually training, challenging and developing ourselves to ensure we are at the leading edge of our profession. The best practices are constantly evolving and Alison leads the internal training at the clinic, working with the team, in small groups and individually ensuring that all staff provide the same high standards of care. All members of CSPC staff also attend regular external training. Many of these courses are run at the clinic with external educators to further expand our knowledge and experience.

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Get back to your best as quickly as possible

Get back to your best as quickly as possible

Foot and Ankle Pain

Foot and ankle pain

How do we help you get back on the road to recovery?

MEET THE TEAM

Constantly challenging ourselves to be the best

Cara Sloss

Hannah Watkinson

Julianna Richardson

Ian Mitchell

Andy Smith

John Swain

Neil Smitherman

Candice Milner

Vikki Mills

Claire Merrett

Carol Hegarty

Lucy Gledhill

Graeme Everard

Louisa Edmonston

Wesley Davidson

Carl Clifford

Damian Buck

Jenny Birch

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