Ankle Conditions

Sprained Ankle

Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries. Usually, then involve rolling onto the outside of your ankle. They can heal within a couple of days, or last for months if ligaments or muscles are torn. Manual therapy is important to maintain ankle mobility, but strengthening exercises are crucial after an ankle sprain. Gradual loading of the injured tissue allows for faster return to activity with less complications. Read our blog post on sprained ankles to learn more!

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Ankle Fracture

Ankle fractures typically occur from a fall or hard contact. Numerous bones in the ankle or foot can be broken and surgery may be required to correct them. Stress fractures are also a possibility, particularly of the foot from too much activity without the proper support. Both types of fractures require relative rest to allow healing followed by gradual re-introduction of activities. Manual therapy such as trigger point dry needling, scraping, and cupping may be helpful to prevent muscular tightness while activity is decreased.

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Calf Strain

Calf strains are frequent due to the importance of the calf muscles, the gastrocnemius and soleus, with lower body exercises such as running or jumping. Calf strains occur because of prolonged exposure to too much activity or a sudden movement that the muscle was unprepared to handle. Manual therapy including trigger point dry needling to decrease muscle guarding is beneficial along with strength training including an emphasis on power and quick movements if the client is a runner or plays a sport with frequent sprinting or jumping.​

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Achilles tendinitis or tendinopathy

The achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the body because it is responsible for handling significant load with activity. Tendinitis or tendinopathy refer to irritation of the tendon that can be difficult to decrease. Relative rest is often necessary, but cessation of activity will not fix the problem, only temporarily relieve it. A biomechanical evaluation is important to determine if other structures are creating increased load on the achilles along with strengthening for the calf and achilles. Read more about achilles tendinopathy here.

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Arthritis

Arthritis refers to inflammation of the joint and the ankle and foot can be possible locations. Arthritis can be a normal part of aging and is usually accompanied by other pathologies if pain or disability are present. It is important to decrease joint stress by making sure that other joints and muscles are moving as they should along with strengthening surrounding areas. Wear and tear at one segment is typically due to other segments not taking their share of the load, and sometimes gaining mobility elsewhere is all that is needed to resolve symptoms.

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Achilles Tear

Achilles tears can occur typically from an explosive movement such as a jump and normally when fatigued. Surgery is almost always required and rehabilitation can be a long process. Manual therapy is crucial early on to maintain mobility of the affected leg, while exercises are gradually progressed. Strength is crucial, but power need to be emphasized if a return to running or jumping is desired.

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Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis refers to irritation of the plantar fascia, which is the thick connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. This can be a chronic condition that lasts for years at a time without proper care and can severely limit activity. It is important to examine related tissue such as the calf for tightness or weakness because it has an intimate relationship with the plantar fascia. Strengthening is important and trigger point dry needling can be beneficial for the muscles of the calf and foot to create more mobility and decrease stress on the fascia. Read more about plantar fasciitis here.

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Post-operative

Foot or ankle surgery is always intimidating. Rehabilitation after surgery can also be stressful, as you want to assure that the surgery went well. We have worked with hundreds of clients after foot and ankle surgery so we are familiar with how the experience should progress. We are available to answer any questions, even when you do not have an appointment scheduled. We are also intimately familiar with healing timelines and can give you ideas of what your return to activity should look like. Read more about postoperative physical therapy in our blog.

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Sever's Disease

Sever's Disease refers to stress of the achilles tendon due to rapid growth. It is common in children going through significant growth spurts. Our bones grow faster than muscles and tendons, so the leg bones grow and then the calf muscles and achilles tendon are stretched while trying to keep up. This creates irritation at the heel where the achilles tendon inserts. Manual therapy can help decrease stress while strengthening and activity management can control symptoms. Read more in our blog.