Foot and ankle pain can affect walking, exercise, sport and everyday activities. It may start suddenly following an injury, develop gradually as activity levels change, or become more noticeable over time.
At Corsham Physiotherapy, we will assess your symptoms, movement and medical history to help understand what may be contributing to your pain. Treatment will be tailored to you, with the initial aim of helping to relieve your symptoms and support the healing of injured tissues where appropriate, before addressing any factors that may be contributing to the problem.
What causes foot & ankle pain?
The foot and ankle contain many joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, and there are a wide range of possible causes of pain in this area.
Some problems follow a specific injury, such as an ankle sprain, while others develop gradually through repeated loading, changes in activity or problems affecting the tendons and other tissues.
Some of the foot and ankle problems we commonly see include:
Ankle sprains • Achilles tendinopathy • Plantar fasciitis • Other tendon problems • Shin splints • Muscle and ligament injuries • Arthritis and joint stiffness • Sports and overuse injuries
A physiotherapy assessment can help identify the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms and the most appropriate way forward.
Achilles tendon pain
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel and is placed under considerable load during walking, running and jumping. Problems can develop gradually or sometimes follow a change or increase in activity.
Achilles tendinopathy can cause pain and stiffness around the tendon, which may be particularly noticeable when first getting moving or during and after activity.
Treatment will depend on your individual presentation and may include treatments aimed at relieving symptoms and supporting tissue healing, followed by a progressive rehabilitation programme to help the tendon gradually tolerate increasing loads.
Read more about achilles tendinopathy here
Heel pain & plantar fasciitis
Pain underneath the heel or sole of the foot can have a number of causes. One common problem is plantar fasciitis, which affects the strong band of tissue running along the sole of the foot.
Symptoms are often particularly noticeable during the first few steps after resting or when spending longer periods on your feet.
Assessment can help establish what may be contributing to your heel pain and guide appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.
Read more about plantar fasciitis here
Ankle sprains & injuries
Ankle sprains are common and can occur during sport, walking or simply after an awkward step or twist. While some settle relatively quickly, others can leave ongoing pain, swelling, stiffness or a feeling that the ankle is less stable than it was before.
Physiotherapy can help manage symptoms following an ankle injury and, as the injury heals, restore movement, strength, balance and confidence. Rehabilitation can also help prepare the ankle for the demands of everyday activity or a return to sport.
Recurring foot & ankle problems
If foot or ankle pain keeps returning, it can be helpful to look beyond the immediate symptoms.
Your physiotherapist can assess factors such as movement, strength, balance and how your foot and ankle respond to walking, exercise or sport. Where appropriate, we can also look at your gait and how you move as part of the overall assessment.
Exercise and rehabilitation can then help progressively restore strength and function and help you return more confidently to your usual activities.
Read more about exercise & rehabilitation here
Gait analysis for foot & ankle problems
For some foot and ankle problems, looking at the way you walk or run can provide useful additional information.
Where appropriate, gait analysis can form part of your assessment, helping us look at movement patterns and how your foot and ankle are responding to the demands placed upon them. This can then help inform your treatment and rehabilitation.
Read more about gait analysis here
Foot & ankle pain during sport & exercise
Foot, ankle and lower-leg problems are common during sport and exercise and may follow a specific injury or develop gradually as training or activity increases.
Problems such as ankle sprains, Achilles tendon pain and shin splints can affect walking, running and sport. Assessment can help establish what may be contributing to your symptoms before treatment and rehabilitation are progressed according to your individual goals.
Read more about Shin Splints
Read more about Sports Injuries
Fractures & recovery following a fracture
Foot and ankle pain and weakness may also follow a fracture. Physiotherapy can play a role at different stages of recovery, helping to manage symptoms and, when appropriate, restore movement, strength, balance and function.
We also offer a specialist Acute Fracture Healing service, using treatments aimed at supporting the body’s healing process following a diagnosed fracture.
Read more about Acute Fracture Healing
How can Physiotherapy help foot & ankle pain?
Your treatment will be tailored to you and will depend on your assessment, symptoms and individual circumstances.
Our initial priority is often to help settle your pain and symptoms and, where appropriate, support the healing of injured tissues. Treatment may include hands-on techniques, movement and individually tailored exercises, alongside treatments such as medical acupuncture, electrotherapy, therapeutic laser or shockwave therapy where appropriate.
As your symptoms begin to settle and tissues heal, exercise and rehabilitation can help restore movement and balance, rebuild strength and improve function, gradually increasing what your foot or ankle is able to do. Where appropriate, we will also look at factors that may have contributed to the problem, with the aim of reducing the likelihood of it recurring.
If your assessment suggests that physiotherapy isn’t appropriate, or that further investigation or medical assessment may be needed, we can advise you on the most appropriate next steps.
Pilates and foot & ankle pain
Pilates can form part of a longer-term approach to developing strength, balance, mobility and control. Exercises can be adapted where appropriate to take account of foot or ankle problems, both within individual sessions and our classes.
Read more about Pilates here
Book an appointment for foot & ankle pain
Whether your foot or ankle pain has just started, followed an injury, keeps returning or has been troubling you for some time, our physiotherapists can assess your symptoms and help you decide on the most appropriate way forward.
Please either contact our reception or book online to make an appointment.