Foot & Ankle Pain
The most common cause of foot pain we see in clinic is plantar fasciitis which is generally an overuse injury. The plantar fascia is a sheath of connective tissue that runs along the sole of the foot.
Plantar fasciitis may be felt as a tenderness under the sole of the foot and on the inside of the heel. The pain can range from being slightly uncomfortable to very painful depending on how badly it is damaged. The pain is usually worse first in the morning because the foot has been in a relaxed position all night and the plantar fascia temporarily shortens. After walking around this usually eases as the tissues warm up and gradually stretch out. As the injury becomes more severe pain may be experienced all the time, when walking or standing and may worsen with activities such as running or playing sport.
Most cases of ankle pain we see are either due to overuse injuries or sprains/strains. In a lot of cases these will resolve with time however, sometimes they will become chronic and you may need guidance in getting the best recovery.
A sprained ankle is one of the most common sports injuries and is also the joint most frequently re-injured. In most cases the ankle rolls inwards (inversion) under the weight of the rest of the body, resulting in damage to the ligaments on the outside of the ankle.
If there has been no obvious injury leading to ankle pain, then the issue may be due to overuse. An example of an overuse injury in the ankle is Achilles tendonitis.
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have Achilles tendonitis. Achilles tendonitis is an example of an overuse injury causing pain, inflammation and degeneration of the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle. Some causes of this can be incorrect footwear such as high heels, excessive uphill walking or running and poor form when exercising. If not caught early this can be a difficult injury to recover from, but with the right treatment and rehabilitation a full recovery can usually be achieved.
Booking
