Why are feet and ankle problems so common?
Our feet bear the brunt of everything we do in our daily lives once we’re upright. They absorb the impact of all our steps, stumbles, and heavy jogging strikes. Sometimes we also sacrifice comfort for fashion and ask our feet to perform their duties in high heels or other footwear with virtually no support where it’s needed.
In fact, the lower part of your body is such a complex interplay of bones and tendons with 33 joints in one foot alone, that it shouldn’t be a surprise when some sort of problem eventually shows up. You probably won’t be able to “outrun” some level of ankle or foot pain in your lifetime, whether you’re a sports junkie or a couch potato. Ironically, both a very active lifestyle and an extremely sedentary one can lead to foot and ankle pain, with aging often a factor as well.
What types of conditions can be helped with physical therapy?
Problems in your feet can influence ankle pain, and vice versa, as well as put stress on your knees, hips, and back. People often come to the clinic complaining of knee pain only to find the source of the problem is in their foot! There are numerous foot and ankle problems addressed by physical therapists, including:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Achilles tendonitis
- Ankle Sprains
- Collapsed arches
- Foot and ankle arthritis
- Bunions
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Over-pronation
- Lisfranc injuries
How are these conditions treated?
At Body Gears Physical Therapy, we complete a thorough evaluation to determine the focus of your treatment. We’ll examine how you walk, your foot and ankle joint range of motion, muscular strength, sensation, and any other movements that aggravate your pain. We’ll also screen your knees, hips, and back to make sure they’re not contributing to your symptoms in any way. We use many techniques and forms of treatment, including joint mobilizations, soft tissue manual therapy, Functional Dry Needling, muscle activation and strengthening exercises, balance exercises, and functional movement re-training including walking and running.
Our goal is to help you manage and eliminate pain, improve range of motion, increase muscle activation and strength, and restore efficient movement mechanics to get you back to normal function.
Are you ready to take the “first steps” toward making the rest of those steps pain-free?
Request Free Consult at Contact Us Today at Chicago Lincoln Park, Oak Brook, Oak Park, & Winnetka, IL Centers for an evaluation, so that you can begin your journey to healthy feet and ankles.
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