Foot and Ankle Treatment
In general, humans take 3,000-5,000 steps every day. Add to those activities such as running and aerobic exercise and we add not only more steps but stress to our already overly-worked feet and ankles. The foot and ankle are responsible for absorbing ground impact, stability and motion of lower limbs and providing balance – all whilst under the full load of the body. A fine balance has to be achieved between all these elements making it particularly vulnerable to injury. Problems with the foot can therefore often create issues all the way up the lower limb and even to the lower back or further. Problems can include:
- Strain or Sprain: Overuse of a sudden twist to the foot can result in ankle sprains and possibly muscle and ligaments being torn
- Plantar Fasciitis: Pain affecting the sole of the foot to the heel due to poor foot mechanics
Common symptoms include:
- Sharp/ Severe pain: Indicating inflammation
- Aching, stiffness and dull pain: Commonly associated with muscular problems
- Restriction: Affecting the foot and ankle joint, causing additional strain on the lower leg so treating the whole let is important
- Weakness and/or swelling: Often occur due to trauma, nerve damage or an inversion sprain
Chiropractic care is a very useful and effective way of treating foot and ankle pain. Your Chiropractor will not only examine your area of pain but also examine your knee, hip and low back. This is due to the direct biomechanical influence they have upon the foot and ankle. Once the cause and condition have been identified there are a number of different treatment methods that your Chiropractor might consider depending on the cause of the problem. These will most likely include a few stages:
- Reduction of Joint Inflammation and reduce pain: Using rest, support and ice packs
- Normalise Joint Function: Using adjustments of low back, hip, knee, ankle and foot.
- Soft tissue and Deep Tissue Massage of the tight/weak Musculature
- Rehabilitation Exercise Programme: Advising on exercises, stretches and general balance and wellbeing to improve strength, endurance and stability.
