Foot and Ankle Pain

Your Feet Deserve Skilled Care

Many patients delay seeking treatment for foot and ankle pain until their pain becomes unbearable.  Doing so causes more harm in the long run. They have delayed seeing a physical therapist because of the inconvenience it may cause to their schedule, expecting that the treatment will be uncomfortable, or expect that the condition will improve or resolve on its own. However, most often, these conditions become severe enough with time that patients end up seeking treatment. But at that time it will take double the amount of time and effort to relieve the patient from pain. With our treatment, our patients leave with a better understanding of how to prevent these conditions from occurring again.

Steps to a Successful Recovery

Within the first couple of visits, the patient will notice a reduction of pain in which then we will be able to work on steps 2 – 5.

1. Reduce pain
2. Increase range of motion
3. Increase endurance
4. Increase strength
5. Patient education through a tailored home exercise program.

Many foot and ankle conditions can affect balance, especially in the elderly.

Foot problems are reported by approximately 30% of community-dwelling older adults and are associated with reduced walking speed and difficulty performing activities of daily living. There is also emerging evidence that foot problems may impair balance in older people. (“Journal of Gerontology: MEDICAL SCIENCES by The Gerontological Society of America 2006, Vol. 61A, No. 8, 866–870”)

For example, most ankle injuries involve a sudden, unexpected loss of balance that causes a sharp turn, twist or roll in the ankle, causing the ankle’s tissue to stretch beyond its normal range.

What outcomes are linked to falls?

• 20 - 30 % of people who fall suffer moderate to severe injuries such as lacerations, hip fractures, and head traumas. These injuries can make it hard to get around or live independently and increase the risk of early death.
• Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries. (TBI)
• About one-half of fatal falls among older adults are due to TBI.
• Most fractures among older adults are caused by falls. The most common are fractures of the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm, and hand.
• Many people who fall, even if they are not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear may cause them to limit their activities, which leads to reduced mobility and loss of physical fitness, and in turn increases their actual risk of falling.

How Can Physical Therapy Help?

The goal of physical therapy for foot pain is to find the source of the problem. The cause may be a joint or a muscle higher up the leg which the foot is trying to normalize. Physical therapy provides relief through hands-on techniques to restore joints and soft tissue to a more normal state. We provide patients with proper stretching of tightened muscles and strengthening of the weakened muscles in order to take the stress off of the areas that are problematic.

If you have any questions, give Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy a call!
Reddy Care Great Neck: 516-829-0030
Reddy Care Farmingdale: 516-420-2900
In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy: 516-829-0030

Author

Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy is an outstanding specialty service providing exceptional care and state-of-the-art treatments for the residents of Farmingdale and Great Neck, New York. The combination of innovative exercise programs, manual therapy, and technology together with the expertise of every member of the team enables Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy to provide services that ensure superior clinical outcomes and consistently high patient satisfaction.