FOOT & ANKLE INJURIES
Ankle injuries are common across the population in children and throughout adulthood,
whether it happens playing sport, gardening, walking the dog or out shopping.
There are lots of different structures within the ankle which can get damaged, with the most
common being ligaments, while also affecting the muscles, tendons and bones. You may
have had an ankle sprain previously which still does not feel quite right, or may still feel weak
leading to recurrent ankle strains/pain.
Common Causes
● The most common ankle injury is to the outside of the ankle, caused by rolling over
on the ankle, creating pain and tenderness on the top and outside of the ankle.
● Poor biomechanics
● Poor foot and ankle stability
● Poorly fitting/non supportive footwear
● Foot or ankle fractures
Symptoms
● Pain around the foot/ankle
● Swelling around the ankle joint and into the foot
● Discomfort when walking
● Heat around the ankle
What Can You Do?
● Apply ice to the area
● Rest and elevate your foot/ankle as much as possible
● Avoid activities that cause you pain/aggravate your symptoms
● Take pain relief if required/speak with pharmacist to advise what to take
● Avoid uneven ground
What Can We Do?
Manual therapy – To help reduce pain, reduce swelling, improve movement, promote healing
Electrotherapy – To increase blood flow to help reduce inflammation, reduce pain, stimulate muscles and increase muscle activation, while also stimulating the tendons and nerves
Acupuncture – Helps to reduce pain, improve movement, muscle relaxation and reduction of muscle spasm and painful trigger points & reduce inflammation
Orthotics (Custom Fit & off the Shelf Improve foot positioning and support, improving muscle activation, promote improved posture when walking and loading through the foot/ankle
Hot/cold – Help to reduce swelling, increase blood flow, reduce muscle tightness
Taping – Help to offload specific structures and/or muscles, provide additional support
Shockwave Therapy – Helps to release painful trigger points, reduce inflammation in the body while stimulating collagen production to aid healing
