Foot and Ankle
There are many different causes, which can lead to pain in the foot and ankle. There are many bones, ligaments, muscles that make up the intricate system that is your foot. Pain in the bottom of the foot can often be associated with weak intrinsic foot muscles. Intrinsic foot muscles are the groups of muscles within the feet that maintain your medial longitudinal arch, and help with maintaining the functional shape of your foot when walking, weight bearing and running. Weakness in this region can also contribute to pain elsewhere in the ankle and foot.
A physiotherapist at Foundation Physiotherapy & Wellness can assess your issue regarding foot or ankle pain to better understand the root cause of your pain and implement a treatment plan for addressing potential muscle weakness, atrophy, and/or difficulty recruiting these intrinsic foot muscles.
Exercises can also be implemented before pain starts to begin to help reduce the chance of future injury and these intrinsic foot muscles can be very helpful for those with a history of flat feet, high arches, or other issues. Runners can often be prone to foot pain with overuse/ repetitive use of this muscle group, a structured strengthening program with a slow progression of ankle exercises and intrinsic foot muscle strength can help treat current pain or prevent future injury.
Foot and ankle pain is also closely linked to the range of motion in the ankle joint and the strength of the supporting muscles within the lower leg. Endurance of these muscles and mobility in the ankle joint are important for those spending long hours on their feet whether during work or exercise. Short and long distance runners would benefit greatly completing mobility work, stretches, and strengthening exercises that provide a basis for good foot and ankle health. A home-based exercises program is essential for runners and anyone who exercises to avoid acute and chronic conditions that may lead to pain and disability.
3 Ways to prevent and improve foot and ankle pain:
- Improve ankle mobility: Flexibility of the muscles in your lower leg and mobility through the ankle joint are closely tied to the presence of foot and ankle pain. Calf muscle tightness and reduced range of motion through your ankle can alter your biomechanics through the ankle joint leading to more tensile force on your plantar fascia leading to potential pain and disability. Home-based stretching exercises can positively affect muscle length and range of motion in the ankle. Knee to wall holds are an example of how specific exercises can help stretch the muscles of the calf while improving the ankle joints range of motion leading to improved outcomes.
- Strengthen the foot intrinsic muscles: A great example of foot strength is the short foot exercise: This can be completed by shortening the arch of your foot through recruitment of these deep foot muscles. This movement involves raising the arch of your foot up off the ground. You want to focus on raising this arch away from the surface you are standing while avoid any curling of your toes. This exercise is often easier to do in sitting position.
- Strengthen your muscles of the lower leg: There are many ways to strengthen your calves, and the different muscle groups that control the movements of your ankle and foot. A slow progression of heel raise exercises can provide a good place to start strengthening the calves, you can begin with double leg heel raises and progress to single leg and eventually a slow raise up and down off the edge of a step or ledge to allow for strengthening through the full range of motion of the ankle.
Schedule an appointment with a specialist today
Request an appointment to learn more about how physiotherapy at Foundation Physiotherapy & Wellness can help relieve your foot or ankle pain, as well as implement a treatment plan to make your life easier!
Boonchum, H., Bovonsunthonchai, S., Sinsurin, K., & Kunanusornchai, W. (2020). Effect of a home-based stretching exercise on multi-segmental foot motion and clinical outcomes in patients with plantar fasciitis. Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions, 20(3), 411–420.
Gooding, T. M., Feger, M. A., Hart, J. M., & Hertel, J. (2016). Intrinsic Foot Muscle Activation During Specific Exercises: A T2 Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Journal of athletic training, 51(8), 644–650. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-51.10.07