Physical therapy is arguably the most common treatment plan after an injury or while recovering from surgery, but it tends to be more effective treating some conditions than others. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to showcase four injuries and health conditions that affect the feet that tend to respond well to a physical therapy regimen.
Treat These Foot And Ankle Conditions With Physical Therapy
If you’re dealing with any of the following foot or ankle conditions, consider heading directly to a physical therapist’s office so that you can begin an effective treatment right away.
- Significant Ankle Sprains – If you suffer a moderate or severe ankle sprain, you’d benefit from connecting with a physical therapist. An ankle sprain is the result of overstretched and overstressed ankle ligaments, and these supportive ligaments are now damaged as a result of the trauma they received. In order to strengthen these ligaments and regain stability and confidence in your ankle, you need to pursue an active treatment technique like physical therapy. Resting or taking pain medications won’t help these ligaments get back to a pre-injury level of strength.
- Plantar Fasciitis – Plantar fasciitis involves an inflammation of the thick band tissues that runs from the underside of your heel to your toes. You’ll want to help strengthen supportive structures in your feet to avoid overstressing the inflamed area and making it worse, and that’s exactly what physical therapy can do. Going about your day as normal can lead to worsening symptoms or even a rupture of the fascia, which will lead to a much longer recovery. Attack the problem head-on with physical therapy.
- Bunions – Now, physical therapy will not shift your malformed big toe joint back into its correct location, but physical therapy has been shown to both decrease symptoms and help to prevent the further progression of the bunion. PT can make life more comfortable and prevent the need for a surgical operation. Physical therapy is a wonderful treatment option alongside footwear changes to help prevent bunions from continuing to grow.
- Achilles Tendonitis – A final foot and ankle condition that tends to respond well to physical therapy is Achilles tendonitis. Inflammation of the strongest tendon in your body can make every step uncomfortable, and the best way to treat tendonitis is through stretching and strengthening exercises to promote healing and strengthening of both the tendons and nearby supportive structure. Eccentric Achilles strengthening has been shown to be very effective at calming Achilles irritation, and your physical therapist can help design the perfect PT routine involving a combination of stretches and eccentric strengthening exercises.
This is far from a complete list of conditions that can be effectively treated by physical therapy, but these are some of the most common conditions we see in our clinic and the injuries that typically show the most progress with physical therapy. So if you are dealing with any of these conditions, or you want relief from a completely different ailment, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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