Foot Excercises and Stretches
Strengthen Foot Muscles
Pull the towel under your foot with toes/arch for 3 minutes at a time. Repeat 3 times
Plantar Fascia Stretch
Fill a small plastic water bottle with water and freeze. Roll bottom of foot on frozen bottle for 10 minutes. Wait 50 minutes before repeating. Repeat 3 times throughout the day.
Heel Cord Stretch
Sitting on the table or ground, hold your leg straight out in front of you. Loop a towel or belt around the ball of your foot, holding the ends with one hand. With knee slightly bent, steadily pull the towel or belt toward you to stretch your calf muscles. Hold for 30 seconds and then relax. Repeat 10 times, 3 times daily.
Achilles Stretch
Face wall, about two paces away and with one foot in front of you. Keeping both heels flat on the floor, lean forward into the wall stretching out your calf. Hold for 30 seconds then relax, repeat 10 times, 3 times daily.
As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.
Chronic lateral ankle pain is recurring or chronic pain on the outside part of the ankle that often develops after an injury such as a sprained ankle.
Signs and symptoms include:
- Ankle instability.
- Difficulty walking on uneven ground or in high heels.
- Pain, sometimes intense, on the outer side of the ankle.
- Repeated ankle sprains.
- Stiffness.
- Swelling.
- Tenderness.
Although ankle sprains are the most common cause of chronic lateral ankle pain, other causes may include:
- A fracture in one of the bones that make up the ankle joint.
- Arthritis of the ankle joint.
- Inflammation of the joint lining.
- Injury to the nerves that pass through the ankle. In this case, the nerves become stretched, torn, injured by a direct blow, or pinched under pressure.
- Scar tissue in the ankle after a sprain. The scar tissue takes up space in the joint, putting pressure on the ligaments.
- Torn or inflamed tendon.
Treatments for chronic lateral ankle pain include:
- Over the counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medications to reduce swelling. Note: Please consult your physician before taking any medications.
- Physical therapy, including tilt-board exercises that focus on strengthening the muscles, restoring range of motion, and increasing your perception of joint position.
- Ankle braces or other supports.
- Steroid medication.
- Immobilization to allow the bone to heal (in cases of fractures).