Foot & Ankle Injuries
Treating your foot and ankle pain
⚫The foot and ankle are complex structures that support your
body’s weight, assist in backward and forward movements and act
as shock absorbers
Foot & Ankle
Anatomy
⚫The foot and ankle are made up of than 100 muscles, ligaments
and tendons, 26 bones, 33 joints and a sophisticated network of
blood vessels, nerves and soft tissue
⚫While athletes commonly experience foot and ankle injuries,
anyone can suffer from a condition that can result in foot or ankle
pain when walking or doing everyday activities
⚫If you’re experiencing foot and ankle pain, you should see your
podiatrist as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment
⚫While temporary pain may be a sign of a strain or injury, longterm pain could be caused by a serious condition that requires
proper treatment
Foot Pain
⚫Foot pain symptoms include:
⚫Swelling
⚫Tenderness
⚫Warm to the touch
⚫Stiffness
When to see a
Doctor for
your Foot or
Ankle Pain
⚫While you can try home remedies to ease your foot or ankle pain,
there are a few circumstances where you should skip the home
care and see your podiatrist right away:
⚫Pain is severe
⚫Swelling not going down
⚫Open wound
⚫Severe deformity
⚫Signs of an infection
⚫Inability to put any weight on the affected foot or ankle
Common
Conditions
Causing Your
Foot & Ankle
Pain
⚫Arthritis - Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation, pain
and stiffness in your foot and ankle joints
⚫Bone Spur – A bone spur is a protrusion that develops on your foot
or ankle bones
⚫Flat Feet - Flat feet occur when the arch of your feet collapses
⚫Diabetes – Individuals who suffer from diabetes need to be extra
careful about the condition of their feet because the poor
circulation associated with the medical condition can greatly
impact the lower extremities
Common
Conditions
Causing Your
Foot & Ankle
Pain
(continued)
⚫Fractures – A fracture occurs when there is a break, whether
severe or a small crack, in the bone
⚫Plantar Fasciitis – Plantar Fasciitis occurs when your plantar
fascia is inflamed, resulting in foot pain
⚫Sprain – A sprain is diagnosed when there are stretched or torn
ligaments in your foot or ankle
⚫Tendonitis - A condition that occurs when the tendons in your
feet or ankle ae inflamed due to overuse or injury
At-Home Care
for Your Foot
and Ankle
Pain
⚫Ease your pain and symptoms with these self-care techniques:
⚫RICE – An acronym to help you manage your pain, RICE stands for
Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation
⚫Over the counter medication – Ibuprofen and aspirin can help
reduce inflammation and pain
⚫Stretching & exercises – Certain movements can help relieve pain
⚫Properly-fitting footwear - Wearing ill-fitting footwear can make
your problems even worse
⚫If you’re experiencing foot and ankle pain with no relief from athome treatments, you should make an appointment with a boardcertified podiatrist to properly diagnose and treat your condition
Treating Your
Foot and
Ankle Pain
⚫Before foot and ankle surgery is suggested, your podiatrist will try
a number of conservative methods to treat your pain including
physical therapy, foot and ankle injections or splinting the
affected area
⚫Depending on your personal history, your diagnosis and the
severity of you case, there are multiple different surgical options
to treat your heel pain, a lot of which can be done in the
podiatrist’s clinic
⚫The goal of foot and ankle surgery is to diagnosis, treat and
prevent common problems from impacting your activity level and
quality of life