Foot & Ankle Treatment
Did you know…
- 75% of Americans will experience foot problems at one point in their lives.
- Your feet have a quarter of all the bones in your body – 52 bones.
- The foot is a complex structure containing 26 bones with 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles and multiple tendons that hold the structure together and allows it to move in a variety of ways.
The ligaments in your ankle hold the ankle bones and joints in position. They protect the ankle joint from abnormal movements especially twisting, turning and rolling of the foot. Ligaments are very elastic structures. Ligaments typically stretch within their limits, and then go back to their normal positions. When a ligament is forced to stretch beyond its normal range, a sprain occurs.
Like a sprain, they’re many acute or sudden injuries that can occur while performing everyday activities.
Acute Injuries:
- bruises/contusions
- puncture wounds/cuts
- ligament injuries
- injuries to tendons
- strains
- fractures
- bone dislocation
Overuse injuries:
- Achilles tendonitis/tendinosis – the breakdown of soft tissues around and in the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone.
- Stress fracture – a hairline crack in the bone.
- Retrocalcaneal bursitis – inflammation of the bursa, which causes rawness, sensitivity and swelling of the back of the heel and the ankle.
- Plantar fasciitis – inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot, which in turn causes pain when walking.
- Metatarsalgia – an ache in the front (ball) of the foot.
TREATMENT:
There are several treatment options for foot and ankle pain. Be sure to contact Michigan Sports & Spine Center or another specialist in order to receive the proper diagnosis and receive the proper treatment plan.
Physical Therapy/Exercise Training:
- The combination of exercise training and physical therapy commonly includes stretching, strengthening and low-impact aerobic exercises.
- A physical therapist can design a regimen that helps to reduce pain and discomfort and strengthen the muscles that affect your ankles, therefore getting you back on track.
Injections:
- Trigger point injections – a procedure used to treat painful areas of the muscle that contain trigger points, or knots of the muscle that develop when muscles do not relax. Involves the injection of medication directly into the trigger point.
- Facet injections – entails injecting a small amount of local anesthetic and/or steroid medication, which anesthetizes the facet joints and blocks pain.
Weight Loss and Exercise:
- Losing extra weight can also help to lose the pain, and increase your comfort level and your quality of life.
- Exercise can aid in achieving your weight loss goals, and at the same time strengthen your muscles and decrease pain.
Massage Therapy:
- A deep massage will decrease muscle spasms, fight inflammation and encourage relaxation.
Osteopathic Manual Medicine/Manipulations:
- Relieves pain by reducing pressure on sensitive structures, increasing flexibility, improving blood flow and decreasing muscle tension.
Acupuncture:
- Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture involves sticking very thin needles into specific energy points within the muscle/skin in an effort to diminish inflammation, pain and discomfort.
- Acupuncture is successful because it helps to release endorphins and serotonin, which act to reduce pain.
RICE:
- Rest your ankle or foot. Don’t walk or put weight on it.
- Ice your ankle or foot with an ice pack for 20-30 minutes, several times a day.
- Compress and support your foot or ankle with bandages or ace-wraps.
- Elevate you foot or ankle for 48 hours. Keep your ankle/foot propped up on pillows about your heart level.
Sources: WebMD
ABOUT MICHIGAN SPORTS & SPINE CENTER:
We’re innovative leaders utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as musculoskeletal ultrasounds, PRP, stem cell treatment, and other innovative procedures. Michigan Sports & Spine Center is committed to resolving your pain, not simply masking it. We treat the whole body, not just the injury, and perform preventative treatment so your injury doesn’t come back. Our studies prove that Michigan Sports & Spine Center has patient success rates much higher than the national average. We treat everyone from high-profile athletes to your neighbor next door. Our primary focus is getting our patients back into the game of life!