East Toronto Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Clinic and Trilogy Physiotherapy have partnered in order to provide you with the experienced and skilled care you deserve.
The ankle is a hinge joint that allows the foot to move in multiple directions: away from the body as in pointing your foot (plantar flexion) and toward the body (dorsiflexion).
Below the ankle joint, the subtalar joint allows for lateral motions of the foot (inversion and eversion). Further, joints in the midfoot and forefoot allow for complex motions of the foot and ankle. Foot and ankle stability is maintained by complex ligament and tendon anatomy to support the ankle and arches of the feet.
Ankle pain could be caused by an injury like a sprain, or by a medical condition such as arthritis. Here are the most common causes of foot and ankle pain:
Ankle Sprain
An ankle sprain is one of the most common causes of ankle pain and makes up 85 percent of all ankle injuries. A sprain occurs when your ligaments tear or get overstretched.
Ligaments help stabilize joints, preventing excessive movement between bones. Most ankle sprains are lateral sprains, which occur when your foot rolls inward, causing the outside of your ankle to twist toward the ground. This action stretches or tears the ligaments and is often associated with a “popping” feeling. Immediate swelling over the area of injury often occurs and the pain can be severe. Ligament injuries range from partial to complete tears. Occasionally, a fracture of the foot occurs with a severe ankle sprain.
Tendonitis
tendonitis is inflammation of a tendon. Tendinitis of the ankle usually involves the Achilles tendon, the posterior tibial tendon located on the inside of the foot, or the peroneal tendon located on the outside of the foot.
Ankle tendonitis usually results from trauma, such as from sudden injury in sports or an overuse injury from running and jumping. It can also result from underlying inflammatory diseases. All forms of tendonitis can cause pain, swelling, and tenderness in the tendon in question. Ongoing pain in tendons is often due to tendinopathy.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
The ankle joint is subject to symptomatic arthritis at a much lower rate than the other major weight-bearing joints in the lower extremity.
Arthritis of the midfoot joints and the great toe joint can occur.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue called the plantar fascia that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes.
Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain in the heel that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning or after prolonged sitting. Once you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing or sitting. Plantar fasciitis is more common in runners and those who have a flattened arch in their foot. Also, people that are overweight and those who wear shoes with inadequate support have an increased risk of plantar fasciitis.
Stress Fracture
This type of fracture is often not visible on x-rays but can cause significant pain and therefore is difficult to accurately diagnose.
They are often caused by repeated stress on the foot or ankle such as excessive running or jumping especially on harder surfaces. They may occur in athletes following a sudden or large increase in training time. The pain is usually sharp and localized to a specific area.
Morton’s Neuroma
Neuroma is an enlargement or thickening of a nerve in the foot in the area between the toes — usually the third interspace between the third and fourth toes.
It most commonly occurs in women often due to poor fitting and/or high heel shoes. Other causes Morton’s neuroma may be caused by improper walking form or an unusual foot structure such as excessive pronation. Symptoms include sharp pain when walking and numbness.
Physiotherapy Treatment
Physiotherapy is proven to decrease pain, aid in recovery, and deal with both acute and chronic issues with the foot and ankle.
Orthotics can also be useful for improving an alignment of the foot and ankle. An ankle brace for both acute and chronic injuries can be helpful.
A registered physiotherapist can provide you with an assessment of your foot and ankle to determine the best treatment.
To book an appointment, Call Us today at 416-691-3943 or contact us here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Foot & Ankle Sprains
What are some foot and ankle sprains techniques?
Your physiotherapist will use rehabilitation techniques that emphasize the use of therapeutic exercise to restore joint flexibility, muscle strength, neuromuscular coordination, balance, and improve walking mechanics. In addition, manual therapy (joint mobilization) techniques, as well as soft tissue release is utilized to restore ankle joint movement for return to normal activity.
How long does it take for an ankle injury to heal?
Time for recovery from a sprained ankle depends on the severity of the sprain. Mild to moderate sprains typically last anywhere from one to six weeks. More severe ankle sprains could take several months to fully recover.
How long does it take to treat a foot injury?
That depends on the type and severity of foot injury. Mild to moderate midfoot sprains usually take 2 to 4 weeks, whereas more severe sprains may take up to 3 months.
Do ankle sprains bruise?
Yes, ankle sprains can bruise, but the amount of bruising will depend on the severity of the sprain. When your ankle ligaments are injured from a sprain, this causes swelling and inflammation as well as bleeding (which shows up as bruising) around the ankle joint.
How do you know if an ankle injury is serious?
"Signs and symptoms of a more serious ankle injury (such as a fracture or infection) include the following:
- Inability to bear weight and walk.
- Marked tenderness to the touch about the ankle bones.
- Bony misalignment causing ankle deformity or an open wound.
- Signs of infection, such as redness, warmth, swelling and tenderness in the affected area or fever.
- Severe, persistent pain and swelling that is not improving over time.
If you experience any of the above, please seek medical attention immediately."
Can you sprain the top of your foot?
Yes, a sprain can occur in any part of the foot, including the top. There are ligaments in the foot that connect between the small bones of the foot (from bone to bone) and when these ligaments are stretched or torn, they are sprained.
What does a sprain foot feel like?
There is pain and tenderness in the foot which can be felt on the bottom, top, or sides. Swelling and bruising of the foot can occur. You may have pain while walking or when active. In more severe cases, you may have difficulty putting weight on your foot.
Y Leung
2024-12-23
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This is a great place to take your classes or exercise therapy. I was there for the GLA:D exercise programme led by Sarah Phillips. She was clear, concise and encouraging when needed. The reception staff are friendly and professional. All in all, a very good experience and convenient location too.
Tahira Gonsalves
2024-12-09
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Trevor was great! He provided detailed information (which I asked for 😀) to understand my injury (damaged ligaments on my foot), and provided a very reasonable and doable exercise/physio regimen, which he adjusted as my recovery progressed. Staff at the clinic are also lovely! Thank you!
Cindy Tavener
2024-12-09
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
Great place -Everyone from front desk to my physio Nikhil very focused on my needs.
Nikhil was also a great listener we made a care plan and both reviewed my progress as i healed he was also open to my suggestions.I will be happy to return if /when injured again.
Baran Akpınar
2024-11-29
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I had the pleasure of working with Sarah Phillips through my recovery from a torn Achilles. She kept me informed at every stage, explained what to expect, and adjusted my therapy to overcome any challenges. Thanks to her expertise, I made consistent progress and had an excellent overall recovery at the end.
Beyond her skill, Sarah’s warm and friendly personality made every session enjoyable and motivating. I highly recommend her to anyone in need of expert, compassionate physiotherapy care.
Michelle Hachey
2024-11-06
Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google.
My good friend recommended me to the Dr. was very honest and very helpful in telling me what to go going forward. Gave me exercises to do at home. How to handle stairs with less pain.
Would highly recommend him if you are in pain of any kind. Very helpful and near public transit.
Naeem Toronto
2024-11-02
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I am going to participate in program from Monday,Nov 03,2024
Elaine Gergolas
2024-10-26
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I booked a series of appointments to try and establish a good therapeutic schedule and after the first one the therapist insisted I come back to see her earlier than planned - which I did... booking a 45 minute follow-up that turned into a distracted 20 minutes of her note taking... they did adjust the billing to reflect a 30 minute session but it was not an auspicious start.
Then I received a garbled voicemail that seemed to cancel my third appointment - which I had booked a month in advance. It blamed the error on someone at the clinic who forgot to update the schedule... but both my follow-ups to confirm / reschedule were completely ignored.
Consider another company or at least another location...
VR S
2024-10-18
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the staff is just awesome, I was having pain in my shoulder which few other places were not able to figure out, Danny spotted the cause and fixed the problem. I am thankful to him and East Toronto Orthopaedic staff from the bottom of my heart
