myPTpro Knowledge Base - Ankle/Foot
Ankle Pain
The ankle is a "hinged" joint capable of moving the foot in two primary directions: away from the body (plantar flexion) and toward the body (dorsiflexion). It is formed by the meeting of three bones. The end of the shinbone of the leg (tibia) and a small bone in the leg (fibula) meet a large bone in the foot, called the talus, to form the ankle. The end of the shin bone (tibia) forms the inner portion of the ankle, while the end of the fibula forms the outer portion of the ankle. The hard bony knobs on each side of the ankle are called the malleoli.
Read moreShin Splints
The term shin splints refers to pain along the inside or outside of the tibia (the main shin bone you can feel by running your fingers down the front of your lower leg). Read on below for more FAQs on Shin Splints.
Read morePronation
Pronation is simply the unlocking of the bones in the ankle and foot that allow the arch to fall so the foot can adapt to the ground surface and absorb shock. Read on for specific questions regarding pronation.
Read moreForefoot Pain
Problems in the forefoot are those around the ball of your foot and where all of the toes join the foot. This area is prone to bruising, bunions and nerves being pinched. Click on the heading to see the FAQs for this area of your foot.
Read moreMid-foot Pain
Mid-foot problems are those that involve the instep, across the top of the foot, rather than along the bottom, through the arch. Problems in this area are typically related to stress fractures or ligament sprains. If you are experiencing pain along the top or outside of your foot between your ankle and forefoot, please click on this topic to see the related FAQs.
Read moreHeel/Arch Pain
Problems in the foot can be extremely painful. With the weight of the body coming down through the foot with every step, pain can severely limit a person's activities. In many cases, simple stretches and/or strengthening can fix the problem. Usually a good addition to any lower leg problem is working on neuromuscular control, or balance and coordination. Click this title to read about specific heel and arch problems here...
Read moreAnkle Sprain
A sprain is a stretched or torn ligament. A stretch with minimal tearing is a grade one sprain. Moderate tearing with pain and swelling is a grade two sprain. Finally, a complete tear of the ligament is a grade three sprain. Sprains will typically result in weakness as well as disrupted proprioception, or balance. Both of these areas must be addressed in the Rehab program to insure success.
Read moreAchilles Tendon Pain
The Achilles tendon transmits the force from the calf muscles to the heel to create a push-off through the foot. Typically the weakest area of this very strong muscle tendon unit is at the junction where the muscle and tendon join.
Read moreArch Pain
Each foot contains 24 bones, which form two arches. The longitudinal arch runs the length of the foot, and the transverse arch runs the width. The bones of the arch are primarily held together by the shape with which they fit with each other and by fibrous tissues known as ligaments that serve to hold the bones to each other. The muscles of the foot, along with a tough, sinewy tissue known as the plantar fascia, provide secondary support to the foot. There are also fat pads in the foot to help with weight-bearing and absorbing impact. Read more
Shin Splints
Shin splints are injuries to the front of the outer leg. While the exact injury is not known, shin splints seem to result from inflammation from injury to the tendon (posterior peroneal tendon) and adjacent tissues in the front of the outer leg. Read more
