Ankle Pain Therapy

Around 2 million people in the United States sustain an ankle sprain each year. Ankle injuries, sprains or other types, are managed well with physical therapy. Ankle injuries can be serious and if left untreated can result in the need for surgery. Early treatment can reduce disability and return you back to your regular activity more quickly. A physical therapist can help a patient with ankle pain fully recover and build strength and mobility to protect against further injury.

Ankle Pain Causes 

Many physical activities can cause injuries in the ankle whether it is running, sports, or even just walking in high heels. Ankle sprains and ankle fractures typically happen during exercise. Sprains range in severity and will typically heal with appropriate rehabilitation. Arthritis is common in the ankle and may or may not be associated with ankle pain. Weakness and stiffness in the ankle may cause pain with certain activities that demand too much of the ankle. 

Ankle Discomfort Exercises 

If you are experiencing ankle pain, there are a few solutions that can help if you cannot see a physical therapist immediately. Rest is important for healing after an injury and ice and elevating the injury can help reduce some pain and swelling. It is also important to maintain movement through stretches and exercises. Improving ankle mobility helps to improve the function of the ankle and the efficiency of movement. Other stretches like calf stretches can help with pain in the achilles tendon. While exercises can help with ankle pain, they should be done carefully or ideally under the instruction of a trained professional. In addition to this treatment, recent research has emphasized a more active management approach to soft tissue injuries, such as lateral ankle sprains. Research points out that active recovery, such as maximizing the amount of exercise without preventing healing, is the most effective.  

When to See a Physical Therapist 

Ankle injuries are extremely common however few people explore treatment options since they believe at home remedies are all that is necessary. This is not true and ankle injuries are often ignored. Anyone who has had any ankle injury should seek physical therapy because things like untreated ankle sprains can lead to more injuries in the future at the ankle, knee, or hip. Physical therapy will help to ease pain and discomfort in the short term, but also help to gain the strength and stability needed to prevent reinjury in the future.