Foot or ankle pain

Foot or ankle pain can have a big effect on your daily life, particularly if your lifestyle involves walking or standing for long periods of time or if you participate in sporting activities. Heel pain (plantar fasciitis) can also be prevalent in those with a more sedentary lifestyle.

 

The Achilles tendon is a large tendon at the back of your calf that attaches to the heel. It can become sore if it is over-stretched causing a sprain. Please see the leaflet on soft tissue injury for guidance on managing this. The bottom end of the tendon as it attaches to the heel can become sore if it is rubbed by poorly fitting shoes or trainers. We recommend changing them if this is the case. Most sports shops can advise on trainers that are designed to keep the pressure away from this area.

 

A sprain is a common injury to the ankle. It occurs if the ankle joint is overstretched. This can cause damage to the ligaments (The fibrous tissues that connect bone to bone). There might be swelling, bruising and increased pain on movement. Please see our leaflet on ankle sprain for guidance on how you can treat a sprain.

 

Heel pain is usually felt as an intense pain when using the affected heel. Most cases of heel pain are caused when a band of tissue that stretches from your heel to the middle bones of your foot, known as the plantar fascia, becomes damage and thickened.

 

The plantar fascia acts as a shock absorber to your foot. If it is injured you could feel pain anywhere on the underside of your heel. You might be more aware of this pain when you take your first steps on getting up in the morning. With the right help and guidance most people make a full recovery without needing to seek medical help. Please see our leaflet on heel pain for more information.

 

Please take a look at the advice from our clinicians to help get you back to normal as soon as possible.

 

If you feel you need further help, please contact us directly or you ask your GP to refer you to our physiotherapy service.