Did you know chiropractic care isn’t just for treating back pain? Your chiropractor can also help by assessing, diagnosing and treating other musculoskeletal conditions, including injuries to your feet and ankles.
Your foot is made up of 26 bones and 33 joints, while the ankle joint consists of 3 bones and 2 joints. It’s a more complex and important part of your body than you might realise. Feet are not only designed to support the weight of the rest of your body but are also flexible enough to carry you over uneven terrain and assist your balance. They also play an important role in shock absorption, proper movement, and alignment of the joints in your legs and hips (1).
Common injuries of the foot and ankles
Musculoskeletal problems with the foot and ankle are increasingly common and can have a serious impact on your lifestyle (2). Factors such as gender and age or conditions such as arthritis can affect the health of your feet and ankles (3).
Common injuries that can affect the foot and ankle, which your chiropractor may be able to help with, include:
Plantar fasciitis (4)
Achilles tendinopathy
Stress fracture
Ankle sprain (5)
Calf muscle strain
The combination of mobility and stability in the foot and ankle is crucial to proper movement and balance. When one or the other isn’t working the way it should be, it can lead to foot, ankle, leg and even lower back pain(1)
How your chiropractor can help
Your chiropractor’s main role is to assess and diagnose musculoskeletal conditions to help reduce any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing. Physical therapy, joint manipulation and mobilisation have been shown to be effective treatment for some foot disorders and injuries (5,6,7).
Your chiropractor can help by:
Assessing the biomechanics of your foot and ankle to identify the root cause of the problem, so you can decide on an effective treatment.
Performing gait assessment and foot scans to see if you may need interventions such as heel lifts or orthotics.
Releasing muscle tension using soft tissue work or dry needling.
Mobilising joints to reduce load, improve flexibility, strength, and support of the feet and ankles (6).
Developing a strengthening program to help support surrounding muscles as you’re recovering from injury.
Effectively and quickly addressing problems in your feet and ankles is important for maintaining your lifestyle and for your overall health.
With a thorough understanding of joint health and manual manipulations, your chiropractor can be a big help with this. So, get in touch today to discuss your situation and how our team can help.
Sources
1 V Kothekar et al., Foot and Ankle Structure and Function, Physiopedia, 2022
5 E J Slaven, J Mathers., Management of chronic ankle pain using joint mobilization and ASTYM® treatment: a case report, Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy, 2011
6 M Hoffman, C DerSarkissian., Picture of the Feet, WebMD, 2021
4 T wheeler., What Is Plantar Fasciitis?, WebMD, 2021
7 D Cashley., Manipulative therapy in the treatment of non-responsive foot pain: A case study, International Musculoskeletal Medicine, 2012
2 S Rao, J L Riskowski, M T Hannan, Musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle: Assessments and treatment options, Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 2012
3 C L Brockett, G J Chapman., Biomechanics of the ankle, Orthop Trauma, 2016