{"id":543,"date":"2020-05-18T09:39:23","date_gmt":"2020-05-18T16:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kbphysio.ca\/?p=543"},"modified":"2021-01-10T12:53:49","modified_gmt":"2021-01-10T20:53:49","slug":"ankle-and-foot-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kbphysio.ca\/ankle-and-foot-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Ankle & Foot pain: How you can identify Causes & Prevent Injury"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Lets talk about ankle and foot pain along with best practices for keeping your joints happy. Joints within ankle and foot enable moving from place to place. In excellent condition, they give us an unstoppable power to cross rivers and climb mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These joints and the muscles supporting them play a silent role while we carry out various activities throughout the day. Be it standing on a grass, walking in a park, pivoting while playing football, hoping, strolling on a beach, hiking, etc. Even though these activities lead to various forces on your joints, your ankle and feet help distribute this load; all while maintaining your balance on a wide variety of surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Structure and Function<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your lower leg, ankle, and foot help with support and propulsion. For support, they act like a rigid structure to hold our body upright. For propulsion, they act as a flexible structure, allowing shock absorption and locomotion on different surfaces. To be flexible and rigid, these structures maintain high complexity. Many of the bones within our ankle \/ foot are small and unique. Together, these bones give support by forming three arches for a strong load bearing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each bone further has various attachments from ligaments, muscles, and tendons. Plantar fascia, a thick connecting tissue, runs on the bottom of the foot to prevent the arches from flattening. Ligaments connect bones to bones, offering stability to the joint. Tendons connect muscles to bone, storing and releasing energy for activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Muscles divide the leg into three compartments: one in front, one in back, and one on the side. Contraction of muscles allow for movement. In non-medical terms, these movements are pointing toes up, down, inwards, outwards, curling of toes, straightening of toes, and spreading of toes. To know more about the structure and function of ankle joint, I have linked an anatomy video at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ankle and Foot Pain Causes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ankle and foot pain can occur in any or multiple parts from below your lower leg. It can vary in nature from a dull and achy to burning and piercing. Pain can be mild and temporary. Sometimes progressing to chronic pain and persisting throughout a lifetime. Pain can occur with first steps in the morning, during movements, or after completing exercises. Sharp or constant pain can also affect work and leisure. Depending on the cause of pain; lack of movement, stiffness, weakness, numbness, swelling, or bruising can also be present. Some common reasons for pain are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n