Why Physiotherapy or Chiropractic is the Right Choice for Treating Foot Pain
Did you know that up to 36% of people have foot pain each year? Sometimes, the pain is mild and resolves on its own. But other times, the pain is debilitating and needs added support to improve. If your foot pain keeps you from your favourite activities, the clinicians at Momentum Health will help you find a solution that works!
Foot pain can stem from various conditions, including plantar fasciitis, bunions, and hammertoes. We’ll help you identify what is causing your issues, then provide you with a customized treatment plan that addresses your particular needs, symptoms, and goals.
If necessary, our physiotherapists and chiropractors can also provide customized footwear, custom orthotics, and other effective drug-free treatment options like exercise prescription and manual therapy. No matter what you need, we want you to get the results you’re looking for.
By employing a blend of evidence-based treatment methods, we’ll help you to conquer your foot pain and restore your ability to complete daily activities.
Schedule an appointment at our Creekside, Deerfoot, Mahogany, Ogden, Seton, Westbrook, West Springs, Evidence North, Evidence South or National Spine & Wellness physiotherapy and chiropractic clinics to get started on a scientifically-backed treatment for your foot pain.
Understanding the Common Causes of Foot Pain
To provide the most effective treatment for your foot pain, it’s important that we get at the pain’s source. Once the physiotherapists at Momentum Health know what’s causing your pain, we can identify the best course of treatment to address your unique needs.
Here are some of the most common sources of persistent foot pain:
Plantar Fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue connecting the heel to the toes. When it becomes inflamed, it can cause sharp pain in the heel. Our clinicians have found Shockwave therapy to be an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis.
Bunion
These bony protrusions commonly found at the base of the big toe joint, causing the big toe to angle inward, leading to pain, swelling, and discomfort.
Metatarsalgia
This condition refers to pain and inflammation in the ball of the foot. Overuse, improper footwear, or high-impact activities are all common causes.
Stress Fractures
These tiny cracks in the bones of the foot can develop from the repetitive impact of running or other high-impact activities. They cause localized pain and tenderness, often in the metatarsal bones (the long bones in the middle of the foot) or the heel bone.
Flat Feet
A condition occurs when the foot arch collapses or is underdeveloped, potentially leading to pain and discomfort in the feet, ankles, or lower leg.
High Arches
An excessively high arch of the foot can cause pain, instability, and increased pressure on the ball and heel of the foot.
Hammertoes
This condition refers to an abnormal bending of one or more toe joints, creating an unusual appearance and painful pressure points.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
The tarsal tunnel is a groove for a nerve that runs from the lower leg down to the foot. If that nerve is irritated or pinched, it can lead to often-debilitating pain and inflammation. Common symptoms include sharp, shooting pain, tingling and numbness, or a burning sensation.
Morton’s Neuroma
This condition refers to a thickening of the tissue around the nerve that goes to your toes. This can cause sharp pain, numbness, and/or tingling in the ball of the foot.
While there are many potential sources of foot pain, physiotherapy and chiropractic care is a proven treatment option to reduce discomfort, improve mobility, and help you get back to the activities you love.
Finding Foot Pain Relief with Physiotherapy
Our physiotherapists conduct a comprehensive evaluation to understand the root cause of your discomfort and create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific condition, symptoms, and goals.
At your initial appointment, our physiotherapists will thoroughly review your symptoms and health history, then perform a comprehensive, hands-on assessment to identify any structural or functional issues. We’ll perform relevant testing of your range of motion, strength, proprioception/balance, gait (how you walk), and joint stability.
Why do we go in-depth in our assessment? Because it gives us a complete understanding of your condition, helping us to identify any injuries or impairments that may contribute to your foot pain. From there, we can customize a treatment plan around your exact needs.
Our evidence-based interventions are designed to reduce pain, improve tissue and joint mobility, enhance strength, and restore overall function. Here are some of the approaches we might take in your treatment:
- Manual Therapy: This includes hands-on techniques such as joint mobilizations and manipulation to reduce joint stiffness, alleviate muscle tension and improve range of motion.
- Soft Tissue Massage: These techniques, which include myofascial release, active release, petrissage, effleurage, and trigger point release, target tight muscles and fascia, promoting relaxation, improved range of motion, and circulation.
- Exercise Prescription: Targeted stretching and strengthening exercises will help restore any affected muscles, ligaments, or tendons in your foot, improving flexibility, stability, and overall function.
- Balance and Proprioception Training: These exercises improve overall stability and your body’s awareness in space, helping you move confidently and reducing the risk of injury during daily activities and sports.
- Gait Retraining: We’ll use gait analysis to identify and correct biomechanical issues in your walking or running patterns that may be contributing to your foot pain.
- Orthotics and Footwear Recommendations: Our therapists provide advice on the best footwear and orthotics to support your foot’s unique structure, alleviate pain, and promote proper alignment.
- Dry needling IMS: This technique involves the insertion of fine acupuncture needles into taut bands of muscle that contain a knot or trigger point, which works on several levels within the body to assist in releasing tight and sore muscles.
- Shockwave: This non-invasive medical treatment uses high-energy shockwaves to promote healing in damaged tissue. It has been shown to be very effective in chronic plantar fasciitis.
By utilizing these scientifically-proven treatments, the physiotherapists and chiropractors at Momentum Health in Creekside, Deerfoot, Mahogany, Ogden, Seton, Westbrook, West Springs, Evidence North, Evidence South and National Spine & Wellness will help you conquer foot pain. We hope to get you back on your feet – and back to a healthy, active lifestyle – in no time!
Schedule your assessment today to find a solution that works!
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