Physiotherapy for Aching Feet

Aching and pained feet are a very common issue facing many Canadians. Our Orleans physiotherapists are able to offer treatment not only to alleviate the discomfort you are feeling in your feet, but treat its source to make sure the same issues don't arise again in the future. 

Pained or aching feet are estimated to affect three-quarters of all Canadians at some point in their lives. An ache in your feet can range from a mildly uncomfortable sensation that fades as you put your feet up for the day, to shooting or severe pain that can last for weeks, months or even years. Thankfully regardless of the severity of your pained feet, our physiotherapists are able to identify the cause and treat the pain in your feet to make sure it goes away and stays away.

Common Kinds of Pain or Aches in Your Feet

The aches and pains in your feet may express themselves in a number of different ways, generally depending on the root cause of your pain. Here are some examples of the most common kinds of aches and pains in your feet, their root causes, and when you should book an appointment with our physical therapists.

Achilles Tendinitis

This condition is also called tendinopathy and is the result of an injury to and resulting inflammation of your Achilles tendon in your heel. The Achilles tendon is a large tendon connecting your calf to the back of your heel. 

This condition generally expresses itself as stiffness and pain in the area surrounding this tendon, especially during activity and in the morning. 

This injury most often results from repetitive strain on your tendon. This can often occur by ramping up physical activity like hiking or running without much training or preparation. This condition will often be quite easy to treat with at-home remedies in its earliest stages. But, if you let it develop for too long without seeking proper treatment, this condition may become a serious an chronic source of pain.

Metatarsalgia

This condition is the painful inflammation of the ball of your foot. It is often caused by participating in activities featuring lots of running and jumping while wearing shoes that are too tight. This injury expresses itself as sharp, stabbing pains when engaging or flexing your foot as well as numbness and tingling in your toes.  

While this condition can be managed with at-home remedies like icing and by wearing a well-fitted shoe with lots of foot support, physiotherapy is a surefire way to alleviate your pain and ensure you don't reinjure yourself in the future. 

Plantar Fasciitis

This condition is the inflammation of a thick band of tissue running along the bottom arch of your foot called the plantar fascia caused by small tears in its tendons and ligaments. This pain generally expresses itself as a sharp and significant pain in your heels early in the morning (probably during your first few steps) and as a dull ache or bruising throughout the day as consistent use of the injured foot worsens the condition.

As soon as you notice this kind of pain, you should contact a physiotherapist as soon as possible. Plantar fasciitis can become constant if not promptly identified and addressed.

Physiotherapy Foot and Ankle Pain Treatments

As with any physical therapy, the kind of injury or pain you are experiencing will be the biggest determinant of the kind of treatment you will receive for your foot ache or pain. 

With all of that being said, there are a number of common treatments and tests that are run by physiotherapists to address injuries, aches and pains in your feet. Passive physiotherapy treatments like hot and cold packs will be administered in addition to physical manipulation and mobilization of affected joints and tissues.

Dry needling is used to release the tight muscles, predominantly the calf.  Persistent, long standing difficulty, from tendinitis and plantar fasciitis, may benefit from Radial Shockwave Therapy.

Our Orleans physiotherapists will also conduct testing like gait analysis (the examination of how you walk or run and how it may be contributing to a recurring injury) to determine the root cause of your injury if it isn't obvious and then provide you with prescribed exercises that are tailored to your specific injury and improving your stride to ensure you don't reinjure yourself again in the future.