For example, if running is causing you heel pain, stop running for at least two weeks. If you want to continue exercising, try cycling or swimming. Once the swelling and pain is lessened enough to resume movement, many overuse injuries can be treated with gentle stretching and strengthening exercises.
If you are experiencing ankle pain or you have sprained your ankle, using an ACE wrap or an ankle brace will offer extra support. Using an ankle brace or wrap during activity can also help reduce the chance of injury or reinjury of the ankle as well. Download our guide to at-home treatment for foot and ankle injuries. We share tips on how to treat these frequent injuries at-home and when to seek professional care. Treatment for a foot or ankle injury depends on the severity of the injury or pain, how long ago the injury occurred, your age and health, and your personal goals such as returning to work, sports or recreational activities.
For example, if you are experiencing ankle pain related to ankle arthritis, which gets in the way of your work, you may need to have surgery in order to lead a pain free life. However, if you have a sprained ankle, your doctor may recommend physical therapy or at-home treatment to relieve pain.
An experienced foot and ankle specialist will start with nonsurgical treatment options such as:. If these efforts are unsuccessful, then surgery may be suggested. A foot and ankle specialist should never jump right to surgery, and instead should focus on a plan you feel comfortable with and you both agree on. A foot and ankle injury can greatly impact your daily life no matter how seemingly small the injury may be.
At times, it may feel like the pain will never go away, which can cause a lot of frustration. Whether you had surgery or not, recovery after a foot or ankle injury takes time for the swelling to go down or the pain to go away. Broken bones take six to eight weeks to heal but full recovery from an injury to the foot or ankle can take four to six months, and sometimes even longer. It depends on the severity of the injury and the treatment method.
Exercise and movement are important following surgery. Muscle contractions through exercise release nitric oxide, which decreases inflammation, aids in wound healing and helps prevent stiffness. OrthoIndy Physical Therapy has certified therapists that can assist you during your recovery process. A physical therapist will help you with exercises to regain movement and strength in your foot and ankle. They will also help you return to your daily activities and work tasks.
Foot and ankle injuries are common in work and sports activities, especially those that involve running, jumping and twisting such as basketball, tennis and soccer.
If you wear high-heels every day to work and you are on your feet quite a bit, you might start to develop foot and ankle pain related to metatarsalgia pain under the ball of the foot , bunions or hammertoes. The same goes for flip-flops or flats. Here we discuss what kind of shoes are best for your feet. When you know you have to have professional treatment for a foot or ankle injury, paying for these new medical expenses can be worrisome.
Treatment depends on:. Check your symptoms to decide if and when you should see a doctor. Many things can affect how your body responds to a symptom and what kind of care you may need. These include:. You have answered all the questions.
Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home. When an area turns blue, very pale, or cold , it can mean that there has been a sudden change in the blood supply to the area. This can be serious. There are other reasons for color and temperature changes. Bruises often look blue. A limb may turn blue or pale if you leave it in one position for too long, but its normal color returns after you move it.
What you are looking for is a change in how the area looks it turns blue or pale and feels it becomes cold to the touch , and this change does not go away. Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:. You may need a tetanus shot depending on how dirty the wound is and how long it has been since your last shot.
Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care. Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care. Sometimes people don't want to call They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them.
Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call for medical transport to the hospital. But if you suspect that you may have a more severe injury, use first aid measures while you arrange for an evaluation by your doctor. If a cast or splint is applied, be sure to keep it dry, and try to move the uninjured part of your extremity as normally as possible to help maintain muscle strength and tone.
Your doctor will give you instructions on how to care for your cast or splint. If you have a minor injury, try home treatment measures to relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Begin gentle range-of-motion exercises right after your injury while you have ice on your ankle. Perform a set of exercises by repeating them 10 to 30 times. Do each set 3 to 5 times a day. Try the following simple range-of-motion exercises :. Towel curls. While sitting, place a hand towel on a smooth floor, such as wood or tile. While keeping your heel on the ground, curl your toes and grab the towel with your toes to scrunch the towel. Let go, and continue scrunching up the entire length of the towel.
When you reach the end of the towel, reverse the action by grabbing the towel with your toes, scrunching it, and pushing it away from you.
Repeat the exercise until you have pushed the entire length of the towel away from you. About 48 to 72 hours after your injury, start exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon , which connects the calf muscles on the back of the lower leg to the bone at the base of the heel. Towel stretch. If you can't stand, sit with your knee straight and a towel looped around the ball of your foot.
Gently and slowly pull back on the towel for 15 to 30 seconds until you feel your calf stretch. Repeat 2 to 4 times. In moderate to severe ankle sprains, at first it may be too painful to pull your toes far enough to feel a stretch in your calf. Use caution, and let pain be your guide. A little pain is normal, but you should not feel moderate to severe pain. Do this exercise 2 or 3 times each day for about a week.
Then, make Achilles stretches part of your daily routine to maintain flexibility. Calf stretch. If you are able to stand, you can do this exercise by facing a wall with your hands at shoulder level on the wall. Place your injured foot behind the other with the toes pointing forward. Keep your heels down and your back leg straight. Slowly bend your front knee until you feel the calf stretch in the back leg.
Repeat as above. As soon as you can bear weight without increased pain or swelling, begin muscle-strengthening exercises. These exercises should be held for 3 to 5 seconds. Do 15 to 20 repetitions once or twice daily for 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the severity of your injury. Start by sitting with your foot flat on the floor and pushing it outward against an immovable object such as a wall or heavy furniture. After you feel comfortable with this, try using rubber tubing looped around the outside of your feet for resistance.
While still sitting, put your feet together flat on the floor. Press your injured foot inward against your other foot. Next, place the heel of your other foot on top of the injured one. Push down with the top heel while trying to push up with your injured foot.
When you are able to stand without pain, you can begin balance and control exercises. You can start by standing in a doorway and lightly holding on to the doorjamb. When you can do this for 60 seconds, try adding the advanced moves in the next level. Do not smoke or use other tobacco products. Smoking slows healing because it decreases blood supply and delays tissue repair. For more information, see the topic Quitting Smoking. Talk to your child's doctor before switching back and forth between doses of acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
When you switch between two medicines, there is a chance your child will get too much medicine. Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:. Injuries such as bruises, burns, fractures, cuts, or punctures may be a sign of abuse. Suspect possible abuse when an injury cannot be explained or does not match the explanation, repeated injuries occur, or the explanations for the cause of the injury change.
You may be able to prevent further abuse by reporting it and seeking help. To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment. You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:.
Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Updated visitor guidelines. Topic Overview At one time or another, everyone has had a minor toe, foot, or ankle injury that caused pain or swelling.
Toe, foot, or ankle injuries most commonly occur during: Sports or recreational activities. Work-related tasks. Work or projects around the home. Sudden acute injury An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a penetrating injury, or a fall, or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Acute injuries include: Bruises contusions. After an ankle injury, bruising may extend to your toes from the effects of gravity. Puncture wounds.
Sharp objects, such as nails, tacks, ice picks, knives, teeth, and needles, can all cause puncture wounds. Puncture wounds increase your risk of infection because they are hard to clean and they provide a warm, moist place for bacteria to grow. The bacteria Pseudomonas is a common cause of infections when a puncture wound occurs through the sole of an athletic shoe. Injuries to ligaments that support your joints. Injuries to tendons , such as ruptured tendons in your heel Achilles tendon.
Children ages 8 to 14 may have a condition known as Sever's disease, which causes injury to the growing bone where the Achilles tendon is attached. This usually occurs during activity and is relieved with home treatment.
Injuries to your joints sprains. If a sprain does not appear to be healing, a condition known as osteochondritis dissecans may be present, causing persistent symptoms. Ankle sprains are the most common injury in the United States.
Sometimes they go hand-in-hand with a fracture. So how can you tell if your ankle is sprained and fractured? Tom Miller talks to orthopedic specialist Dr Everyone has sprained an ankle at least once.
Producer Mitch rolled his ankle just before his very first 5k. We brought in sports medicine specialist Dr. Christopher G When to Go to Urgent Care or the ER for a Foot Injury Even though many foot injuries heal on their own, some foot injuries require immediate treatment. You should go to urgent care for injuries with: mild to moderate pain, difficulty walking or bearing weight, swelling that does not get better within a few days of an injury, bruising, new foot or toe deformities, or tingling, burning, or numbness in your foot.
This is a long bone that connects the little toe to the middle of the foot. Fifth metatarsal breaks usually require medical care. Staying off the foot and using RICE is recommended right after the injury. Additional care, such as a cast, boot, or crutches, may also be required. Tendinitis can occur in many different areas of the feet and legs. The extensor tendons, located in the top of the foot, are needed for flexing or pulling the foot upward.
If they become inflamed due to overuse or wearing shoes without proper support, they may get torn or inflamed. This is known as extensor tendinitis, which can cause significant pain in the top of the foot. Extensor tendinitis pain usually gets worse with activity, and may also occur alongside swelling of the top of the foot. It may come about after excessive exercise or doing too much exercise, too soon.
Once the tendon feels better, it is best to ease back into activity slowly to avoid inflaming or injuring the tendon again. A ganglion cyst forms below the surface of the skin, appearing like a bump or sac filled with fluid. It often forms on top of the foot and may happen after an injury to the area. The cause of these cysts , however, is not always known. A ganglion cyst can cause pain if it is pressing against a muscle or joint in the foot. It may also cause tingling or burning if it is located near a nerve.
If the cyst is large, it can cause discomfort or pain when it rubs against shoes. Not all foot pain is related to an injury or overuse. Some health conditions can cause foot pain, especially ones that affect the nerves and joints.
Some examples include:.
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