The foot and ankle are complex structures made up of 26 bones, multiple joints, and an intricate network of muscles and ligaments that work together to provide stability, mobility, and shock absorption. They play a critical role in everyday movement—whether walking, running, or jumping—by adapting to surfaces, transferring force, and supporting the body, making proper strength and mobility essential for both performance and injury prevention. The foot and ankle are the foundation to our movement and can even contribute to our movement patterns in other bodily joints such as the knee or hip.

The foot and ankle

What Causes foot and ankle pain?

The foot and ankle joints are some of the most impactful, and potentially debilitating, joints in our body. Walking, climbing stairs, running, jumping, in participating in sports all demand high strength and stability of the ankle joint which can ultimately lead to injuries. Here are a few common injuries seen at the foot and ankle that we treat:

Ankle Sprains: Instability of the ankle joint or abrupt movements past the normal range of motion (such as stepping into a hole and rolling your ankle) can stress the ligaments, muscles or tendons of your ankle causing pain and instability.

Tendonitis and tendonopathy: When muscles or tendons become are exposed to forces they are unable to handle or are prone to overuse, they can become inflamed or painful.

Shin splints (medial tibial stress syndrome): An overuse injury causing pain along the inner shin due to repetitive stress on the bone and surrounding tissues, commonly seen in running and jumping activities.

Plantar fasciitis: Point tenderness or pain on the bottom of the heel and/or throughout the sole of the foot that is aggravated by walking, stairs, and even standing in place.

Fallen arches: Although flat feet are a normal and typically benign anatomical variance, weakness of the muscles and tendons on the sole of the foot can lead to abnormal flattening of the foot leading to pain and secondary injuries in other areas of the body.

Fractures: Fracture can occur with overuse, such as stress fracture, that appear as small “cracks” in the bone. They can also present as complete breaks in the bone which are more commonly seen with trauma such as a fall or sports related injuries.

Turf Toe : a sprain of the big toe joint caused by excessive upward bending, often occurring during push-off in running or sports. Pain is typically experienced on the bottom of the foot/big toe.

Arthritis: An inflammatory process of bone that is a relatively normal part of the aging process that can contribute to stiffness and pain in a joint.

Achilles and Calf injuries: These muscles and tendons are a vital part of running, jumping, and change of direction. They are capable of producing and absorbing high forces, but are susceptible to overuse and traumatic injuries.

How do I fix my foot or ankle pain?

Physical therapy is an effective, non-surgical solution for treating foot and ankle pain while helping you return to the activities you enjoy. Our process begins with a comprehensive assessment to identify the root cause of your symptoms, not just where it hurts, but why it’s happening.

From there, we develop a personalized plan based on your specific needs, goals, and activity level. Whether you’re dealing with daily discomfort or limitations in training, your treatment is tailored to get you moving better as efficiently as possible.

Sessions typically combine hands-on techniques, such as soft tissue work, dry needling, or cupping, to help reduce pain and improve mobility, followed by targeted exercises designed to restore strength, stability, and movement quality. As you progress, we shift the focus toward building resilience and optimizing performance so you can stay active and prevent future issues.

The goal isn’t just short-term relief—it’s long-term results that keep you moving confidently.

Get a jump on fixing your foot or ankle pain with these short videos below!

Have a question about your foot or ankle pain that you would like to ask a specialist about?