Musculoskeletal Disorders
Physiotherapy for Foot and Ankle Pain
Oftentimes foot and ankle pain go unnoticed as they typically stem from recurrent microinjuries. If you’re suffering from an injury, read more about the benefits of physiotherapy for foot and ankle pain treatment in Singapore.
For both everyday folks as well as elite athletes alike, foot and ankle dysfunctions can be as simple as bruising or a common sprain to more serious lower leg injuries treatment in Singapore, such as Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis or an acute ankle fracture.
Seeking advice early from a physiotherapist is more important than you may realize. It’s important to get an injury assessment from an experienced physiotherapist to address any underlying dysfunction to prevent a minor sprained ankle or foot injury from becoming a chronic or debilitating issue. The best remedy for ankle and foot conditions is prevention through stability and strengthening programs.
We see a lot of patients at our foot and ankle pain clinic who self-assess a condition by researching cures, remedies and exercises online but unfortunately misdiagnose their foot or ankle injury. Self-assessment and improper treatment can lead to more complex conditions in the future or cause pain elsewhere in the body. If left untreated, these small discomforts can lead to further complications.
Our multidisciplinary team is trained in the rehabilitation and prevention of ankle and foot dysfunctions. Our physiotherapists can correctly assess whether an injury is acute, chronic, a degenerative disease, or a condition that requires immediate medical attention.
From prevention to post-surgical rehabilitation, our team treats a wide range of painful soft tissue and musculoskeletal disorders daily with the latest evidence-based research and leading adjunctive technologies to quickly break the pain cycle. Here are some foot and ankle pain causes and symptoms that we most often treat at our physiotherapy clinic in Novena.
Ankle Sprains, Strains and Fractures
A sprain or strain is a common ankle injury due to the stretching or tearing of ligaments. Ankle fractures, on the other hand, are a more painful condition that is frequently attributed to a simple misstep. Older people typically experience ankle fractures more often as bone density deteriorates as we age.
Pain and swelling from minor ankle sprains can render you immobile for a short period making walking or running uncomfortable. The best way to treat a sprain is by giving it a little PEACE and LOVE, instead of the previously practiced RICE protocols.
When there’s a fracture, the shin bone, fibula or ankle joint may cause ankle pain in the surrounding ligaments.
Getting the proper sprained ankle treatment in Singapore is determined by the location of the ankle strain or foot fracture.
What’s more important is whether the fracture is stable. This means that when stresses are applied to the ankle joint, it stays in the proper alignment when walking. Many fibula fractures require a length of time in a walking boot or cast, whereas most tibia fractures require surgery.
Post-Surgical Ankle Rehabilitation
Whether you’re dealing with an ankle sprain, fracture, or seeking foot injury treatments in Singapore, scheduling an appointment with our senior physiotherapist is a pivotal step in your recovery journey, both in the immediate and long-term. Addressing even minor misalignments in your body now can prevent the development of chronic foot conditions down the road.
Our skilled physiotherapists specialize in post-operative care, aligning their approach with your orthopedic surgeon’s guidelines to enhance patient outcomes and facilitate a complete recovery of function and strength. This expertise is particularly valuable when dealing with ankle sports injuries in Singapore.
Post-surgery recovery will depend on a number of factors, although age and pre-operative conditioning levels are important indicators.
Depending on the type of operation and the length of post-operative care required, there will always be a certain level of swelling, pain, reduced range of movement and muscle atrophy. Restrictions in range of movement and muscle weakness will be even more pronounced in cases where there has been a long waiting period prior to surgery with no pre-operative rehabilitation.
Surgery may be required for more significant fractures. In complex fractures, your orthopedic surgeon may relocate bone fragments into their proper alignment and secure them with special screws and metal plates attached to the bone’s outer surface.
The type of surgery can have an influence on your post-surgery recovery. For example, an ankle fusion patient may take at least 6 months to fully rehabilitate back to pre-operative conditions versus a more minor Achilles rupture reconstruction which usually sees a patient return to normal function within 6-8 weeks.
Following surgery, our team works in concert with your orthopedic surgeon to accelerate post-surgical rehabilitation by breaking down scar tissue and activating the body’s natural cellular healing responses with our industry-leading technologies, including MAGNETOLITH treatment, Shockwave Therapy or INDIBA radiofrequency.
Foot and Ankle Arthritis
The treatment approach for arthritic conditions affecting the foot and ankle is tailored to the specific type of arthritis present.
This spectrum includes osteoarthritis and degenerative concerns, as well as rheumatoid arthritis. Among these, osteoarthritis stands as the most prevalent—a degenerative joint ailment that, if addressed promptly, can often avoid the need for surgical intervention or joint replacement.
Arthritis can lead to disruptions in muscle function, prompting other areas of the body to overcompensate and cause additional strain, such as when it comes to getting a sprained ankle in Singapore.
In such cases, the expertise of a physiotherapist becomes pivotal. Their role involves pinpointing these biomechanical imbalances and formulating a comprehensive treatment strategy to fix the condition at hand and restore optimal muscle function.
At times, addressing the soft tissues through treatment can alleviate joint surface strain and alleviate pain. Yet, when the surface is marred, eroded, or fractured, exploratory arthroscopic surgical interventions become necessary to replace the joint.
For ankle arthritis, orthopedic surgeons opt for procedures like ankle fusions. They eliminate damaged tissues from arthritic joint surfaces and permanently fuse ankle bones, potentially extending the recovery duration.
At HelloPhysio, our diverse patient base and extensive experience enable our multidisciplinary team to effectively address a wide range of injuries and conditions. This includes providing relief for complex or longstanding chronic foot injuries and ankle pain treatments in Singapore.
Physiotherapy for Foot and Ankle Conditions
If you have an ankle or foot injury from plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, osteoarthritis, sprained ankles, or tibialis posterior dysfunctions that requires physiotherapy, our team at HelloPhysio has extensive experience helping to heal patients to get them back to pain-free movement.
We offer foot and ankle pain treatment as part of a continuum of care. Our clinic complements traditional physical therapy with the latest evidence-based adjunct technologies to help you build a resilient foundation for your recovery and overall musculoskeletal health. No matter what your situation is, we have a treatment plan that will get you back into your daily active lifestyle.