Foot & Ankle Pain
Foot pain, heel pain and ankle pain usually come from tissue that has been asked to do more than it was trained for: the plantar fascia under the arch, the Achilles tendon, the ankle ligaments or the shin. Elevate615 treats plantar fasciitis, sprained ankles, Achilles tendinitis and shin splints in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville with hands-on care, strength work and a plan for getting you back on your feet.
Heel, arch, ankle or shin: where it hurts tells us where to look
Most foot and ankle problems are load problems. A tissue takes on more than it has been trained for, and it complains.
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain in the morning
Plantar fasciitis is irritation of the thick band under the arch of the foot. It typically shows up as heel pain in the morning, with sharp first steps out of bed that ease as you warm up and return after you have been sitting.
Ankle sprain and ankles that keep rolling
A sprained ankle stretches or tears the ligaments on the outside of the joint. If the ankle keeps rolling, weak ankles and ankle instability are the usual reason: the ligaments and the muscles around them did not fully recover their strength after the first sprain.
Achilles tendinitis and Achilles pain
Achilles pain sits at the back of the heel or just above it, and it is often stiff in the morning and sore at the start of a run. It builds when the load on the calf and tendon rises faster than the tendon can adapt.
Shin splints
Shin splints are an ache along the inner edge of the shinbone that builds as you run or walk. They usually follow a jump in mileage or a harder surface, or a calf and foot that are not keeping up with the work.
Flat feet, weak ankles and why we look up the leg
Flat feet are common, and they are not a problem by themselves. They matter when the arch, the ankle and the calf cannot handle the load you put through them. Foot pain also travels with the rest of the leg, so we check ankle motion, calf and hip strength and how you walk or run, not only the sore spot.
If the pain comes with your knee, read about knee pain. If it started with running, lifting or a sport, sports injury rehab covers the return to training, and our running assessment includes gait analysis and video review.
How we treat foot and ankle pain
Strength that fits the foot
Progressive strength loading for the calf, foot and ankle, so the tissue can take the work you ask of it. This is the backbone of care for plantar fasciitis, Achilles pain and shin splints.
Hands-on care
Manual therapy for stiff ankle joints and tight calf muscles, so you can move through the full range again.
Dry needling and laser
Dry needling for tight calf and foot muscles, and Class IV laser to ease irritation around the plantar fascia or the Achilles, when they fit your plan.
After a broken bone or a walking boot, and what to do about your shoes
After a break, a cast or a walking boot, the ankle is stiff, the calf has lost size and walking feels off. Your doctor or surgeon decides when you can put weight through the foot. Physical therapy picks up from there: restoring ankle motion, rebuilding calf strength and retraining how you walk. If you had an operation on the foot or ankle, see post-surgical rehab.
Shoes matter too, because worn-out or ill-fitting shoes add load. In a running assessment we look at your footwear along with your training plan, and we talk through what your foot needs in everyday shoes.
More from the Elevate615 blog on running and training injuries
See a doctor first, or go to the ER, if you have
Most foot and ankle pain is mechanical, but these signs need a doctor before physical therapy.
- You cannot put any weight on the foot after an injury
- A hot, red, swollen calf, or swelling in one leg
- A foot that is cold, pale or blue
- Numbness or burning in both feet
You do not need a physician referral to start physical therapy at Elevate615: Tennessee allows direct access. If longer care later needs a physician involved, we coordinate with them.
Foot and ankle pain care in Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville
Elevate615 treats foot and ankle pain at our Franklin clinic in Cool Springs, and we also see patients at our Brentwood and Nashville clinics.
You do not need a physician referral to start physical therapy at Elevate615: Tennessee allows direct access. If longer care later needs a physician involved, we coordinate with them.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.