Foot & Ankle Pain in Sioux Falls and Omaha

Regaining Your Active Lifestyle: Treating Foot and Ankle Pain in Sioux Falls and Omaha

Whether you’re an athlete, weekend warrior, or simply want to walk without discomfort, foot and ankle pain can grind your active lifestyle to a halt. At Empower U, our licensed physical therapists have years of experience using non-invasive, personalized treatments to reduce swelling, restore flexibility, strengthen muscles, and get you moving confidently again.

Understanding What’s Causing Your Foot and Ankle Pain in Sioux Falls and Omaha

Foot and ankle pain strikes all types of active adults. Ankle sprains and plantar fasciitis rank among the most common culprits, but issues like arthritis, ill-fitting shoes, strains, tendinitis, and fractures also frequently crop up—especially if you have a history of injury. You may feel anything from occasional stiffness and dull aches to sharp, sudden pains and throbbing. These frustrate your ability to walk, exercise, balance, and live actively. Left untreated, they risk leading to even greater loss of mobility down the road.

Our renowned physical therapy team makes it a priority to pinpoint the underlying cause of your discomfort through methods like:

• Thorough movement assessments
• Muscle, ligament, and joint palpations
• Custom orthotic fittings
• Gait analysis
• Questionnaires covering lifestyle factors

A Personalized Treatment Plan for Your Goals

Whether an elite athlete or weekend DIY-er, your foot and ankle pain likely impacts similar daily tasks and quality of life. Regaining the mobility for your unique lifestyle demands a customized physical therapy plan. Here at Empower U, personalized care is our specialty. Your one-on-one therapy sessions leverage proven techniques to reduce inflammation, restore healthy movement, strengthen muscles, and prevent future injuries. We’ll collaborate to set realistic, measurable goals tailored to your needs.

1. Easing Pain and Inflammation
First, your therapist will focus on pain management to make you more comfortable right away. Gentle hands-on massage loosens tissues while electrical stimulation and thermal techniques alleviate painful muscle spasms and irritation. Specific joint mobilization movements restore normal motion to stiff joints. Once the inflammation subsides, you’ll progress to targeted stretches, exercises, and gait training.

2. Improving Flexibility and Range of Motion
Restricted ankle and foot flexibility invariably contribute to discomfort and poor function. Your therapist will guide you through focused stretching protocols to elongate tight calf muscles, toe flexors, arch tissues, and other areas—drastically improving mobility. In addition, hands-on joint and soft tissue mobilizations manually increase restricted joint movement. With better flexibility comes easier activity.

3. Strengthening Muscles and Improving Stability
Crucial to supporting your ankles and feet, weakened muscles, tendons, and ligaments easily become overtaxed—leading to injury and pain. Specific exercise programs rebuild these structures. Your therapist will assess for strength deficits and imbalances during movement assessments, then have you perform targeted exercises using resistance bands, weighted devices, and body weight. As coordination and endurance improves, so will your stability and shock absorption. Preventing future discomfort.

4. Re-Training Normal Movement Patterns
How you walk, land from jumps, push off for sprints—these foot and ankle motions add up over time. Without realizing it, poor movement mechanics stress joint tissues abnormally.

Gait training re-patterns proper technique while taping methods supply added joint stability. Orthotics and shoe recommendations further normalize alignment and weight distribution. Moving correctly is key to keeping the pain away.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes ankle pain if I haven’t injured it?
Many factors beyond injuries contribute to ankle discomfort, including arthritis, nerve conditions, poor flexibility, muscle imbalances, excess weight, and improper foot mechanics. Your therapist will determine the underlying cause and best treatment path.

What causes recurring ankle and foot pain?
Frequent ankle sprains often cause ligamentous laxity and muscular weakness—instability makes you more prone to re-injury. Plantar fasciitis and tendonitis also plague active individuals with overuse. Custom strengthening and movement re-training aim to prevent repeated issues.

How do you get rid of lingering ankle pain?
While some minor foot and ankle pain resolve with rest and over-the-counter methods, recurring or persistent discomfort likely requires professional treatment. Your therapist has the clinical expertise and array of hands-on techniques to accurately treat the damaged structures causing pain and get you lasting relief.

When should I worry about my ankle pain?
Seeking a quick medical evaluation is wise if your ankle pain results from major trauma or is accompanied by significant swelling, numbness, tingling, or instability. These red flags could indicate a fracture or neurological issue needing urgent diagnosis and care. Otherwise, make an appointment with your physical therapist!

Next Steps for Relief

If stiff, aching feet and ankles keep you sidelined from an active life, reach out today to start your path to less pain and greater mobility! Call to book a thorough evaluation with one of our specialist physical therapists at Empower U serving Sioux Falls and Omaha. During your first visit, we’ll discuss your history, goals, and lifestyle needs while assessing joint mobility, muscle strength, alignment, and gait. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of what’s causing discomfort and a personalized recovery plan. We look forward to helping you get back out doing what you love pain-free. Our exceptional physical therapy delivers lasting relief you can count on. Don’t wait!