The feeling that you need to limp to keep your weight off your ankle. A metamorphosis into a couch (or recliner) potato. These are just some of the ways that people in Ferndale, Washington, may react to ankle pain.
It’s not surprising that people’s reactions to ankle pain are so negative. Nobody wants to be in pain. However, physical therapy for ankle pain can help Ferndale residents react to their pain in a more positive and constructive way.
Three physical therapy techniques that are often effective for ankle pain
Ankle pain is something that 15% of people deal with on a regular basis. Fortunately, visiting a Ferndale physical therapy clinic for your ankle pain can be very helpful. Your physical therapists can examine your ankle and determine the cause of your pain. They can also build you a customized and multitechnique treatment plan for your pain. A few of the techniques that could be built into your plan are:
- Joint mobilization — Ankle pain often makes people want to move their ankle less. This lack of movement and other injury or condition factors can lead to decreased range of motion (ROM). And, a stiffer ankle is often a more painful one. Physical therapists can use joint mobilization to improve ankle ROM and reduce pain. One ankle sprain study found that one joint mobilization session helped improve:
- Ankle pain scores by more than 10% on average.
- Ankle dorsiflexion (moving foot toward calf) ROM by about 2.5 degrees on average.
- Therapeutic exercises — Strengthening, ROM and stretching exercises are what many people think of when someone says physical therapy. These types of exercises and more are known to physical therapists as therapeutic exercises. For ankle pain sufferers, these types of exercises can be very beneficial, especially when they’re supervised by a physical therapist. A study on therapeutic exercise for ankle sprains reveals that supervised exercises led to less pain and ankle instability during the patient’s recovery. They also led to greater ankle strength and joint position sense gains.
- Virtual physical therapy — It can be harder to get to physical therapy when your ankle has just been injured or if it’s very painful. Fortunately, you don’t necessarily have to go to a physical therapy clinic to get a physical therapist’s help these days. Online video sessions, also called virtual physical therapy sessions, can allow you to meet with a physical therapist right in your home. During your virtual appointment, your physical therapist can determine your function and pain levels. They can also show you exercises that can help address your pain and loss of function. They can even offer some home care and movement tips that may help you recover more rapidly.
Find top-notch physical therapy for ankle pain at Whatcom PT’s Ferndale clinic
Seeking effective physical therapy for ankle pain in Ferndale? Whatcom Physical Therapy has a clinic right here in town. Our physical therapists here can do a free screening to pinpoint the cause of your ankle pain. They can then create a treatment plan that’s tailored to your condition and your recovery needs and goals.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can help address ankle pain or to schedule an initial appointment.
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