Symptoms in your foot and ankle can include different types of pain including sharp, shooting, burning, throbbing or stabbing pains and can be constant or intermittent – i.e. come and go. Your symptoms can also refer from your back, hip or knee joints and if so, you may also be getting pins and needles, tingling, weakness, numbness, other strange sensations or pain in one or both of your legs and feet.
If the pain came on slowly and is at the back of the heel, you could be experiencing an Achilles tendinopathy.
If the pain came on slowly and is in the sole of the foot, it could be plantar fascitis.
If you have twisted your ankle, please click on the link to learn about the most common type of ankle ligament sprain.
If the pain is down the front of the shins, please click here to learn more about shin splints.
If you fell, had an accident or the pain came on suddenly then you may have torn a ligament or cartilage or even suffered a fracture, so you need to get the foot and ankle assessed by a Physiotherapist or Osteopath ASAP. Even if you have not had a traumatic injury, it is essential that you get pain and other symptoms assessed by a Physiotherapist or Osteopath so that you do not do further damage.
Clicking or crunching in the ankles can be caused by a number of things – please click on the link to learn more about ankle clicking.
Scroll further for information about common foot and ankle injuries and exercises that may be included in your treatment.
FAQ
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is irritation of the thick band of tissue running along the sole of the foot, producing pain under the heel or arch. The distinctive feature is pain that is worst on the first few steps in the morning or after sitting, then eases as you warm up, and returns after prolonged standing.
How long does plantar fasciitis take to get better?
It commonly takes three to six months to resolve properly, and longer where it has been present for a year. Progress comes from calf and foot strengthening, load management and appropriate footwear rather than from stretching or rest alone. Improvement is usually gradual, measured in reduced morning pain over weeks.
How long does a sprained ankle take to heal?
A mild sprain typically settles within two to three weeks, a moderate one in four to six, and a severe one can take three months or more. The more important number is that up to 40 per cent of ankle sprains produce ongoing symptoms or recurrence, almost always because balance and strength work was never completed.
Should I keep walking on a sprained ankle?
Yes, as soon as you can bear weight reasonably comfortably — early controlled loading produces better outcomes than immobilisation. Seek medical assessment first if you cannot put weight on it at all, if there is obvious deformity, or if there is bony tenderness, since those raise the possibility of a fracture.
What causes pain in the ball of the foot?
Common causes include overload of the metatarsal bones and joints from a jump in walking or running volume, irritation of the nerve between the toes, and reduced fat padding under the ball of the foot. Footwear that is too narrow or too flexible through the forefoot frequently contributes.
Can I keep running with plantar fasciitis?
Usually yes, at a reduced volume. Pain that stays mild during a run and settles within 24 hours generally means you can continue at that dose while strengthening the calf and foot. Pain that builds through the run or is worse the next morning means the load is currently too high and needs cutting back.