Foot & Ankle Pain
Pain in the heel, arch, ankle, Achilles or shin usually comes from plantar fasciitis, an ankle sprain, Achilles tendinitis or shin splints. Our physical therapists in Laguna Niguel treat the foot and look up the chain at the legs and hips, which often explain why it hurts.
Common causes of foot and ankle pain
Your feet take the impact of every step and every run.
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain
Heel pain, often worst with the first steps in the morning, from an irritated band of tissue under the foot.
Ankle sprains and ankles that keep rolling
After a sprain, balance and strength drop, and the ankle can roll again unless they are rebuilt.
Achilles tendinopathy
Pain and stiffness in the cord above the heel, common in runners.
Shin splints
An ache along the inside of the shin when you run or walk, often after a jump in training.
Flat feet and weak ankles
A collapsing arch can send load up the leg to the knee and hip.
Why a foot problem often starts higher up
A foot that rolls in, or an ankle that is stiff, changes how the knee and hip share the load. We watch you stand, walk and run, and in the Sports Lab we can film running on a pressure-sensitive treadmill.
Our blog explains why flat feet say more about the legs than the feet, and what your shoes are telling you about your aches.
How we treat foot and ankle pain
Hands-on care
Manual therapy for the foot, the ankle and the calf.
Strength and balance
Exercises for the foot, ankle and calf, and balance work that makes a rolled ankle less likely.
Running and walking retraining
We watch how you move and change what overloads the foot, with running analysis for runners.
Recovery after a fracture or a walking boot
After a fracture or a spell in a boot, the ankle and calf are stiff and weak. We bring back movement and strength and then retrain walking. For pain that travels up the leg read knee pain, and for returning to sport sports injury rehab. If surgery was involved, see post-surgical rehab. If your ankle feels unsteady or you feel dizzy on uneven ground, read dizziness and balance.
More about the foot from the LOR blog
Questions about foot and ankle pain
Why does my heel hurt in the morning?
Heel pain in the morning, worst with the first steps, is a classic sign of plantar fasciitis. The tissue under the foot stiffens overnight and is stretched suddenly when you stand.
How do I recover from a sprained ankle?
A sprained ankle needs early movement, then strength and balance work. Without it the ankle can stay weak, which leads to ankle instability and repeat sprains.
What causes Achilles pain and general foot pain?
Achilles pain and foot pain usually come from overload of the Achilles tendon or the tissue under the foot, often after a change in training, shoes or surface.
Foot and ankle care in Laguna Niguel, California
LOR Physical Therapy treats foot and ankle at our Laguna Niguel clinic, 31271 Niguel Road, Suite J, for patients across South Orange County.
Whether your insurance plan needs a referral differs from plan to plan: call the number on your insurance card to check, or call us before your first visit and we will help you find out.
Meet the people who treat you on our team page.