3 Things You Could Be Doing To Make your Foot and Ankle Pain Worse
Valerie van Woudenberg Health Tips

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3 Things You Could Be Doing To Make your Foot and Ankle Pain Worse

Ankle Pain

Foot or Ankle Pain? Have you Ever Experienced It?

That discomfort you feel with every step you take, slowing you down, that uncomfortable feeling when you go up or down the stairs, hurting as the ankle bends, and the ache you have when you sit leaving you completely frustrated and anxious about when the pain will go away…

If this sounds like you, you’re not alone.

Painful ankles and feet are one of the most common things we see people experience at Gage Physiotherapy and Foot Clinic. And, on top of it all, we see people who are frustrated because they don’t understand WHY it’s happening to them.

We constantly hear people say, “It’s just a part of getting old,” because a friend or family member told them it happens to everyone. Or people think that foot and ankle pain just comes and goes over time, hoping that the pain will magically disappear one day. But more often than not, we see people with foot and ankle pain because of daily habits that we do without even realizing.

Maybe these habits are making your foot and ankle pain worse too?

Here are the 3 most common “bad” habits we see people doing…


1. Wearing the Wrong Shoes

Unfortunately, your favourite pair of heels or narrow toed dress shoes could be causing your foot pain (and making it worse). Instead, wear shoes with cushioning. When you wear cushioned shoes, you absorb the impact of your foot with every step you take. Custom Orthotics are perfect for adding more comfort for your feet.

As for the high heels, you don’t have to stop wearing them all together, just save them for a special occasion.


2. Relying on Ankle Bracing

Ankle braces are great – in the short term, immediately following an injury. However, if you continue to wear a brace long after the injury has healed, the muscles around the ankle and foot become weaker and scar tissue will limit your mobility. This will lead to increased pain, and limited activity tolerance, reducing your ability to enjoy doing the activities you want to do.


3. Taking is Easy (A Bit Too Easy)

People are often told to ‘rest’ or ‘take it easy’ as the solution to get rid of their foot and ankle pain. But, ‘rest’ doesn’t mean laying on the couch watching your favourite TV series all day long. It means not to do ‘too much’.

Don’t get me wrong, rest is important – But too much rest will make your joints stiff and tight. Try some activity that is low-impact that doesn’t strain your foot and ankle causing an increase in pain. Activities such as swimming, a light walk on level ground, or a bicycle ride – these are great exercises to keep your foot and ankle moving.


Are you doing any of these three things?

If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of these, ending this habit today will help to ease your foot and ankle pain, and prevent it from getting any worse than it needs to be.

Obviously, there is much more that you can do too. This includes doing exercises prescribed by a Physiotherapist that are specifically tailored for you and foot and ankle pain, along with having hands-on treatment.

But these are the basics, and if you apply them daily, you will see a significant difference.


Valerie Van Woudenberg

Valerie Van Woudenberg

Valerie is a Physiotherapist and owner of Gage Physiotherapy and Foot Clinic . She believes that in order to take care of yourself, a holistic approach to treatment is required. She does this by looking at the whole person and assessing the biology, psychology and social elements that surround a person. Each element creates a unique dimension to the individual and affects how we function and respond to pain. Valerie focuses on helping people who desire to stay mobile and independent and have been let down by previous physiotherapy treatments, doctors or other treatments. She believes all active adults should have the confidence in knowing that their body can stand up to any task and stay mobile without the worrying of lingering injuries slowing them down.
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