What we are talking about
Ankle and foot carry the whole weight of the body on a very small surface, thousands of times a day. This is where the sprain from a game ends up, the heel that burns on the first steps of the morning, the Achilles tendon that swelled after you started running again, the big toe that no longer bends.
The thread linking almost all of these is the same: a load that changed too quickly, on a structure that was not ready for it. New shoes, extra kilometres, a job that keeps you on your feet all day, weight that has gone up.
And there is a second thread: after a sprain, the foot loses its sense of where it is in space. If that is not retrained, the ankle stays unstable for years and the sprains repeat. It is the most neglected part and the most recoverable.
When it makes sense to get seen
The most frequent reasons people come to us in this area:
- An ankle that still «goes» months or years after the sprain
- Pain under the heel on the first steps of the morning that then eases off
- The Achilles tendon swollen or sore after increasing your running
- Pain under the forefoot or the big toe when you push off to walk
- The foot tiring after only a few hours standing
- Fear of going back to running or playing after an injury
What can be done remotely, and what cannot
This area lends itself well to remote work, for one precise reason: almost all of it runs through exercise and load.
What can be done remotely
- Working out what changed before the pain appeared: that is almost always where the cause is
- Watching you walk, step up onto a stair, stand on one leg
- Building the proprioception and balance work, which is the heart of recovery
- Programming the load progression: how much, when, at what pace to return
- Thinking through footwear and how to organise a day on your feet
What cannot
- Manual therapy on the ankle and passive mobilisations
- Functional taping and strapping applied by us
- Gait analysis on a platform or instrumented assessment
If the injury is recent, the foot will not take weight or there is major swelling, the first stop is a doctor to rule out a fracture. We tell you that straight away.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an ankle sprain take to heal?
Pain and swelling go within a few weeks, but stability takes much longer. It is precisely in that window, once it «no longer hurts», that the difference is decided between an ankle that holds and one that will give way again.
Do insoles help?
Sometimes yes, as temporary support while you work on the cause. Almost never on their own and almost never forever: a foot that is not strengthened stays dependent on the support. They should be assessed case by case by whoever prescribes them.
Can I keep running with plantar fasciitis?
Often yes, but not as before. You reduce the volume, change the surface, work on load and mobility. Stopping completely is rarely the answer, and starting again as if nothing happened is not either.
Why does it hurt more in the morning?
Overnight the tissue shortens and «cools»: the first steps load it cold. It is a typical sign of plantar fasciitis and it usually eases after a few minutes of walking.
