Suffering with Chronic Ankle Instability? We can help!

1. Do you experience your ankles giving way when walking or doing other activities, or even just standing?

2. Do you experience chronic pain or swelling in your ankle?

3. Does your ankle feel wobbly or unstable?

4. Have you experienced multiple sprained ankles in your lifetime?

5. Are you an athlete or especially physically active?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you might suffer from chronic ankle instability. This condition usually develops after a person has suffered repeated sprains, and leads not just to a giving-out of the ankle but also to pain and swelling. Sprained ankles are a very common injury, with more than 25,000 people suffering a sprain each day. When left untreated, the ligaments that were sprained could heal with one in a lengthened position or with scar tissue, which leads to ankle instability.

Another cause of ankle instability is over or under-pronation. Pronation is the motion of the foot as it rolls, and if you have a tendency toward over or under-pronation, you are putting more stress on one side of your ankle.

You don’t have to be an athlete to suffer from chronic ankle instability. Many things we do in our daily lives can cause this condition, including wearing high heels or loose-fitting clogs, tripping and falling, or landing awkwardly after a jump.

Treatments

If you’re suffering from the frustration and pain of ankle instability, Foster Chiropractic can help. The first step in the treatment process is to come in for an assessment. We will assess range of motion and possibly do an x-ray to examine your ankle. Next we’ll look at treatment options, which include:

Chiropractic Adjustment. This helps improve blood flow to the ankle which reduces pain and inflammation, as well as strengthening the joint. Adjustments can help increase mobility and flexibility. Scott Foster is certified as an extremity practitioner, so he brings a special expertise to conditions such as ankle instability.

Orthotics. Customized orthotics can help keep the ankle in alignment and prevent excessive pronation. At Foster Chiropractic, we use Foot Levelers to assess your gait and create custom orthotics to help improve your ankle’s performance.

Strengthening exercises. Foster Chiropractic takes a holistic approach to healing, which means we want to give you practices to improve your health both in and out of the office. For people with chronic ankle instability, we provide exercises to do at home that will help improve the strength and stability of your ankle.

If you suffer from chronic ankle instability, contact our team at Foster Chiropractic today. We can schedule a consultation to help you find a way to enjoy the activities you love pain-free.

Flip Flops: Proceed with Caution

Now that the warm weather is here to stay, summer fashions are on full display. Guys and girls are moving out the boots and tennis shoes to sport flip flops and sandals. Flip flops used to be relegated to the beach or the pool, but are now footwear staples, worn at work, play and every occasion, everywhere.

As with many shoe choices, flip flops don’t come without a cost. And that cost is a lot higher than the $4 you paid for them at your favorite shopping center. An Auburn study found flip flops alter the gait of the person wearing them. The fact that they’re held on to your foot by just a thin strap between your toes means your toes work harder to grip with each step, and the loose back adds to the feeling of instability. This makes a person’s stride more halted, with smaller steps and more pressure on the ball of the foot than the heel. The change in gait can lead to pain in the feet, hips, and lower back.

Other issues caused by flip flops include:

·      Tendonitis caused by over gripping that leads to overuse of the muscles

·      Stress fractures from repetitive trauma sustained from lack of shock absorption in the shoe

·      Plantar fasciitis from lack of arch support.

Shoes are to the body like tires are to a car. Alignment, support, and ride quality of your shoes are all important in keeping you on the road of health.

Don’t Throw Your Flip Flops Away Yet

While flip flops can cause many problems, there’s no need to completely deny yourself the enjoyment of wearing them. Pick a pair you really like and make sure to wear those to the pool or the beach. Nothing is better when it comes to shoes that you can slip off quickly to jump in the water. 

It also helps to pay a little more to get a good flip flop. Choose something with some arch support to help alleviate foot pain. You could also look for flip flops with leather or other soft materials to alleviate blisters. For small children, choose a flip flop that has a strap on the back to help with stability. For some options search online for orthotic flip flops.

If you love your flip flops but are suffering for style’s sake, take this opportunity to re-think your wardrobe. Come in to Foster Chiropractic today for a foot evaluation and get some recommendations about what’s best.