Your feet carry you everywhere you go. When foot and ankle problems threaten to limit you, physical therapy often forms a core part of your treatment plan.
What does physical therapy do for your feet and ankles, and why is this type of treatment so important for your podiatry health?
At Town Center Foot & Ankle, podiatrist Dr. Stephen G. Eichelsdorfer (“Dr. Ike”)provides physical therapy focused on your lower extremities, available from our convenient Kingwood, Texas, location.
Here are four ways that physical therapy for feet and ankles benefits you. Don’t neglect this type of treatment when needed. It’s worth finding out what physical therapy can do for you.
If you injure a foot or ankle, either through a single trauma or repetitive stress, physical therapy is likely to play a big role in your recovery. You may need physical therapy after developing a stress fracture, to treat Achilles tendinitis, or even to address developing hammertoes.
In addition to inflammation-reducing strategies like icing therapy, physical therapy supports your body as you heal. Targeted stretches and exercises help manage pain and swelling, and ensure that you maintain full range of motion and correct alignment during recovery.
Dr. Ike uses noninvasive treatment approaches like physical therapy to reduce the likelihood that you’ll need surgery to address a foot or ankle injury or deformity. Starting with conservative approaches first means delaying or even completely avoiding the risks and recovery time associated with surgery.
In the event that you do need foot or ankle surgery, physical therapy continues to work for you. Physical therapy shortens your post-surgery recovery time and can even break down scar tissue.
Foot and ankle instability is a problem that sets you up for reinjury. When you can’t count on your feet and ankles to stay stable underneath you, falls, stumbles, and trips become more likely.
The longer you live with instability, the more likely you are to sustain real damage from repeat tumbles. The good news is, you can reduce foot and ankle instability noninvasively with physical therapy.
Your physical therapy treatment at Town Center Foot & Ankle centers you, adjusting as needed based on your condition, progress, and goals. In-office, we provide instruction, guidance, and support.
You also continue your physical therapy program at home, repeating your stretches or exercises regularly to see full and lasting benefits.
If your foot or ankle problems relate to a chronic pain condition, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, or peripheral neuropathy, physical therapy still offers significant benefits. The right physical therapy regimen helps you address and prevent joint stiffness, increasing your comfort and your range of motion.
Your physical therapy program at Town Center Foot & Ankle may also include supportive modalities like therapeutic massage, hydrotherapy, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound therapy.
Physical therapy pushes you, but we also ensure that your therapy doesn’t increase your pain or push you so hard that you lose function afterward.
For experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate physical therapy support, fully customized to your individual treatment needs, contact us at Town Center Foot & Ankle today. Call now to schedule your first session, or request an appointment online.
