Conditions / Leg, Ankle & Foot Pain

🦶 Leg, Ankle & Foot Pain

Understand the common causes of leg, ankle and foot pain, what you can do about it, and when physiotherapy may help.

What is leg, ankle & foot pain?

Pain in the leg, ankle or foot can affect how you walk and stand. It can come from a sprain, overuse, or the way your foot moves, and most cases recover well with the right guidance.

Common causes

• Ankle sprain from rolling or twisting
• Overuse from walking, running or standing for long periods
• Poor footwear or foot mechanics
• Muscle tightness or weakness in the calf and foot
• A previous injury that didn't fully heal

Common symptoms

• Pain or swelling around the ankle or foot
• Pain when walking, standing, or bearing weight
• A feeling of instability or the ankle giving way
• Pain that's worse first thing in the morning
• Tightness or cramping in the calf or foot

When to see a physiotherapist

• Is there significant swelling or difficulty bearing weight?
• Does the ankle feel unstable or give way?
• Has the pain lasted more than a week or two?
• Is it affecting how you walk or stand?

How physiotherapy can help

A physiotherapist can assess the ankle, foot or leg and guide you through the right exercises to regain strength, stability and confidence in walking and standing.

Treatment approaches

• Personalised exercise therapy
• Balance and proprioception training
• Strengthening of the foot and lower leg
• Manual therapy where appropriate
• Footwear and load management advice
• Home exercise programme

What to expect at your first visit

Your physiotherapist will typically start by discussing your symptoms and history, then carry out an appropriate assessment. They'll talk through what they find in plain language, answer your questions, and work with you to build an individualised plan — there's no expectation that everything gets fixed in one visit.

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