Martin Foot & Ankle
To us, you are always more than a number on a medical record. We understand that you are a real person and your problems are painful —but we can help. Successfully treating conditions of the feet and ankles varies from person to person. No one feels the same pain, so you shouldn’t have to deal with one-size-fits-all remedies. Together, physician and patient form a team that works together to eliminate your pain and restore your health. If you are ever curious about a diagnosis, or want to know more about pain you may be experiencing, we encourage you to ask questions and to look through the information we’ve provided martin foot.
If you need help with foot or ankle pain, you’ve come to the right place! Whether you are struggling with heel pain or bunions, need help with diabetic foot care, a sports injury, or other foot or ankle condition, our team of podiatrists and caring staff are dedicated to helping you get back on your feet and pain-free! We strive to provide you with the best of care, as well as personal attention, so every visit is pleasurable and productive. Foot pain can get in the way of doing the things you enjoy – we’re here to ensure you get back to the life you love!
Picture a chair with one crooked leg. The leg is shorter than the others, wobbly, and tends to tilt inward at the bottom. Would you trust this chair to hold a heavy, delicate object? Probably not, since you can’t be sure the unstable limb will hold the weight. That is the same challenge your ankles face when you struggle with chronic ankle instability.
Chronic ankle instability is a long-term weakness in the supporting ligaments on the outside of your ankle. This makes your foot prone to “giving out” and twisting when you walk or do something strenuous. Typically this is the result of recurring sprains in a single foot, or a complication that arises when a sprain doesn’t heal correctly.
The ligaments become over-stretched or torn and never quite recover. Because they aren’t up to their full strength, the connectors are not able to keep your ankle stable under pressure, which can cause additional injuries that compound the problem. Athletes are particularly prone to this, since the strain of their activities increases their risk for sprains.
Feeling the Pressure
In addition to making you more prone to joint injuries, the condition is uncomfortable—usually the weakness is accompanied by chronic ankle pain. You may have persistent aches in the joint. Sometimes swelling lasts for a while as well. The joint may feel stiff when you try to use it and be tender to the touch. Stepping on uneven ground, twisting your foot suddenly, and even wearing high heels may cause the outside of the ankle to give out and collapse uncomfortably underneath you. Eventually, the condition can lead to arthritis.Supporting Your Ankles
Conservative methods are always the first choice for treatment, and they can make a significant difference in relieving your discomfort and stabilizing the lower limbs. Our expert podiatrists at Martin Foot and Ankle will need to evaluate the affected joint carefully to understand the extent of the problem and all the structures affected by it. This will mean performing tests to check your ankle instability and using diagnostic images to check for bone damage. Then we can help you begin therapy to improve your condition.