What Are the Benefits of Physical Therapy for Foot Pain?

What Are the Benefits of Physical Therapy for Foot Pain Oct16th 2023

Physical therapy is an excellent option if you are looking for a non-invasive first step in treating foot pain. Patients are usually surprised by what anti-inflammatory medications and physical therapy exercises can accomplish. Of course, only specific injuries or conditions can be treated with physical therapy. It is best to see an orthopedic surgeon to diagnose you and give you the best treatment plan. If you are dealing with chronic pain from a situation such as arthritis, Physical Therapy for foot pain could assist you in managing your symptoms.

What Causes Foot Pain?

Different kinds of acute injuries or chronic conditions could be causing your foot pain. Visiting an orthopedic surgeon specializing in the foot and ankle is the best way to get the appropriate diagnosis. A few standard orthopedic foot issues are:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Foot and ankle fractures
  • Achilles tendon tear
  • Morton’s neuroma
  • Metatarsalgia
  • Peroneal tendonitis and tendon tears
  • Arthritis of the foot and ankle

Foot and Ankle Physical Therapy

Physical therapy for foot pain is the best way to alleviate foot pain, and physical therapists are experts in musculoskeletal systems and mobility. They can provide a detailed evaluation of your foot problem. Physical therapists can do the following to support:

  • Establish treatment objectives: Achieving objectives is crucial to completing a rehab program successfully. Physical therapists help patients not only move better but also feel better by setting goals that are both attainable and practical.
  • Develop a personalized exercise plan: The pain and discomfort brought on by the foot pain are reduced by using gentle foot stretches. Physical therapists can teach patients how to execute stretches like the pro stretch, the heel off, and the step stretch.
  • Choose suitable treatments and modalities: Different therapies, like ultrasound, electrical stimulation, heat, and ice, could aid in performing physical therapy goals. Your physical therapist could pick suitable methods depending on the exact cause of your foot pain.
  • Develop home exercise programs (HEPs): Physical therapists create an at-home exercise program for each patient after teaching a specific activity. Customers are provided printouts of the exercises to practice them consistently at home.
  • Provide personalized education on injury prevention techniques: Physical therapists advise their patients to change their behaviors, especially those that affect foot pain. They can teach patients the value of donning the proper footwear.

Let’s talk about the Benefits of Physical Therapy for foot pain

There are numerous reasons to see a physical therapist, including pain management, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, better mobility, and management of chronic conditions. More precisely, here are six benefits of physical therapy backed by science.

Reduce pain

Some pain needs prescription medications or surgery to improve, while other types of pain can benefit from physical therapy and exercise. Sensitive pain generally has a known cause and starts suddenly. Yet, it often gets better with time, treatment, and healing. On the other hand, chronic pain lasts more than three months and is typically caused by an injury, disease, inflammation, medical treatment, or, in some cases, an unknown reason. 

But recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCTrusted Source) suggested physical therapy as a practical option for managing pain instead of opioids.

Physical therapy techniques to relieve acute and chronic pain include therapeutic exercises, stretching, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, taping, cold and heat therapy, and massage.

Reduce symptoms related to arthritis.

Joint inflammation, pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness can be debilitating signs caused by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Yet, physical therapy may help decrease symptom severity and increase overall quality of life. According to the Arthritis Foundation, physical therapy can help improve mobility, restore the use of affected joints, increase overall strength to help support joints and maintain fitness levels.

Shorten post-surgery recovery

Your doctor may suggest physical therapy in the weeks following surgery. Treatment can last from a few weeks to several months, depending on the injury, surgical procedure, and overall health. Orthopedic physical therapy is designed to enhance the range of motion, relieve pain, prevent excessive scar tissue buildup, and regain normal functioning after musculoskeletal surgery.

Moreover, several studies have demonstrated that early mobilization and physical therapy for critically ill hospitalized patients led to a better quality of life, a higher likelihood of walking longer distances, and better muscle function upon discharge.

Manage pain

Investigators have been studying the connection between physical therapy and decreased opioid use for patients managing chronic pain. One large study examined people with new-onset chronic low back pain and found that early physical therapy interventions reduced opioid use in the short and long term.

Another study — which also examined physical therapy for chronic low back pain — found opioids were prescribed less often during follow-up healthcare visits when patients were referred to and participated in physical therapy.

Final words

Physical therapy for foot pain has multiple benefits, like improving mobility and physical function, rehabilitation and prevention of future injuries, and relieving pain or other symptoms related to a critical or chronic injury or condition. Your doctor or other healthcare professional can write a referral for physical therapy. Or, you can self-refer, depending on your insurance. Once established with a physical therapist, ask questions and provide feedback if something is not working. It’s also required to observe the treatment plan, particularly between sessions.

You’ll surely reap the benefits of physical therapy with honest communication and active participation.

Tags: , ,