Your feet work hard every day, and pain in your feet or ankles can seriously affect your daily routines. Simple activities like climbing stairs, walking to work, or driving may become painful tasks. Many things can cause foot and ankle pain, but at Stride Physical Therapy, we're here to help you recover. Physical therapy is effective for healing injuries and easing all types of pain. Book an appointment with our skilled physical therapists in Freehold, NJ, and find out how we can help you feel better!
Your foot is a complex system with about 24 bones, 30 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Pain in the feet and ankles is very common due to this complexity. A foot or ankle injury can be so painful that you might not bear weight on it, forcing you to hop on the other foot or stay seated and immobile. Even slight pain can limit your daily activities and inconvenience those around you.
A strain happens when a muscle or its tendon is overstretched. A sprain happens when a ligament is overstretched or ripped.
Arthritis, a widespread joint inflammation, triggers joint pain. The most often seen forms—osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis—particularly affect the foot and ankle.
Tendinitis occurs from excessive overuse of the tendons, causing them to become inflamed for a long time.
Bursitis occurs when the Tendinitis results from overworking the tendons too much, leading to prolonged inflammation. rub against the “bursae” or anti-friction sacs, causing them to become irritated and uncomfortable.
Broken bones happen when they are hit too hard and either crack or completely snap. If you break a bone in your foot or ankle, you might need to rest for several weeks to heal properly.
Tarsal tunnel syndrome happens when the nerve that travels from your ankle to your foot gets compressed and irritated.
Your foot has various tendons that help create your arch. When these tendons function correctly, they create a normal arch. If they don’t work together well, you may have a low or no arch—known as flat foot—which can lead to pain or discomfort over time.
Plantar fasciitis is when the tissue connecting your heel to your toes on the foot's underside gets inflamed. Reasons include too much standing, bad standing habits, or wearing shoes without good arch support.
Your treatment plan combines hands-on therapy, targeted exercises, and stretches to enhance joint movement, balance, and strengthen foot and ankle muscles. We may use a balance and other specialized methods. At Stride Physical Therapy, we aim to relieve your pain swiftly and improve blood flow. We’ll assess and suggest lifestyle adjustments or orthotic shoes to avoid future issues.
Struggling with foot or ankle pain? Take control of your movement and comfort at our Freehold, NJ clinic. Stride Physical Therapy will get you moving pain-free again. Book your appointment now and step towards recovery!
Kanwal Bhardwaj
Meet Kanwal Bhardwaj, PT, M.Sc.PT, CIMT, CMNT, the driving force behind Stride Physical Therapy in Freehold, NJ. With over 20 years of dedicated experience in the field, Kanwal brings a wealth of expertise and a passion for holistic healing to his practice. Kanwal's journey began with a Master of Science in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 2004. Over the years, he honed his skills and gained invaluable insights during 18 years of service in outpatient physical therapy offices. In 2014, fueled by a desire to deepen his understanding of patient care, he pursued a manual therapy certification (CIMT). This transformative experience allowed him to adopt a whole-body perspective, focusing on treating the root cause rather than just the symptoms...
Getting ready for surgery? Understand that rehabilitation after surgery is key for a speedy recovery. It returns your movement and helps you stand on your feet again. Interestingly, rehabilitation before surgery, known as pre-hab, can also make your post-surgery recovery faster and even enhance the outcome of your surgery. Pre-hab means working with a physical therapist to prepare your body for surgery. Post-surgery, rehab takes over the healing process.
For a swift return to your daily life after surgery, consider Stript Physical Therapy in Freehold, NJ. Our dedicated team designs a personalized treatment plan to expedite your recovery and prepare you for your upcoming surgery.
Pre-hab: Participating in a pre-hab program with a physical therapist helps you get a head start on recovery and ensures a more successful surgery. Your therapist will prescribe exercises and therapeutic modalities to reduce inflammation and increase strength, giving your body an advantage as it heals from surgery. Even a few sessions can improve your overall health, so you have more strength to draw on post-surgery. Pre-hab prevents extreme weakness after surgery by building up your strength in advance.
Rehab: While pre-hab prepares your body for surgery, rehab focuses on strengthening your body afterward. Post-surgery pain and discomfort are natural, and certain motions may be challenging. However, it’s crucial to maintain movement to regain your range of motion and ensure a full recovery. Rehab helps you move safely, prevent reinjury, fight inflammation, and keep painful adhesions from forming. It also builds strength to help you quickly return to your routine.
What Results Can You Expect from Pre-hab?
Pre-hab dramatically helps people about to have surgery. Research from the Arthritis Foundation found that patients doing pre-hab recovered better after surgery and could leave the hospital sooner. Knee replacement patients who did pre-hab could walk and climb stairs well enough to be discharged from the hospital faster than those who skipped pre-hab.
Get a Jump Start on Your Recovery with Stride Physical Therapy
The health benefits of pre-hab are undeniable. If your surgery date is approaching, call Stride Physical Therapy in Freehold, NJ today to take advantage of our strengthening pre-hab services. Our team of dedicated movement experts will help you improve your strength before surgery, ensuring a smoother post-operative outcome and a faster recovery. Don’t face this journey alone—contact Stride Physical Therapy today to get the supportive, knowledgeable care you deserve.