Have you recently begun to experience pain around the ankle? Has this pain started as a result of increased physical activity? If you’ve answered yes to these, you may be dealing with ankle bursitis. Fortunately, here at Free Body Physical Therapy, we have the treatment options needed for you. Through the use of physical therapy, you’ll hopefully find that your symptoms have dissipated and strength returned.

What Is Ankle Bursitis?

You have many bursae located all around your body. Bursae are fluid-filled sacs that work to cushion and lubricate your bones as you move around. One of the many places that they can be found is in your ankle. When overuse or injury leads to this bursa becoming irritated and inflamed, it leads to ankle bursitis. In order to be able to seek treatment promptly, our team wants to ensure patients are well versed in the symptoms that come with this condition.

Symptoms To Watch For  

In the case of any injury, the faster you receive treatment, the less damage you will deal with in the long term. That is why patients need to be able to recognize the symptoms of ankle bursitis right away. The faster you allow us to provide physical therapy sessions for your problem, the sooner you can potentially make a full recovery. If you find yourself dealing with any of the below, please don’t hesitate to contact us:

  • Swelling of soft tissue at the top of the heel bone.
  • Pain in the back of the heel when you flex your foot.
  • Inability to bear full weight on the injured ankle.    
  • Redness around the ankle.
  • Limited range of motion.

Causes Of Ankle Bursitis

As previously mentioned, ankle bursitis can take place when the ankle joint is overused. However, we’d like to delve a bit deeper into this so you can gain a better understanding of how physical therapy will work to treat this issue. Some of the most common causes of ankle bursitis can include:

  • Straining the ankle with repetitive physical activity such as walking, jumping, or running.
  • Running uphill without stretching.
  • Wearing poorly fitting shoes.
  • Being diagnosed with ankle arthritis.
  • Having suffered from previous ankle injuries.  

What Is Physical Therapy?

For those unaware of this type of treatment, physical therapy uses stretches and strengthening exercises to promote healing within an affected area. Our team will first evaluate the severity of your ankle bursitis, then work towards creating the exercise plan that will offer the most benefits. By coming in for this type of treatment, the ankle’s surrounding tissues can be loosened up and strengthened, alleviating some of the most devastating symptoms of this condition.

How Will Physical Therapy Benefit The Ankle

Before scheduling your first appointment, our team understands that you likely want a better idea of the benefits that physical therapy can bring to your ankle. By laying them out for you, our team hopes you’ll see the importance of scheduling an appointment to work with us. When you allow our physical therapists to teach you the therapeutic exercises needed to make a full recovery, examples of the benefits you can reap as a result can include:

  • Improved flexibility and range of motion.
  • Reduction of swelling in the injured area.
  • Increased strength in the surrounding tissues of the ankle.  
  • Mitigated risk of the injury recurring in the future. 

Schedule An Appointment

When you’re dealing with persistent ankle pain, it can quickly drag down your quality of life. Fortunately, seeking our treatment quickly can prevent a bad situation from becoming even worse. In cases of ankle bursitis, physical therapy can be used to help you make a full recovery. To learn more about this type of treatment and how it can help get you back to full strength, contact our team at Free Body Physical Therapy today.