It’s a situation that none of us wants to be in. You’ve been walking around normally with no pain, and then you wake up one morning and you’ve developed ankle and foot pain out of nowhere. 

Developing pain in the foot and ankle is something that you shouldn’t be surprised about. One medical survey reports that 24% of people had frequent foot pain and 15% had frequent ankle pain. However, the sudden onset of the pain may be a surprise. 

Undoubtedly, you’ll want to know where this sudden pain came from, and a physical therapist can help you learn why you’ve developed ankle and foot pain out of nowhere. These medical professionals can help you find effective foot and ankle pain treatment, too. 

These are three of the reasons you might develop ankle and foot pain out of nowhere: 

1. You’ve developed osteoarthritis — Osteoarthritis is a condition that can affect the foot and ankle. It’s also a joint issue that develops slowly over time. However, osteoarthritis pain can appear suddenly and strongly when you first wake up in the morning or after you’ve been moving or sitting for long periods of time. The pain of this condition also tends to increase in severity over time. 

2. You have an irritated bursa — Bursae are small sacs of fluid that reduce the friction between soft tissue and bones. There are several of these bursae in the ankle and foot, and they can become irritated by repetitive movements, such as running or walking. A blow to the foot or ankle or poorly fitting shoes can also lead to bursa irritation, too. When you have an irritated bursa, the condition is called bursitis. 

3. You have adhesions — An adhesion is an area of scar tissue, and they’re often left behind by previous soft tissue injuries. People who have had an ankle sprain may develop scar tissue in the healed ligaments. This adhesion can make the ligament less flexible and lead to sudden episodes of pain. 

Continuum Wellness can help if you’ve developed ankle and foot pain out of nowhere

Have you developed ankle and foot pain seemingly out of nowhere? Our physical therapy team at Continuum Wellness is ready to help you address your pain. We’ll start by doing a free screening of your foot and ankle to pinpoint the cause of your pain. Our physical therapists can then create an individualized therapy plan for you that’s designed to: 

• Reduce pain.
• Improve ankle and foot mobility. 
• Decrease the chances of future pain. 

Contact our team today for more information about all the foot and ankle pain services we offer or to schedule an initial appointment.