Ankle & Foot Pain Treatment in Canberra
Where Do You Feel Ankle And Foot Pain?
While pain location alone cannot diagnose a condition, understanding where you feel pain can provide useful clues about which structures may be involved.
1. Pain Around The Outside Of The Ankle
This may be associated with:
-
Lateral ankle sprain
-
Chronic ankle instability
-
Peroneal tendinopathy
-
Sinus tarsi syndrome
-
Sural nerve irritation
-
Ankle joint irritation or osteoarthritis
2. Pain Around The Inside Of The Ankle
This may be associated with:
-
Medial ankle (deltoid ligament) sprain
-
Medial ankle impingement
-
Tibialis posterior tendinopathy
-
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
3. Pain At The Back Of Ankle
This may be associated with:
-
Achilles tendinopathy
-
Insertional Achilles tendinopathy
-
Retrocalcaneal irritation
4. Pain Under The Heel
This may be associated with:
-
Plantar fasciitis (or fasciopathy)
-
Heel fat pad irritation
-
Baxter's nerve irritation
5. Pain Around The Front Of The Foot Or Toes
This may be associated with:
-
Hallux valgus (bunion)
-
Morton's neuroma
-
Forefoot overload
-
Foot osteoarthritis
6. Numbness, Tingling, Or Burning Around The Foot
This may be associated with:
-
Tarsal tunnel syndrome
-
Sural nerve irritation
-
Deep peroneal nerve entrapment
-
Baxter's Nerve Irritation
-
Diabetic neuropathy
-
Referred symptoms from the lower back
Common Causes Of Ankle And Foot Pain
1. Ankle Sprain
An ankle sprain occurs when one or more ligaments are stretched beyond their normal capacity, often following a twisting injury. Early education, progressive loading, and exercise-based rehabilitation may help support recovery and reduce the risk of recurrent sprain
Common symptoms
-
Pain
-
Swelling
-
Bruising
-
Difficulty walking
-
Reduced confidence on uneven ground
What may influence recovery
-
Previous ankle sprains
-
Balance deficits
-
Reduced ankle mobility
-
Fear of reinjury
-
Returning to sport too quickly
2. Chronic Ankle Instability
Some people continue to experience repeated ankle sprains, instability, or a feeling that the ankle may"give way" after an initial injury. Exercise-based rehabilitation is considered one of the most effective treatment approaches.
Common symptoms
-
Repeated ankle sprains
-
Giving-way sensation
-
Poor balance
-
Reduced confidence in the ankle
What may influence this condition
-
Greater trochanter region
-
Gluteal tendons
-
Bursa around the greater trochanter
-
Iliotibial band
-
Nearby nerve irritation
-
Referred from the lower back
3. Achilles Tendinopathy
The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the heel bone and helps transfer force during walking,running, and jumping
People may notice symptoms when:
-
Pain at the back of the ankle
-
Morning stiffness
-
Pain during running or jumping
-
Reduced tolerance to exercise
Possible source include:
-
Sudden increases in running volume
-
Hill running
-
Sprinting
-
Reduced calf strength
-
Inadequate recovery
-
Previous tendon pain
4. Plantar Fasciitis (or Fasciopathy)
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of pain underneath the heel, often related to reduced tolerance of the plantar fascia to the loads being placed upon it.
Common symptoms
-
Heel pain
-
Pain with the first few steps in the morning
-
Pain after prolonged standing
-
Pain during walking or running
What may influence this condition
-
Increased walking or running
-
Prolonged standing
-
Reduced calf flexibility
-
Reduced foot and calf strength
-
Recovery capacity
-
Footwear comfort
Recommended shoes for this condition
-
Shoes with good cushioning
-
Moderate arch support
-
Rocker sole designs
-
Slightly stiffer soles
5. Ankle & Foot Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis can affect the joints of the foot and ankle, particularly following previous injury or overmany years of joint loading.
Common symptoms
-
Joint pain
-
Stiffness
-
Swelling
-
Reduced walking tolerance
-
Difficulty on uneven ground
What may influence this condition
-
Previous injury
-
Age-related changes
-
Joint loading history
-
Muscle strength
-
Physical activity levels
Recommended shoes for this condition
-
Cushioned midsoles
-
Stable footwear
-
Rocker sole designs to reduce stress on painful joints
6. Bunion (Hallux Valgus)
Hallux valgus is a gradual change in the position of the big toe, often resulting in a prominent bump onthe inside of the foot.
Common symptoms
-
Pain around the base of the big toe
-
Difficulty fitting into footwear
-
Irritation from shoes
-
Forefoot discomfort during walking
What may influence this condition
-
Genetics
-
Foot shape
-
Narrow footwear
-
Higher-heeled footwear
-
Joint mobility and loading patterns
Recommended shoes for this condition
-
Wide toe box
-
Flexible upper materials
-
Lower heel height
7. Morton's Neuroma
Morton's neuroma involves irritation of a nerve between the toes, most commonly between 3rd and 4th toes.
Common symptoms
-
Burning pain in the forefoot
-
Tingling into the toes
-
Feeling like standing on a pebble
-
Symptoms aggravated by tighter footwear
What may influence this condition
-
Wide toe box
-
Lower heel height
-
Adjustable lacing
-
Reduced forefoot compression
Common Causes Of Ankle And Foot Pain
When Should I Seek Medical Attention?
🩺 Medical assessment may be recommended if you experience:
-
Significant swelling, bruising, or deformity
-
Inability to bear weight after an injury
-
Severe or worsening pain
-
Numbness, tingling, or weakness
-
Pain after significant trauma
-
Sudden calf swelling or unexplained shortness of breath
-
Symptoms that continue to worsen despite appropriate care
-
Fever, redness, or signs of infection
How Can We Help With Ankle & Foot Pain?
1. Thorough Assessment
We aim to understand not only where your pain is located, but also the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms.
Detailed history
Movement assessment
Strength assessment
Orthopaedic test
Neurological assessment
X-ray if indicated
2. Understanding your condition & Making sense of your pain
Many ankle and foot conditions can sound complicated or concerning. Our goal is to help you understand what may be contributing to your symptoms, what current research tells us about your condition, and what recovery may realistically look like.
Understanding your condition often helps people feel more confident about returning to normal activities, exercise, and sport.
3. Understanding Load And Capacity
Ankle and foot pain is often influenced by the relationship between the demands being placed on the body and its ability to tolerate those demands. Factors such as training volume, running load, work demands, recovery, strength, and general health may all influence symptoms. Understanding these factors helps guide decisions around activity modification, exercise, and recovery.
4. Treatment
At Evergreen Spine & Wellness, our goal is not simply to reduce pain, but to help you build confidence, improve function, and return to the activities that matter to you.
Manual therapy may be used when appropriate to help improve comfort, reduce pain sensitivity, and support movement.
-
Chiropractic adjustment
-
Joint mobilisation
-
Manual stretching
-
Soft tissue therapy
Individualised exercises designed to improve movement, physical capacity, and confidence.
-
Stretching exercise
-
Strengthening exercise
-
Nerve gliding exercise
-
Functional training
Neck pain can be coming from various factors, including stress, sleep, activity, and work
-
Stress management
-
Sleep intervention
-
Activity modification
-
Workstation advice
We assess your footwear and activity demands to help determine whether different shoe characteristics may better suit your condition.
Reference
Bise, C., Lutz, A. and Martin, R., 2025. Heel pain–plantar fasciitis: revision 2023. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 55(8), pp.554-554.
Bojovic, M., Dimitrijevic, S., Olory, B.C., Eirale, C., AlSeyrafi, O., AlBaker, A.A., Krivokapic, B., Jeremic, D. and DHooghe, P., 2025. Overview of nerve entrapment syndromes in the foot and ankle. International Orthopaedics, 49(4), pp.853-862.
Chimenti, R.L., Neville, C., Houck, J., Cuddeford, T., Carreira, D. and Martin, R.L., 2024. Achilles pain, stiffness, and muscle power deficits: midportion achilles tendinopathy revision–2024: Clinical Practice Guidelines Linked to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health from the Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 54(12), pp.CPG1-CPG32.
Del Duchetto, F., Dussault-Picard, C., Gagnon, M., Dixon, P. and Cherni, Y., 2024. Can Foot Orthoses Benefit Symptomatic Runners? Mechanistic and Clinical Insights Through a Scoping Review. Sports Medicine-Open, 10(1), p.108.
de Vos, R.J., Van Der Vlist, A.C., Zwerver, J., Meuffels, D.E., Smithuis, F., Van Ingen, R., Van Der Giesen, F., Visser, E., Balemans, A., Pols, M. and Veen, N., 2021. Dutch multidisciplinary guideline on Achilles tendinopathy. British journal of sports medicine, 55(20), pp.1125-1134.
Dubois, B. and Esculier, J.F., 2020. Soft-tissue injuries simply need PEACE and LOVE. British journal of sports medicine, 54(2), pp.72-73.
Gaddi, D., Mosca, A., Piatti, M., Munegato, D., Catalano, M., Di Lorenzo, G., Turati, M., Zanchi, N., Piscitelli, D., Chui, K. and Zatti, G., 2022. Acute ankle sprain management: an umbrella review of systematic reviews. Frontiers in medicine, 9, p.868474.
Gomes, Y.E., Chau, M., Banwell, H.A. and Causby, R.S., 2022. Diagnostic accuracy of the Ottawa ankle rule to exclude fractures in acute ankle injuries in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 23(1), p.885.
Halabchi, F. and Hassabi, M., 2020. Acute ankle sprain in athletes: Clinical aspects and algorithmic approach. World journal of orthopedics, 11(12), p.534.
Ross, M.H., Smith, M.D., Mellor, R. and Vicenzino, B., 2018. Exercise for posterior tibial tendon dysfunction: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials and clinical guidelines. BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 4(1).
Scott, A., Squier, K., Alfredson, H., Bahr, R., Cook, J.L., Coombes, B., de Vos, R.J., Fu, S.N., Grimaldi, A., Lewis, J.S. and Maffulli, N., 2020. Icon 2019: international scientific tendinopathy symposium consensus: clinical terminology. British journal of sports medicine, 54(5), pp.260-262.
Silbernagel, K.G., Hanlon, S. and Sprague, A., 2020. Current clinical concepts: conservative management of Achilles tendinopathy. Journal of athletic training, 55(5), pp.438-447.
Tong, J.W. and Kong, P.W., 2013. Association between foot type and lower extremity injuries: systematic literature review with meta-analysis. journal of orthopaedic & sports physical therapy, 43(10), pp.700-714
Martin, R.L., Davenport, T.E., Fraser, J.J., Sawdon-Bea, J., Carcia, C.R., Carroll, L.A., Kivlan, B.R. and Carreira, D., 2021. Ankle stability and movement coordination impairments: lateral ankle ligament sprains revision 2021: clinical practice guidelines linked to the international classification of functioning, disability and health from the academy of orthopaedic physical therapy of the American physical therapy association. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 51(4), pp.CPG1-CPG80.
Menz, H.B., Dufour, A.B., Riskowski, J.L., Hillstrom, H.J. and Hannan, M.T., 2013. Association of planus foot posture and pronated foot function with foot pain: the Framingham foot study. Arthritis care & research, 65(12), pp.1991-1999.
Merkel, M.F., Malmgaard‐Clausen, N.M., Lendal, M., Siebner, H.R., Svensson, R.B., Dakin, S.G., Krüger, M., Schmidt, L., Agergaard, J., Yeung, C.Y.C. and Magnusson, S.P., 2026. Increased blood flow and tendon swelling precedes vascular expansion and tissue matrix changes in early human tendinopathy: A potential window for superior treatment response. Advanced Science, 13(12), p.e14023.
Monteagudo, M., de Albornoz, P.M., Gutierrez, B., Tabuenca, J. and Álvarez, I., 2018. Plantar fasciopathy: a current concepts review. EFORT open reviews, 3(8), p.485.
Neal, B.S., Griffiths, I.B., Dowling, G.J., Murley, G.S., Munteanu, S.E., Franettovich Smith, M.M., Collins, N.J. and Barton, C.J., 2014. Foot posture as a risk factor for lower limb overuse injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of foot and ankle research, 7(1), p.55.
Williams, B. and Gyer, G., 2025. Tendons under load: Understanding pathology and progression. Journal of Musculoskeletal Surgery and Research, 9(3), pp.393-402.
Xu, Z., Hou, W., Zhang, T., Chen, R. and Skutella, T., 2025. Exploring molecular and cellular signaling pathways: unraveling the pathogenesis of tendinopathy. Journal of orthopaedic translation, 51, pp.298-311.
Yoshida, H., Kim, K., Tajiri, T., Fujihara, F., Matsumoto, J., Abe, H. and Isu, T., 2025. Tarsal tunnel Syndrome: a clinical review. Journal of Nippon Medical School, 92(2), pp.132-137.
