FOOT & ANKLE
Expert Care for Foot Pain, Ankle Injuries, Sports Medicine, and Post-Surgical Recovery
The foot and ankle serve as the foundation of human movement. Every step, jump, landing, and change of direction depends on these structures to absorb forces, provide stability, and generate efficient movement. The ankle and foot withstand the full weight of the body with every step, transferring impact through some of the strongest soft tissues in the body and a complex network of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints. When dysfunction occurs in the foot or ankle, it can affect not only local tissues but also the knee, hip, pelvis, and spine.
At Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we provide comprehensive evaluation and treatment for a wide range of foot and ankle conditions affecting athletes, active adults, workers, and individuals recovering from surgery. Conditions we treat include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, ankle sprains, chronic ankle instability, tendon injuries, arthritis, stress injuries, post-surgical rehabilitation, and a variety of overuse and sports-related conditions.
Our evidence-based approach focuses on identifying the source of symptoms, restoring mobility, improving strength, optimizing movement patterns, and helping patients return to the activities they enjoy. Because foot and ankle pain is often influenced by factors throughout the lower extremity, our evaluations include assessment of gait, balance, mobility, strength, footwear considerations, and movement patterns that may contribute to symptoms.
We also work closely with several reputable foot and ankle physicians and surgeons throughout Maine and are familiar with their surgical procedures. This collaboration allows us to provide seamless care for patients who may require surgical intervention, as well as highly informed and effective post-operative rehabilitation.
Whether your goal is returning to running, hiking, skiing, sports participation, work, or simply walking without pain, our team has the expertise to guide your recovery and help you move with confidence.
Conditions We Treat
Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are among the most common sports-related injuries. Proper rehabilitation is essential to restore stability, balance, strength, and movement quality while reducing the risk of recurrent injury.
Chronic Ankle Instability
Repeated ankle sprains can lead to persistent feelings of instability, weakness, and reduced confidence during activity. Treatment focuses on restoring neuromuscular control, balance, strength, and dynamic stability.
Achilles Tendinopathy
The Achilles tendon plays a critical role in walking, running, jumping, and athletic performance. Tendon injuries can lead to pain, stiffness, and reduced activity tolerance. Rehabilitation focuses on progressive loading, strength development, and restoring tendon capacity.
Achilles Tendon Rupture Rehabilitation
Whether treated surgically or non-operatively, Achilles tendon ruptures require a carefully structured rehabilitation program designed to restore strength, mobility, balance, power, and function.
Turf Toe
Common among athletes, turf toe involves injury to structures around the base of the big toe and can significantly affect running, cutting, jumping, and athletic performance.
Peroneal Tendinopathy
The peroneal tendons help stabilize the ankle during walking, running, and athletic activity. Injury or irritation can contribute to pain along the outside of the ankle and lower leg.
Stress Fractures
Stress injuries occur when repetitive loading exceeds the body’s ability to recover. Rehabilitation focuses on safe return to activity, restoring strength, and addressing biomechanical factors that contributed to the injury.
Running-Related Foot and Ankle Injuries
We frequently treat runners experiencing plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, stress injuries, tendon disorders, and movement-related overuse injuries. Our evaluations focus on identifying contributing factors throughout the kinetic chain.
Sports-Related Foot and Ankle Injuries
We work with athletes participating in running, soccer, basketball, football, skiing, tennis, pickleball, golf, and other sports that place significant demands on the foot and ankle complex.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. Symptoms are often most noticeable with the first steps in the morning or after periods of inactivity. Treatment focuses on improving mobility, reducing tissue irritation, restoring strength, and addressing contributing movement factors.
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction
This condition may contribute to foot pain, arch collapse, balance deficits, and walking limitations. Rehabilitation focuses on improving strength, support, and lower-extremity mechanics.
Morton’s Neuroma
Morton’s neuroma involves irritation of a nerve between the toes and may cause burning, tingling, numbness, or the sensation of standing on a pebble. Treatment focuses on reducing nerve irritation, improving foot mechanics, and modifying contributing factors.
Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia refers to pain in the ball of the foot and is often associated with repetitive stress, footwear issues, altered biomechanics, or activity-related overloading.
Hallux Rigidus
Hallux rigidus is a degenerative condition affecting the big toe joint that can lead to pain, stiffness, and difficulty walking, running, or pushing off during gait.
Hallux Valgus (Bunions)
Bunions can contribute to pain, joint irritation, footwear difficulties, and altered movement patterns. Physical therapy can help improve mobility, strength, and overall foot function.
Sever’s Disease
Sever’s disease is a common source of heel pain in growing children and adolescent athletes. Treatment focuses on activity modification, flexibility, strength, and a safe return to sport.
Foot and Ankle Arthritis
Degenerative changes can lead to pain, stiffness, reduced mobility, and limitations in daily activities. Physical therapy can help improve mobility, strength, and overall function.
Balance and Fall Risk Disorders
The foot and ankle play a critical role in maintaining balance and stability. We frequently work with individuals experiencing balance deficits, instability, and concerns about falling.
Post-Surgical Foot and Ankle Rehabilitation
We provide rehabilitation following:
- Other orthopedic foot and ankle surgeries
- Achilles tendon repair
- Ankle ligament reconstruction
- Fracture fixation
- Foot and ankle arthroscopy
- Tendon repair procedures
- Joint replacement procedures
- Fusion procedures
- Bunion correction surgery
Return-to-Sport and Performance Training
Athletes recovering from foot and ankle injuries often require more than symptom resolution before returning to competition. Strength, power, balance, agility, landing mechanics, and sport-specific movement quality all play important roles in reducing injury risk and optimizing performance. Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine offers return-to-sport testing and performance training programs designed to help athletes safely transition from rehabilitation back to competition with confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions About Foot & Ankle Physical Therapy
When should I see a physical therapist for foot or ankle pain?
If pain is limiting your ability to walk, run, hike, work, exercise, participate in sports, or enjoy daily activities, a physical therapy evaluation can help identify the cause of symptoms and determine the most appropriate treatment plan.
When can I return to playing sports after an ankle sprain?
Several factors play into this. The easiest answer is when a performance test is passed with satisfactory results. For an initial, low-grade sprain, return to sports can happen within 6 weeks. For higher grade sprains that have other associated trauma (i.e. small avulsion fracture), returning to sports may take up to 3 months.
Why does my ankle keep spraining?
Many individuals continue to experience ankle sprains because the original injury was never fully rehabilitated or repetitive trauma destabilized the ankle. Balance deficits, weakness, mobility restrictions, and impaired neuromuscular control can increase the risk of recurrent injury.
Can physical therapy help plantar fasciitis?
Yes. Physical therapy is one of the most effective treatments for plantar fasciitis and is most recommended when initiating care for this condition. Treatment focuses on reducing pain, adjusting the load placed on the tissue to allow for improved mobility, strength, tissue tolerance, and returning to functional and recreational activities.
Do we make custom orthotics?
In most cases, an off-the-shelf orthosis can alleviate pain and correct over-pronation issues. If a custom orthotic is recommended, we work with several reputable orthotists in the area, but do not fabricate these in the clinic.
Can physical therapy help Achilles tendon pain?
Absolutely. Progressive loading programs and evidence-based rehabilitation are highly effective for many Achilles tendon conditions and can help patients return to desired activities safely. Dry needling has also shown very promising results and a good long-term prognosis.
Do I need surgery for plantar fasciitis?
Most individuals with plantar fasciitis improve with conservative treatment, though the process can be lengthy. Surgery is typically reserved as a last resort in treating this condition. Physical therapy, activity modification, strengthening, mobility work, and addressing contributing factors are often successful without surgery.
Why does my heel hurt when I first get out of bed?
Pain during the first steps of the morning is a hallmark symptom of plantar fasciitis. A physical therapy evaluation can help confirm the diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan.
Patient Preparation
For your initial foot and ankle evaluation, we recommend wearing shorts or clothing that allows easy visualization of the knee, ankle, and foot. Because movement throughout the lower extremity influences foot and ankle function, a comprehensive assessment often includes observation of walking, balance, squatting, and other functional activities.
Serving Augusta and Kennebec County
Forza Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine proudly provides foot and ankle rehabilitation services to patients throughout Augusta, Hallowell, Gardiner, Winthrop, Manchester, Farmingdale, and surrounding communities across Kennebec County.
