Two treatment options for ankle pain after running

Trying to increase your running mileage. Training for a 5K. Running regularly with a friend or family member. Ankle pain after running can make every one of these goals harder to achieve. 

However, you are far from the only person experiencing ankle pain. A survey of medical studies reports that nearly 12% of the general population experiences ankle pain. Finding effective ankle pain treatment can be as easy as meeting with a physical therapist. In fact, these specialists offer many treatment options for ankle pain after running. 

Ankle pain after running can be treated with these two physical therapy options

Before starting your treatment, your physical therapist will want to evaluate your ankle. This will give them a chance to pinpoint the cause of your pain, and it can help them learn the underlying issues that are behind that cause. 

After your ankle has been evaluated, your physical therapist will build you a therapy plan that’s personalized to your needs. Such a plan can include therapy options like: 

1. A combination of therapeutic exercises and manual therapy — Therapeutic exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Your physical therapist can show you exercises that accomplish this in the muscles that support and move your ankle. Manual therapy is a category of therapy where physical therapists use their hands to mobilize and manipulate joints and soft tissue. 

Research shows that combining these two therapy techniques can be very effective for ankle pain. One study of this combination reveals that it led to a reduction in pain that was nearly twice as much as exercises alone. 

2. Dry needling — Some people might be turned off by the word “needle” in this therapy method. They might even think that it could be painful. However, dry needling uses very thin needles that typically don’t cause pain for the patient. 

Additionally, this technique can be incredibly effective for ankle pain. One study on ankle sprain patients shows that dry needling helped decrease ankle pain intensity by over four points after treatment. 

Get treatment for your ankle pain after running at Back in Motion Physical Therapy

Tired of feeling ankle pain after every run? Our therapy specialists at Back in Motion are ready and willing to help you treat and prevent your pain. We’ll start by doing a free screening on the affected ankle to reveal the source of your pain. Then, our physical therapists will construct an individualized therapy plan for you that’s designed to decrease your pain and prevent its recurrence. 

Want to get physical therapy for your pain at home? No problem! Our team offers several therapy services that you can use from home, including at-home care and virtual therapy sessions. 

Contact us today for more information about our services for treating ankle pain or to schedule an initial appointment.