Foot and Ankle Pain
Stop living with daily pain and start making progress now using a clinically-proven, at-home pain relief program. For most people, our solution produces measurable results within just a few weeks.
If you’re in pain and ready to jump right into our proven strategies for fast, effective foot pain relief, then please click here.
Interested in knowing more about potential causes of pain in your foot? Keep reading.
Table of Contents
- How to reduce foot and ankle pain in three steps
- Finding the cause of foot/ankle pain
- Types of foot/ankle pain and what to do for each
- Plantar fasciitis and foot pain
- Foot/ankle pain exercises & stretches
- Supplements for foot/ankle
- BRICE: Brace, Rest and Ice for foot/ankle pain
A Sustainable Pain Relief Solution in Three Simple Steps
- Find the source of your pain.
- Understand the three primary sources of pain and why yours matters.
- Take action to find relief from foot/ankle pain.
- Find the source of your foot pain.
First, eliminate potential medical conditions that can cause foot or ankle pain.
Have you experienced recent trauma to the foot or ankle area? If you’ve had an accident, or you see bruising or swelling in the area, those are definite red flags that you might have a muscle/ligament tear or fracture. In that case, it’s best to pause and see a medical professional first.
Or, if you have a chronic illness or autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis (MS), or others, please see a medical professional for treatment suited to your needs.
If any of the above scenarios apply to you, our at-home self-care solutions
may not be the right fit for you at this time.
Then, figure out the specific type of foot/ankle pain you have and its possible source.
Determining the source and nature of your pain is the most important part of the process, because each pain condition requires a different treatment plan – pain relief isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Most people have pain that fits into one of three categories: Inflammatory, Nerve, or Mechanical.
- If you have pain from Inflammation, you need to stop exercising immediately and refocus on reducing that inflammation. We can tell you exactly which supplements and braces actually work (and what you don’t need).
- If you have Nerve pain, quit any stretching regimens right now – nerves hate stretching. Instead, we’ll floss/mobilize the nerve to get it unstuck, and take targeted supplements to support the notoriously slow nerve healing process.
- Dealing with Mechanical pain means there’s something in your everyday life causing microtraumas (tiny, pain-inducing injuries) to the area. We’ll take a closer look at how you sit, sleep, walk, and even breathe to pinpoint the problem and fix it effectively.
How do you know where your pain is stemming from? With these eight quick questions, we can find out.
Answer yes or no to the following questions:
- Do you have foot pain in all ranges of motion ?
- Does your foot hurt all the time?
If you answered yes to either of these questions:
- It’s likely that your foot pain is mostly caused by an inflammatory issue.
- If you like, you can stop here and jump straight to our section on Inflammatory Pain.
If you answered no, or are unsure, please continue with the next set of questions.
- Do you have tingling and/or numbness around the foot, ankle or toes?
- Do you sometimes get a sudden sharp and/or “shooting” pain in the middle of doing an activity or when you twist or turn your foot in a particular direction?
If you answered yes to either of these questions:
- The most likely cause of your foot problem is from a stuck nerve.
- If you like, you can stop here and jump straight to our section on Nerve Pain.
If you answered no, or are unsure, please continue with the next set of questions.
- Have you had a recent change in lifestyle the last few months, like a lot more time at the computer, a new job, or a new life situation, with different physical demands, that might be putting a strain on your knees, ankles or feet ?
- Does your foot hurt more in the morning and gets better throughout the day?
- Does your foot hurt more at the end of the day or after doing an activity like running or walking?
- Does your foot hurt only in one or two ranges of movement?
If you answered yes to some or most of these questions:
- You are likely stuck in what we call a “Mechanical Pain” condition, meaning that there may be something about the way you are walking, standing, sitting, or even sleeping that could be causing your foot pain.
When you’re in pain, it’s understandable that you want to take immediate action and see rapid results. But try to avoid rushing the process, because effective relief can only come from the plan that’s right for you. Each of our pain relief protocols takes a carefully customized approach, so understanding your pain is paramount to your success.
2. Understand the three primary sources of pain and why yours matters.
Ultimately, the source of your pain tells you virtually everything you need to know about how to resolve your symptoms. When you don’t know why you’re in pain, effectively treating the issue becomes impossible.
That’s why so many standard foot/ankle pain treatments simply don’t work.
Inflammation Pain
Foot and ankle pain caused by inflammation means that you’re experiencing constant pain in all or most ranges of motion. It’s typically caused by a recent or ongoing trauma, such as an injury.
If you are suffering from Inflammatory Pain, STOP exercising your foot.
Exercising on an inflamed foot can possibly cause more damage and impede healing, so it is vital that you take the appropriate measures to manage the inflammation before anything.
- Your top priority – before stretching and exercises – is to reduce the inflammation.
- Using supplements that help tissue healing will also be key, especially if you want to get back on track as quickly as possible.
If you’re dealing with inflammatory pain, and you’ve been doing stretches/exercises – and you aren’t seeing results – then it’s time to switch gears with a tailored care plan that’s actually suited to your needs.
Nerve Pain
Foot and ankle pain caused by nerve issues manifests as sharp zings of pain that travel up/down your foot, ankle, and/or leg region, along with numbness, tingling, or sensations of heat and cold. You might have all of these symptoms or just one. Nerve pain in the foot and ankle is directly related to a nerve condition, often induced by a recent or repetitive trauma that causes scar tissue to develop around and “entrap” the nerve.
If you are suffering from Nerve Pain, STOP doing foot stretches and DO NOT resort to surgery just yet.
Your top priorities are to:
- Use unique nerve-specific mobilizations (sometimes called “flosses”), that can help free the “stuck” nerves from the fascia that is entrapping them.
- Take supplements that help the nerve heal. Because nerves are notoriously slow healers, supporting your goals with supplements can make a big difference.
You might have been told that stretching will solve your nerve pain, or that you need surgery to take care of a chronic issue. But if you haven’t yet tried mobilizations/nerve flossing, now is the time to hit “pause,” because this approach could be the solution you’ve needed all along.
Mechanical Pain
If your foot/ankle hurts only at certain times of day (like when you wake up), during/after specific activities, or when you move it within certain ranges of motion, it may be classified as mechanical pain. Mechanical pain is associated with a specific habit in your routine that is causing microtraumas (small, consistently occurring injuries) to your foot and/or ankle.
If you are suffering from Mechanical Pain, IMMEDIATELY begin targeting the actions/habits that are contributing to your pain.
There is either something “off” happening in your everyday life, or there is a mechanical issue in another part of your body that your foot is trying to compensate for (such as weak hip muscles, an overly tight calf/hamstring, or both).
This means that your priorities are:
- Examining the way you walk, stand, sit, and even sleep to find any potential triggers. Seemingly simple movements or habits are often the cause of mechanical pain.
- Incorporate targeted releases to support other parts of your body, so that your foot/feet isn’t being forced to compensate.
Foot/Ankle Pain Caused by Multiple Conditions and Issues
Our years of clinical experience has shown us that about 70% of people are easily able to label their pain as one of the three types above. However, about 30% of people have a more complex healing journey ahead. In addition to mechanical, inflammation, or nerve conditions, blood circulation issues can contribute to a complicated mix of symptoms and obstacles.
Even so, there are solutions for individuals that are facing multiple layers of contributing factors, and pain relief is absolutely possible. The key difference is that, with more complicated scenarios, additional support from trained professionals might be necessary.
We provide one-on-one sessions with our trained KinetiCoaches, who are well-equipped to assess your case and help you successfully navigate your next steps.
3. Take action to find relief from foot/ankle pain.
Your pain relief solution is going to be based on your individual needs, but we’ve also created a few foundational programs to support all-around success. If you’re ready to hone in on your pain on every possible level, we recommend incorporating one or more of the essentials into your routine.
Walking & Standing Fundamentals
Everyday microtraumas are among the most common culprits of chronic pain, and you might be surprised to learn that these “injuries” can be caused by how you walk or even stand. With our free Walking & Standing Fundamentals Guide you’ll learn the simple changes you can make to promote healing. (We don’t have a free program currently, arnold?)
Fundamentals Program
Our comprehensive Fundamentals Program continues the conversation about microtraumas. It’s an affordable addition that can make a big difference in your progress.
Supplements
If even just thinking about supplements makes you feel overwhelmed, you aren’t alone. That’s why we’ve tapped into our clinical knowledge and experience to build our KinetiKit bundles, which each feature the essential supplements for a specific pain type. Save yourself time, money, and frustration by trusting us to set you up with the basic necessities that will actually serve a purpose.
Sequenced Exercise Program to Release Certain Muscle Groups, Then Correct Others
If you could significantly improve your pain with a 16-minute daily exercise program, the odds are good that you would be more than happy to find the time. Our goal was to develop an effective self-care and exercise strategy that could be completed with minimal time and effort, without sacrificing results. In as little as three weeks, your pain can be dramatically reduced.
With a streamlined self-care strategy, pain relief doesn’t have to be complicated. It all starts with a no-fuss questionnaire – you could be just a few minutes away from changing your life for the better.
Plantar Fasciitis & Foot Pain
When it comes to the topic of foot pain, we often hear from individuals that want to know more about plantar fasciitis. So, what is plantar fasciitis and how does it tie in to your pain? Let’s cover it briefly.
“Plantar fasciitis” refers to pain in a specific area of the foot, and it’s more common than you might think. Understanding what it is can be helpful, but here’s the most important thing you absolutely need to know about plantar fasciitis:
For effective relief, you don’t just need to know where it hurts or what the condition might be called- you need to know why it hurts.
This means that the myKinetix365 method tackles plantar fasciitis pain just as we would any other pain:
- First, we help you differentiate the three main potential causes of the pain, and then;
- Then, we deliver an evidence-based, curated plan to address it using a unique set of sequential steps that combines (a) a change of habits, (b) supplements, and (c) a specific set of therapeutic exercises and fascial releases.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis
Before anything, you need to rule out a fracture, muscle/ligament tear, or an autoimmune condition as the cause of your plantar fasciitis.
Once the injuries/conditions above are ruled out, there are three main types of plantar fasciitis, or modes of injury to the plantar fascia, that account for the overwhelming majority of foot conditions. You’ll notice that these sound very familiar if you’ve already learned about the different types and causes of foot pain:
- Actual swelling or inflammation of the plantar fascia itself due to a sudden, significant (“macro”) trauma or small (“micro”), repetitive traumas/habits
- An entrapped nerve in the area located on the inside of your ankle and Achilles tendon
- A mechanical issue in the foot caused by faulty walking or standing mechanics, leading the plantar fascia to become overstressed and causing pain in specific moments of the day or during specific activities
Why does this matter? The type of pain you are suffering from should directly dictate the approach you take to pain relief. This is why so many generic plantar fasciitis treatments fail to deliver effective, sustainable results.
Foot/Ankle Pain Exercises and Stretches
By the time you’ve reached this point in your experience with chronic pain, it’s likely that you’ve tried at least a few different stretches or exercises. And even though these regimens promise to resolve your pain, it’s not unusual for them to do more harm than good.
For now, set aside these exercises. We’ll explain why – and what to do instead – when we cover our recommended Exercises for Foot and Ankle Pain.
BRICE: Brace, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate
Are you dealing with foot pain related to inflammation? If so, in addition to exercises for foot pain, keep in mind the importance of BRICE: Brace, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevate.
The Brace helps stabilize the area, provides some compression, and supports blood flow. If you’re working on healing foot pain, your “brace” will generally take the form of an orthotic.
- For inflammation, the blood flow support is particularly important. Solely relying on compression – and then wrapping the area too tightly – can actually slow the blood flow and impede the reduction of inflammation.
Rest should translate to active rest. Gently move the area (being mindful of staying within the pain-free range of movement) but don’t overdo it. For foot pain, swimming can be an excellent option for active rest.
Use Ice in short, 20-minute spans, about three times daily. For your ankle, apply ice in 2, 10-minute sessions that are broken up by a short period of rest.
Elevate is generally an optional add-on. If you can comfortably elevate your foot while watching TV, for example, then feel free to add it to your routine.
Follow the above protocol for 7-14 days before moving on to any exercises and stretches.
Supplements for Foot & Ankle Pain
Your body really can function like a finely-tuned machine, but it needs a consistent supply of quality nutrition and supplements. And when there’s significant healing to be done, a few key supplements can accelerate recovery and make your pain more manageable at the same time.
Before you start searching for supplements to help foot/ankle pain, we’ve already done all the work for you. With the basics you need, and none of the extras you don’t, our guide to Foot & Ankle Pain Supplements is a great resource for just about anyone.
Take Action to Conquer Your Pain Now
There’s no reason to continue living with pain – especially not when you can take simple, actionable steps to start improving your symptoms right now.
Traditionally, your options for pain relief were limited to pain-masking medication, expensive and time-consuming clinical care, or generic, often ineffective online solutions. But with Kinetix365, there’s a new option on the table: a simple self-care protocol tailored to your pain type and source.
We’ve crafted a plan that delivers maximum results with a minimum effective dose – in other words, you can expect rapid, sustainable results with minimal effort and time required.
The Kinetix365 team is confident that our protocol will suit your needs, so we’re providing a free three-day trial. Start your trial period now to find out why so many people are turning to Kinetix365 for pain relief that really lasts.