Ankle pain at night: 6 ways a physical therapist can help you address it

Experiencing ankle pain that disrupts your sleep? While ankle pain at any time can be uncomfortable, experiencing it at night comes with further difficulties. You may start to lose sleep because of your sensations of ankle pain at night. This can cause exhaustion on top of any other symptoms you are experiencing. To ensure that your pain does not continue to get worse, finding effective treatment is crucial. Physical therapy can be a great way to diagnose and address the source of your pain.

Ankle pain can have many causes, including injuries and other underlying health conditions. Getting a better understanding of why you feel ankle pain at night can help determine which treatments will work for you. Treatments may differ somewhat based on each patient’s situation. However, some steps are common when it comes to addressing ankle pain. Learning about the ways physical therapy can address your ankle pain at night can reveal the value of good care.

How physical therapy can address your ankle pain at night

• Ankle assessment — A thorough assessment is fundamental to physical therapy treatment. Before prescribing any treatment, your physical therapist needs to understand your condition. An initial evaluation will cover things like your medical history and physical capacity. Your physical therapist will look for signs of injury and inflammation. Once you and your therapist understand the cause of your ankle pain, you can work with your therapist to develop a targeted and personalized treatment plan.

• Restoring flexibility — Treatment begins soon after your initial evaluation. For many people who experience ankle pain at night, joint stiffness is a major contributor. Flexibility exercises can help reduce stiffness and increase your ankle joint’s range of motion. Prescribed exercises may include ankle stretches and resistance training. If your ankle pain is caused by joint stiffness, improving your flexibility can offer major relief. Building flexibility is also important for preventing injuries and chronic pain later in life.

• Balance training — Painful ankle injuries can throw you off balance. If you have a sprained ankle ligament, you might find yourself stumbling or limping when you move. Being imbalanced can increase your risk for tripping and falling injuries. With physical therapy balance training, you can improve your balance and ankle stability. Your physical therapist may recommend simple balance exercises like single-leg stands. More complex exercises involving equipment like balance pads may also be part of your treatment plan.

• Manual therapy — Manual therapy refers to physical therapy techniques directly applied by hand. With these techniques, your physical therapist can stimulate blood flow and relieve tension. For many people, ankle pain at night is related to soft tissue restrictions or joint mobility issues. Manual therapy is equipped to handle both soft tissue and joint issues. The techniques applied by your physical therapist will depend on your particular condition. In addition to standard manual therapy, many physical therapists use specialized tools. IASTM is short for instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization. This is a kind of hands-on therapy that uses tools to stimulate healing processes. IASTM treatments can be a great way to experience pain relief and loosen up tense tissue.

• Biomechanics treatment — Your biomechanics are the way you move through the world. If you have improper biomechanics — often caused by the environment around you — physical therapy can help. Your physical therapist may use gait training to correct biomechanical issues. Sometimes ankle pain at night is caused by overuse or the way someone runs rather than an internal condition. Addressing external factors is an important part of a comprehensive physical therapy approach. In some cases, poorly fitting footwear can be another factor contributing to ankle pain. Your physical therapist may recommend replacing your shoes or using custom orthotics in this situation.

• At-home care — Need high-quality physical therapy without leaving your home? At-home care could be the answer to your problems. If your condition prevents you from traveling to a clinic, your physical therapist can provide one-on-one care in the convenience of your home. This kind of treatment can be especially helpful if your ankle pain is hindering your mobility.

Armor Physical Therapy can help alleviate your ankle pain at night

Are you ready to sleep without worrying about ankle pain at night? Armor Physical Therapy can help make painless sleep a reality for you. We offer a range of innovative and evidence-driven treatment options for ankle pain. Our team has advanced training, which means we can help address highly complex conditions and guide you toward a bright recovery.

Call us or request an appointment today so we can help ease your nighttime ankle pain.