Ankle & Foot Pain

Your feet and ankles do more than just keep you upright. They take the brunt of your body weight, absorb impact with every step, and help you change direction on a dime. But when something’s off (a sharp tweak, a dull ache, a sudden loss of stability), everything from walking the dog to making it through a workday can become a challenge.

At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, we take foot and ankle pain seriously. Whether it’s a classic sprain, stubborn heel pain, or an injury that just hasn’t settled, we combine precise assessment with hands-on treatment and tailored rehabilitation. The goal isn’t just to relieve symptoms. It’s to restore confident, pain-free movement that feels like yours again.

Understanding Ankle & Foot Anatomy

There’s a reason the ankle and foot are common pain points — they’re among the most complex structures in the body. Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and a dense network of muscles, ligaments, and tendons, all working together to stabilise, support, and propel you forward.

The ankle acts as a hinge, helping you move up and down while surrounding joints handle balance and directional change. Ligaments keep it all steady. Tendons transfer energy from muscles to movement. And the foot’s arches act like built-in shock absorbers. When one part stops doing its job, the whole system feels it.

That’s why our treatment always starts with a full biomechanical assessment. We look beyond symptoms to understand what’s happening under the surface, whether it’s tension in the plantar fascia, strain in the Achilles, or faulty load distribution in the ankle. Once we know what’s driving the pain, we can treat it properly.

Common Ankle & Foot Conditions We Treat

At Cairnhill Physiotherapy, we treat a wide range of ankle and foot conditions from rolled ankles to persistent heel pain that’s worn you down over time.

Here are some of the most common ankle and foot conditions we see in our clinic:

Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains happen when the ligaments that support the ankle are overstretched or torn.
Typical symptoms include swelling, bruising, and pain, sometimes with instability or a popping sensation at the time of injury. Our approach to ankle sprain treatment combines early-stage care (like swelling management and mobility protection) with progressive strengthening, balance retraining, and joint mobilisation. 

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, particularly for people who are on their feet all day, wear unsupportive footwear, or ramp up physical activity too quickly. Our treatment options are varied and may involve manual therapy for foot pain, guided stretching and advice on load management and footwear. 

Achilles Tendinopathy

If you’ve noticed a nagging ache or tightness at the back of your heel, especially after exercise, it could be your Achilles tendon. Achilles tendinopathy usually builds gradually and is often linked to overtraining, poor mechanics, or a sudden change in activity. Our treatment focuses on progressive loading through eccentric exercises, manual therapy to reduce tension, and education around pacing and footwear. 

Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy

Often underdiagnosed, Tibialis Posterior Tendinopathy causes pain and swelling along the inside of the ankle and foot and is especially common in people with flat feet, or those who’ve increased walking or running volume quickly. Treatment includes strengthening exercises to restore function, orthotics to support the arch, and physiotherapy for foot pain that targets underlying movement issues. 

Stress Fractures

Stress fractures in the foot are common among runners, dancers, and anyone whose activity involves repetitive impact. These micro-fractures usually affect the metatarsals or the heel bone and develop over time due to overloading without enough recovery. Rehabilitation starts with relative rest, activity modification, and gradually reintroducing load through a guided strengthening and return-to-activity plan. We also look at contributing factors like footwear, gait mechanics, and training habits.

Arthritis (Ankle and Foot)

Whether it’s general wear-and-tear or an autoimmune condition, our approach to arthritis in the ankle and foot focuses on improving joint mobility, building muscular support, and teaching self-management strategies. We use manual therapy, individualised strength work, and, where needed, orthotics for foot conditions to improve comfort during daily activity. Our aim is to help you keep moving with more ease and less reliance on medication or invasive procedures.