When a muscle is overstretched, asked to contract hard against a sudden load, or overused, injury can occur. A muscle strain occurs due to small tears in the muscle fibers or the fibers of the tendon that connect the muscle belly to nearby bone. A foot strain involves one of the many muscles and tendons that surround the foot. You can often identify which muscle or muscles are injured based on the motion that provokes discomfort. In the foot, there are groups of muscles that raise and curl the toes, raise and point the foot, move the toes inward and outward, move the foot in and out (motions called inversion and eversion), support the arch and more.

A strain caused by overstretching can occur when someone rolls their ankle or twists their foot unexpectedly. Foot strains can also happen when someone completes a high volume of a new activity that stresses the foot muscles such as running on rocky terrain instead of even sidewalk or practicing a new jumping exercise. Even using too much resistance while performing foot exercises such as toe lifts or heel raises can result in a strained foot.

HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S A STRAINED MUSCLE?

Foot muscle strains and ligament sprains can sometimes feel similar. Nonetheless, when a muscle is strained, you will experience pain in that specific foot muscle when it is contracted strongly or stretched. Because many of the foot muscles have long tendons and muscle bellies, a foot muscle strain may involve a muscle that extends up past the ankle and into the lower leg. If the strain is moderate in severity, you may also notice some localized stiffness, tenderness, and swelling. You may also observe that the muscle feels weaker than usual. If the strain is severe, the muscle belly can tear completely or separate from the tendon causing range of motion in the joints at either end of the muscle to be either significantly reduced because of guarding or excessive because the torn muscle is no longer limiting it.

It is important to note that in most cases a muscle that has been severely torn will need surgery to repair the injury so the muscle can function normally again. For less severe injuries, physical therapy is just what the doctor ordered. Not only will your therapist help you identify an injury to the muscle versus the ligaments, for example, but they can guide you through a smart and efficient recovery process.

If you decide to work with a physical therapist to help correct your strained foot, your entire treatment plan could consist of around 8-20+ different physical therapy sessions that will each last 60-90 minutes. Once you complete your customized physical therapy treatment plan, you will be able to continue to do the prescribed stretches and exercises utilized during your PT sessions yet in the comfort of your own home.

PHYSICAL THERAPISTS CAN HELP YOU RECOVER

While mild foot strains often recover on their own within a couple of weeks, you may choose to see a physical therapist to address a more severe strain or if the symptoms of a mild strain are interfering with your activities. The goals and interventions for rehabilitation of a foot strain can be broken down into three stages:

Early/acute phase (first 4-7 days):

• Protect the injured foot muscle to allow healing to begin
• Use bracing, taping, immobilization and assistive devices as needed to normalize your walk and minimize painful motions
• Consider ice, ultrasound or other modalities to manage inflammation and promote healing
• Passive range of motion that is pain-free may be used to prevent stiffness, maintain range of motion and reduce pain in the foot
• Exercising nearby but uninjured areas of the body is helpful

Middle/subacute phase (7-21 days or so after injury)

• Introduce active range of motion in the foot, toes and ankles
• Wean off assistive devices, bracing, taping, etc
• Begin submaximal exercise to lightly load the muscle and promote good fiber alignment
• Begin very light stretching as needed
• Apply gentle soft tissue mobilization to promote healing, reduce pain and mobilize edema

Late/chronic phase (21 days to many months)

• Begin loading the muscle more intensively while monitoring for signs of acute regression including lasting soreness or inflammation
• Increase the load on resistance training
• Increase stretching and mobility
• Incorporate more dynamic weight-bearing exercises
• Perform work and sport-specific drills

DON’T GO IT ALONE

As you can see, recovering well from a foot strain requires knowledge of the healing process. Progressing back to full activity too quickly can turn a moderate to severe strain into a chronic issue. Whether you are experiencing a muscle strain for the first time or are stuck in a cycle of healing and re-injury, physical therapy is a fantastic resource to help you recover. Call Evolve Physical Therapy today to schedule your first visit.