Remediating your Lower Leg with Physical Therapy
Injuries that affect the lower legs are especially troublesome for people of any age. It can slow us down, prevent us from being able to perform our daily activities and make everyday tasks very challenging. Our lower legs are made up of many different muscles, joints, and ligaments, and if one or more of those components go out of commission for some reason, it can cause extreme pain and many compensations.
Now, the good news is that many times, leg pain injuries do not have to be remediated with surgical intervention; partaking in physical therapy is generally the prime solution to get you back to a pain-free, mobile state.
The most common injuries that we see are muscle strain and ligament sprains, often happening when the fibers tear when overstretched
What a Physical Therapist can do
When you seek a physical therapist, they will perform a large range of tests to piece together symptoms and clues to discover an accurate diagnosis. Once that is evident, your physical therapist will then be able to work with you on reducing your pain and increasing your mobility through a series of muscle exercises, stretches, and manual mobilizations. As you begin to recover, they will start to increase your range of motion exercises, implement body balancing training, functional training, activity-specific training, along with education on how to prevent your pain from returning in the future.
Common Causes of Lower Leg Pain
There are several reasons why you may be experiencing lower leg pain, ranging from acute to severe. The most common injuries that we see are muscle strain and ligament sprains, often happening when the fibers tear when overstretched (think sprained ankle). Some other common injuries include:
• Tendinitis: Inflammation of your tendon
• Shin Splints: Pain on the inner edges of your shinbone or your tibia.
• Stress Fractures: These are tiny breaks in your leg bones.
The lower leg can have symptoms even if the problem doesn’t directly stem from the lower leg. For example, if one has limited strength in their hips, the arches of their feet can collapse leading to symptoms of plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendinitis. The physical therapists at Symmetry Physical Therapy take their time to fully diagnose the root cause of your pain. A herniated disc can also cause symptoms in the lower leg: when the discs in between your vertebrae move out of place, it can compress your spine's nerves. This can trigger pain to travel down to your lower legs.
- Anterior Compartment Syndrome
- Breaks and Fractures
- Calf Muscle Strain or Tear
- Hamstring Strain or Tear
- Quadriceps Muscle Strains and Tears
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Patellar Tendon Tear
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Shin Splints (Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome)
- Tibial Stress Fracture
Conclusion
Lower leg pain is a commonly presented complaint in our practice. It is exceptionally compromising, and if left untreated, it can become the catalyst for other body aches, such as your hip, back, knees, and ankles. So, addressing it early is key. With that being said, if you have been feeling this persistently, don't hesitate to make an appointment with us so we can help you get back to a full recovery.
We will use our advanced technology and expert physical therapists to uncover the underlying cause of your lower leg pain to foster the best treatment plan that will guarantee you to gain your quality of life back.
About
Symmetry Physical Therapy is a privately owned one-on-one, patient-centered physical therapy clinic in Downtown Miami/Brickell. Every treatment is with the same Doctor of Physical Therapy for the entire hour. Symmetry’s specialized, dedicated, and passionate team of physical therapists is fully committed to each patient’s success.
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