VERT/Sports Therapy
← Injuries & Conditions

The base everything else stands on

Ankle sprains, Achilles tendinopathy, and plantar fasciitis are among the most under-rehabbed injuries in sport. Ankles that never fully recover strength and mobility go on to cause knee, hip, and back problems for years.

Common symptoms

  • Swelling and pain after rolling the ankle
  • Heel pain with the first steps in the morning
  • Pain and stiffness in the Achilles with running or jumping
  • Feeling unstable on uneven ground
  • Loss of push-off power

What causes it

  • Prior sprains without complete rehab
  • Achilles or plantar tissue overload from mileage spikes
  • Limited dorsiflexion restricting squat and landing depth
  • Weak calf and intrinsic foot musculature
  • Footwear or surface changes

How we treat it

01

Ankle mobility and single-leg balance testing

02

Manual therapy to restore joint glide

03

Heavy, slow calf and plantar loading progressions

04

Plyometric and landing retraining

05

Return-to-run and return-to-sport progression

Questions we get

It's 'just' a sprained ankle — do I need therapy?

Untreated sprains have a high re-injury rate. A few weeks of proper loading dramatically reduces the odds of it happening again.

Do I need orthotics for plantar fasciitis?

Sometimes they help short-term, but strengthening the calf and foot is what resolves it long-term.