Ankle and foot pain
I regularly see issues with ankles and feet. These are often in people who participate in a lot of sport (especially runners), but are also common in people whose feet and ankles do not move/bend correctly. Typical signs I encounter in clinic are: feet that angle outwards on standing/walking; feet that collapse medially (inwards); and those with little dorsiflexion at the ankle (limited ability to bring the foot towards the shin).
Some common conditions include: Plantar fasciitis (on the underside of the foot); sprained ankle damaging the ankle ligaments; achilles tendinopathy (often with very tight calf muscles); ‘Wear and tear’ of the foot joints due to osteoarthritis; or referred pain, cramps or ‘pins and needles’ from the lower back.
Typically I find that there are restrictions in the range of movement of the bones of the foot and ankle. To alleviate pain long-term, my approach is often to treat corresponding issues in the leg and hips and re-establish the correct movement patterns in the foot and ankle during walking.