Blog Category – Foot & Ankle Pain

Taping: Is it Helpful, or Will You Become Dependent on It?
If you ask 10 physical therapists or chiropractors about taping, you’ll probably get 10 different opinions about it…
Some would tell you that taping is great, others might say it’s okay in certain situations, and a few might even tell you they don’t like it…
So which is it?
Is taping actually helping you with your recovery, or is it just a “crutch”?
As you can probably guess, I certainly have my own opinion on the topic (hence the blog post and video!).
And as you can imagine, I tend to think my opinions are correct (it’s human nature, right?!).
Here’s my opinion in a nutshell:
How to Eliminate Recurrent Muscle Injuries (Sprains & Minor Tears)
Just the other day, a friend of mine called to ask me about some issues he was having with recurrent muscle issues.
Like me, Mark loves to play basketball…and now that he’s in his 40’s, some of his minor aches and pains are starting to catch up with him.
After injuring his calf muscle while playing basketball, he wanted to know what he could do to prevent these recurrent, annoying muscle sprains.
I’ll explain what I told Mark to do in today’s video. Enjoy!

Best Taping Technique to Relieve Heel Pain & Instantly (Plantar Fasciitis)
If you’ve been following some of my recent blogs about heel pain, you’ve heard me talk all about the various types of heel pain, what causes it, and what you can do about it.
Since heel pain can be tricky to get rid of at times, successful treatment often requires a combined approach, including a mix of the following:
• Stretches
• Proper footwear
• Hands-on therapy
• Custom orthotics
• Night splints
Up until now, I really haven’t talked about one additional component: taping.

The Single Best Hands-On Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain (Including Achilles Tendon Issues)
If you’re a bit like me, this warmer weather has you excited to kick off your shoes and slide into your flip-flops or sandals!
Or better yet, if you’re a lot like me, you’re ready to go barefoot…
And there’s only one thing that might stop you: heel pain!
For most people with heel pain, wearing a supportive pair of shoes helps to relieve the pain, especially if the shoes have good arch support.
So while wearing these supportive shoes is a good solution, their heel pain rears its ugly head as soon as they switch their footwear (or go without).
Even if you’ve tried the other treatment techniques and stretches outlined in my previous blog posts, you might still be running into some barriers with your heel pain.
And if you can’t get over the hump with your heel, this hands-on technique may be exactly what you need to eliminate your heel pain once and for all.

“To Run or Not to Run” – 4 Simple Tips to Returning to Running After an Injury (Heel Pain)
Earlier this week, I had a patient who had been struggling with heel pain and plantar fasciitis who was finally ready to start running again…
But we hit a major roadblock. Let me tell you the patient’s main concern:
= = = = = =
“I’d really love to start running again, but I’ve been struggling with this heel pain for so long and I really don’t want it to come back.
My pain has only been completely gone for the last week, so how do I know that running won’t just bring the pain right back?
Monday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Gordon Physical Therapy - Spokane Valley, WA
626 North Mullan Road #4, Spokane Valley, WA 99206
© 2023 Gordon Physical Therapy