Walk Away From Foot And Ankle Pain This Summer!
Summer is full of fun activities that can put a lot of demand on your ankles: walking the boardwalk, playing pickleball, running outside, hiking, gardening, and much more! Missing out on all the warm-weather fun due to injury is, well, no fun at all.
But there’s another important reason to address foot and ankle pain. It can also change how you walk, which may lead to discomfort in your knees, hips, or back. The good news is you can usually tackle problems in the foot and ankle with the right care from the team at Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation.
Why Foot and Ankle Pain Happens
Your feet and ankles absorb impact, support balance, and help you push off with each step. Sometimes, pain develops after a sudden injury (like rolling your ankle), but it can also gradually build over time. Either way, you don’t want to ignore your symptoms, as targeted treatment can help prevent future issues.
Some of the Causes We See At Our Clinic
- Ankle Sprains: An overstretched or torn ligament. Ligaments connect bones and help stabilize joints.
- Muscle Strains: An overstretched or torn muscle or tendon. Tendons connect muscles to bones.
- Plantar Fasciitis: Irritation of the thick band of tissue along the bottom of the foot. This often causes sharp heel pain, especially with the first steps in the morning.
- Achilles Tendinopathy: Irritation of the tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel.
- Balance Changes: Altered stability or reduced control at the foot and ankle can make it harder for your body to adapt quickly to uneven surfaces, and increase the risk of falls and sudden injuries (like an ankle sprain).
Our Comprehensive Approach to Reducing Foot and Ankle Pain
Physical therapy is a key part of foot and ankle recovery. It starts with a detailed assessment that looks at several factors, including your walking pattern, ankle motion, foot strength, balance, footwear, and more. This information allows us to select the best treatment techniques for your personalized care plan, such as:
- Hands-on manual therapy to help reduce stiffness, improve mobility, and ease discomfort
- Stretching exercises targeting tight calves, Achilles tendons, and foot tissues to improve mobility and comfort
- Strength training focused on the foot, ankle, calf, hip, and core muscles to help support better balance and movement
- Balance training to help reduce the risk of repeat ankle sprains
- Gait training to help optimize your movement efficiency and improve how your body distributes impact while walking or running
- Small changes to your daily activities to protect irritated tissue while you heal
What If I’m an Athlete?
If you engage in a lot of high-level activities, you may benefit from working with our sports performance specialists, who work hand-in-hand with our physical therapists. Our team can help you safely return to sport-specific movements like cutting, jumping, or sprinting.
These services can help bridge the gap between rehab and more intense summertime activities, such as long-distance hiking, weekend runs, or summer sports like soccer. They’re particularly useful after ankle sprains to help protect you from future injury.
Three Tips to Protect Your Feet and Ankles This Summer
- Excited to get back into your favorite summer sports? Take things slowly and build mileage and intensity over time.
- If you’re heading out to an amusement park or a walking tour on vacation, make sure to wear supportive shoes. Warm up before the day starts, and stretch your calves afterward.
- No matter what you’re doing, avoid pushing through sharp or worsening pain. If it doesn’t get better after a few days, reach out to Professional Care.
Let Us Help You Get Back on Your Feet
Foot and ankle pain should not keep you from enjoying summer. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, managing heel pain, or training for summer (or fall!) sports, Professional Care can help.
Our team provides personalized care that supports your goals, your comfort, and your lifestyle. Schedule an appointment today and take the next step toward walking away from foot and ankle pain this summer.
Let’s Get You Better ASAP!
A Journey Of Strength:
Don Mastracchio’s Road To Recovery At Professional Care
At Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, we have the privilege of witnessing extraordinary stories of resilience. One of those stories belongs to Don Mastracchio, a 77‑year‑old retired middle school teacher from New Rochelle who spent 18 years shaping young minds before retirement. Today, he is a proud patient at our East Patchogue location—and an inspiring example of what determination, expert care, and family support can achieve.
On the evening of March 28, 2025, Don’s life changed in an instant. Returning from vacation, he had just been picked up from Islip Airport by his daughter when the trunk of their car unexpectedly opened on Veterans Highway, causing luggage to spill onto the road. As Don stepped out to help, he was accidentally struck by an oncoming vehicle.
The impact was severe. Don suffered a brain bleed and fractures to both his tibia and fibula, injuries that required immediate and intensive medical intervention.
He spent five days in the ICU at St. Charles Hospital, followed by an extended stay in in‑patient rehabilitation, where the primary focus was restoring strength and mobility to his injured leg. Once discharged to outpatient rehab, Don began experiencing significant shoulder pain—another obstacle on an already challenging road.
Don sought the expertise of Dr. David R. Swanson III, a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with Orthopedic Associates of Long Island.
After thorough evaluation, Dr. Swanson determined that Don required a shoulder replacement, which he successfully performed on October 8, 2025.
Following surgery, Don began physical therapy—but his progress was slower than expected. Recognizing the need for a more specialized, hands‑on approach, Dr. Swanson recommended that Don continue his rehabilitation at Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation.
At Professional Care, Don committed himself wholeheartedly to his recovery. Over several months, he worked closely with our East Patchogue team and his therapist Dr. Jennifer Salica to rebuild strength, restore mobility, and regain confidence in his daily activities.
Today, Don is back to doing the things he loves most, playing pickleball, travelling, and enjoying time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.
For Don, family is everything—and being able to return to an active, engaged life with them has been his greatest motivation.
“Don’s surgery went very well, however, when he came in for follow-up and was behind in his physical therapy I recommended that he choose to continue his rehab at Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation. With Don’s hard work and help from the talented therapists at Professional Care, he is doing amazing, and loving his new shoulder.”
Dr. David Swanson III, Orthopedic Associates of Long Island
No Referral? No Problem!
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Physical Therapy with or without a referral from a doctor?
Call us today for more information!
Honoring Excellence, Perseverance, And Future Leaders In Care
Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation is proud to recognize three outstanding Patchogue‑Medford High School seniors whose achievements, resilience, and dedication embody the values at the heart of our mission.
Recognizing the 2026 Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Scholarship Recipient
Congratulations to Cheryn Gonzalez Rendon, this year’s recipient of the Professional Care Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Scholarship.
A graduating senior from the Patchogue‑Medford Class of 2026, Cheryn will attend Farmingdale State College this fall to study Applied Psychology. Her long‑term goal is to continue on to Physical Therapy school and become a Pediatric Physical Therapist—a career path that reflects compassion, dedication, and a deep commitment to helping others.
Each year, Professional Care awards this scholarship to a Pat‑Med graduate pursuing a future in the field of Physical Therapy. Cheryn represents everything this scholarship stands for, and we are honored to support her journey.
Celebrating the First Annual Professional Care Perseverance Award Recipients
We are honored to recognize Ashton Klugewicz and Heidi Curio, senior athletes from Patchogue‑Medford High School, as the inaugural recipients of the Professional Care Perseverance Award.
This award celebrates student‑athletes who have faced injury with determination, embraced the hard work of rehabilitation, and committed themselves to returning stronger than ever. Ashton and Heidi exemplify resilience, grit, and the true spirit of perseverance—qualities that inspire both their teammates and our clinical team.
Their journeys reflect the powerful impact of dedication and a never‑quit mindset, and we are proud to celebrate their well‑deserved achievements.