Sports Injuries To The Feet And Ankles
Your feet and ankles are already under a lot of strain, but adding sports to the mix raises the chance of injury.
Our podiatrist professionals at IDEASTEP urge our patients to live a healthy and active lifestyle. However, we would like you to be aware of the risk of harm to your feet and ankles so that you can work to avoid a problem in the first place and continue in the game.
Here are five common sports injuries and how to prevent them in your feet and ankles.
1. Ankle Sprain
Sprained ankles are by far the most common sports injury. To put this frequent ailment into perspective, 23,000 people in the United States sprain their ankles every day. Sprained ankles can happen outside of sports (imagine slipping off a curb in an odd fashion), but they account for up to 30% of injuries treated in sports medicine clinics.
When you twist, roll, or turn your ankle at an odd angle, the ligaments in your ankle overstretch or tear, resulting in a sprained ankle.
While it’s tough to avoid scenarios like landing poorly on your ankle during sports, you may take steps to protect it by warming up, using a brace if your ankles are weak, and making sure your shoes give enough ankle support.
2. Fractures due to stress
Another common foot and ankle injury is stress fractures, which occur in the second and third metatarsals of the foot, as well as the heels and ankles. Overuse, such as jogging for kilometers on hard surfaces, causes most stress fractures. When you start a new sport, you’re more susceptible to these types of fractures.
To avoid stress fractures, start carefully when starting a new sport (or returning to an old one) and wear supportive shoes.
3. Tendon Problems in the Achilles
Your Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel and is the largest in your body. If this soft tissue is overworked, small tears can form, leading to Achilles tendinitis. We use the term “stressing” to describe activities such as running on uneven ground or adjusting the intensity level of your workout. Structural and gait difficulties, such as tight calf muscles or excessive pronation, can also play a role (your ankles turn inward).
You risk a partial or total rupture of your Achilles tendon if you ignore your Achilles tendonitis, which can also happen during an acute injury.
Listen to your body and take a break if you experience any discomfort to avoid Achilles tendon injury. Good shoes with custom orthotics can also aid in foot and ankle balance.
4. Toe in the Turf
This is a sprain in the big toe joint that occurs when you do actions that press your toe upward, such as pushing off when running or jumping. The injury is known as “turf toe” because it frequently develops when you play on artificial surfaces that can catch your toe.
To minimize turf toe, wear shoes with less front flexibility so your big toe doesn’t bend upward as much.
Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that affects the soles of the feet.
The plantar fascia is a band of taut tissue that runs around the soles of your feet and provides arch support. Plantar fasciitis, or inflammation of the plantar fascia, can result by overstretching these tissues, such as through excessive running or a rapid increase in activity level.
To avoid plantar fasciitis, avoid abruptly increasing your activity levels and avoid walking on hard surfaces. Custom orthotics can also help to support your arches and relieve pressure on your plantar fascia.