There are many health benefits that can be gained by participating in a sport. However, there are certain sports related injuries that you may be subjected to depending on the precautions you take. Many injuries are focused on the upper body or the extremities. In this article, we are focusing on the sports injuries that are associated with feet and ankles.
You can look for a podiatrist within your area when it comes to sports injuries that relate to your feet. A common injury is ankle sprains and this is something athletes of any age can be subjected to. This happens when the ligaments that support your ankle tear or stretch when your foot suddenly rolls or twists. The severity of the sprain will be determined by the podiatrist and they will recommend a treatment plan based on this. If you have a mild sprain, you will need to rest and carry out physical therapy. Your feet may need to be immobilised in case of severe sprains and sometimes surgery may be needed. Overuse can lead to shin splints. This can also be caused by improper biomechanics. The front and inner side of your shin bone will experience discomfort when this happens. Some causes of shin splints will be not wearing proper footwear for the activity or issues with your running gait. You may need to wear orthotics to prevent this from happening again. There may also be certain adjustments that can be done to your training techniques.
Plantar fasciitis is one of the common causes of heel pain
And this is seen in many athletes and runners that have a lot of strain on their feet. The plantar facia is a ligament that supports your foot arch and when this is inflamed, this condition will arise. The podiatrist will carry out a physical exam along with imaging tests to diagnose plantar fasciitis. Some of the treatment for this will be carrying out stretching exercises, wearing custom orthotics and taking anti-inflammatory medications to alleviate pain. When your Achilles tendon is inflamed, it gives rise to Achilles tendonitis. This can be due to overuse or if you have excessive strain during the sporting activity. You will need to rest when you have this and do physical therapy. Surgical intervention may be needed in severe cases.
If you are engaged in a sport where there is repetitive stress or impact,
You may experience stress fractures. These are small cracks in your bones particular in the shins and feet. Imaging techniques can be used to identify stress fractures and you will need to rest to recover from this. You will need to change your training routine so that you can properly heal. Immobilisation is used to treat stress fractures as well. Podiatrists will also diagnose knee injuries which will arise as a result of the biomechanics of your feet. A common condition that relate to the knee is the patellofemoral pain syndrome where the imbalances in your foot and leg can result in the kneecap not tracking correctly.
