Athletes often neglect their feet, despite knowing they NEED their feet, regardless of any sport.

Athletes need their feet. Regardless of the sport, the inability to run, jump, accelerate and change direction minimizes any player’s effectiveness during competition.

But the foot is complex and often overlooked. The foot is not as simple as something like the knee. It’s a lot of structure, If it’s not swollen and not black and blue, it gets overlooked. But so much can go wrong with the foot.

25% of athletic injuries are foot and ankle-related.

According to research from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 25 percent of athletic injuries are foot and ankle-related. Athletes involved in sports that require jumping and running are typically at higher risk. Sports like running, basketball, soccer, football, and dancing place considerable performance demands on the feet, and are often associated with more foot and ankle injuries.

We encourage our patients to stay active - we ALSO want to avoid INJURY.

We always encourage our patients to stay active—there’s no substitute for the physical and mental health benefits of exercise and recreation. Of course we want you to avoid injury in the first place, but if you do befall a sports-related injury to your lower limbs, trust Pioneer Podiatry to help you get back on the field. Here are a number of common foot-related sports injuries we see and treat frequently:

Achilles Tendon Problems
The Achilles tendon is the longest and strongest in your body, but repeated stresses can cause swelling, stiffness, and pain, while an acute injury can even cause a more substantial tear or rupture. It is often treatable with rest, stretching, physical therapy, and potentially custom orthotics; a more serious injury, such as a rupture, may require immobilization or surgery.

Shin Splints
Particularly associated with runners, shin splints can cause pain and discomfort on the inside of your lower legs and typically result when muscles and bones in the legs are overworked from sudden changes in physical activity—say, suddenly ramping up your mileage. Several weeks of rest, in combination with therapies including ice, compression, stretching, and, if necessary, custom orthotics, is typically the most effective strategy.

Stress Fractures
Apart from Sprain, Strains and Fractures there is also stress fractures. This overuse injury is common among those who play foot-striking sports such as tennis, track, gymnastics, and basketball. Like shin splints, stress fractures also frequently affect those who suddenly ramp up activity in a short period of time. Overworked muscles become too tired to properly absorb the shocks from foot strikes, so the energy is sent straight to the bones instead. Over time, tiny cracks in the bone develop. Unfortunately, the only real solution is lots and lots of rest—six weeks to two months away from the activity that caused the injury, to give the area enough time to fully heal.

Turf Toe
Named for its prevalence among football players on artificial terrain, turf toe is simply a sprain of the ligaments in the big toe after it becomes hyperextended. Football players aren’t the only ones affected, though—sports that require lots of starting and stopping, twisting, and agility are all common culprits. As with other sprains, RICE therapy followed by a visit to your doctor as soon as possible are recommended.
 

Call the Experts

Suffering from one of these common foot-related sport injuries—or perhaps one that’s not so common? Give Pioneer Podiatry a call at (07) 49425016. 

Trust your Podiatrist when it comes to preventing, diagnosing, and treating acute or chronic foot and ankle sports injuries. Let us help you get back on your feet and back in the game.