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Common Sports Injuries


 

By Center for Podiatric Medicine August 21, 2018 Category: Podiatry Tags: sports injury Foot Pain

Sports and exercise condition your cardiovascular system, muscles, bones, and connective tissues, helping you stay fit and active. But  sports also may cause sudden and repetitive motion injuries. The foot doctors at the Center for Podiatric Medicine in River North and Schaumburg, IL, specialize in sports injuries of all kinds. They'll keep your feet and ankles functional and feeling great.

What happens during exercise?

A number of things happen to your feet and ankles. One is your feet impact a hard, soft, even or uneven surface. Repetitive motion activities, such as tennis, running, and dancing, stress the heel and forefoot over and over again, placing pressure on the bones and stretching the ligaments and tendons.

Additionally, sport and exercise often present the unexpected. A sudden blow from an opponent in a soccer game or a sharp twisting motion as you run down a hill can send you to the ER in River North and Schaumburg with a suspected fracture, severe sprain, or other sports injury.

Common sports injuries

At the Center for Podiatric Medicine, your team of four highly-qualified podiatrists see, diagnose, and treat a variety of sports and exercise-related injuries to the foot and ankle. Ankle sprains remain the most common injury, reports the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. Typically, a stretching or tearing of the ligament on the outer aspect of the ankle, these sprains can lead to serious ankle instability and immobility if not treated promptly.

Other frequent problems are:

Corns and calluses from friction inside footwear
Blisters
Fractures of the ankle, toes, metatarsal bones, and heel (both acute and stress fractures)
Achilles tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon which connects the heel and the calf muscle
Plantar fasciitis, pain, and inflammation associated with the broad band of fibrous tissue in the arch of the foot
Your foot doctor should see any of these injuries, perform a complete podiatric exam, and take X-rays and/or an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) as needed. Often, common sense measures such as rest, ice, compression with an elastic bandage, elevation, and over-the-counter analgesics repair many injuries. However, surgery, casting, physical therapy, and other interventions may be needed to speed healing and avoid long-term disability.

Preventing sports injuries

Preventive measures aid keep bones strong and muscles and connective tissues flexible and conditioned. Your foot doctor highly recommends routine physical activity to avoid sudden injury. In other words, don't be a weekend warrior, but keep in good shape with a plan of routine exercise.

Also, stretch before you run, play basketball, cycle, and so on. Wear proper, well-supportive footwear, and if you tend to get sprains, ask your trainer or foot doctor about elastic bandaging or tape to support your feet and ankles. Customized shoe orthotics from the Center for Podiatric Medicine cushion and correct gait problems which can place undue pressure on toes, the balls of the feet, heels, and other areas.

Contact us

When a sports injury happens, get help at the Center for Podiatric Medicine in River North and Schaumburg, IL.

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