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Foot Injuries During Sports Seasons


 

 By Center for Podiatric Medicine
 December 02, 2016
 Category: Foot Health
 Tags: Sports Injuries   foot injuries  
Find out the most common injuries that occur while playing sports and what you can do to prevent them.

It’s football season. Time to pull out the helmet and padding and hit the ground running. It’s an exciting time for anyone who is on the  field involved in a lively game of football. Whether you play professionally or you just enjoy playing on a community team, our River North, Elmhurst, Highland, East Chicago, St. John and Schaumburg, IL, podiatrists see a lot of the same foot injuries time-and-time again from sports. Look out for these common sports-related injuries:

Stress Fractures

While a stress fracture can happen on the field, this injury is often caused by a diet that is lacking in nutrients and an athlete who is overtraining. A stress fracture will cause tenderness and even swelling around the area. It may be difficult to put weight on the foot without experiencing pain.

If we suspect a stress fracture one of our River North, Elmhurst, Highland, East Chicago, St. John and Schaumburg foot doctors will run imaging tests to see how severe the fracture is. For the minor causes, at-home remedies like icing, elevating, resting and avoiding certain activities will do the trick. More severe cases may be required to wear a cast.

Turf Toe

With repeated hyperextension of the big toe comes a condition known as turf toe. Those with turf toe often known it because the symptoms are pretty standard across the board: pain and tenderness in the big toe, pain when pushing off the foot and pain when moving the toe joint. While we will recommend coming in just to make sure there isn’t something more serious going on, true turf toe can be treated by resting and icing the toe. We can also show you taping techniques to limit the big toe’s movement.

Plantar Fasciitis

This condition is a pretty common cause of heel pain in athletes. This inflammatory foot problem can cause pain (particularly when taking the first few steps in the morning), tenderness near the heel and arch and even inflammation of the plantar fascia (which you won’t be able to see). Athletes can even strain this thick band of muscle, which can turn into plantar fasciitis if it isn’t properly cared for. Those with tight calf muscles and athletes who are overweight are more at risk for developing this condition.

Center for Podiatric Medicine in River North, Elmhurst, Highland, East Chicago, St. John and Schaumburg, IL is here to everyone, from the dedicated office worker to the marathoner. Feet should never be in pain or make it difficult to move around. If you are suffering from any foot problems that make moving a challenge, then it’s time you called us today!

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