Common Foot & Ankle Injuries From Sports - And How To Treat Them
Athletes and active people that engage in activities that involve repetitive running and jumping often develop foot and ankle injuries, including those that result from traumatic events, such as ankle sprains and Achilles tendon ruptures, and those that result from overuse, such as stress fractures.
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Books
That’s Gotta Hurt
The Injuries That Changed Sports Forever
Through the stories of a dozen athletes whose injuries and recovery advanced the field (including Joan Benoit, Michael Jordan, Brandi Chastain, and Tommy John), Dr. Geier explains how sports medicine makes sports safer for the pros, amateurs, student-athletes, and weekend warriors alike.
Get the BookFrequently Asked Questions on Foot and Ankle Injuries
- Could I have a serious foot or ankle injury?
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-Could I have a serious foot or ankle injury?
Whether you suffer a traumatic injury in sports or exercise or your pain developed over a period of time, there are several signs and symptoms that could suggest your ankle or foot pain could represent a serious injury. Your pain could be getting worse as you proceed through a workout or practice. You might struggle to walk without limping. You might also really hurt the next day after a training session. - What are the common foot or ankle sports injuries?
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-What are the common foot or ankle sports injuries?
Some of the common traumatic injuries of the foot and ankle include ankle fractures, ankle sprains, high ankle sprains, Achilles tendon ruptures, osteochondral lesions (OCD) of the talus, Jones fractures, Lisfranc injuries and peroneal tendon subluxation. The common overuse ankle and foot injuries include Achilles tendinitis and tendinosis, flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendinitis, stress fractures of the calcaneus, navicular or metatarsals, plantar fasciitis and turf toe. - Should I go to a doctor or ER for my foot or ankle injury?
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-Should I go to a doctor or ER for my foot or ankle injury?
Most orthopedic injuries, especially those that occur in sports and exercise, that require urgent treatment in an emergency room result from a traumatic event. These are some of the signs and symptoms that suggest you might go to an emergency department for your injury: the bone is crooked or out of place, the injured area is very swollen, or the bone is poking through the skin. You might also have trouble bearing weight, have bleeding that won’t stop, have signs of a nerve injury, or your pain is unbearable. - Do I need x-rays or an MRI for my foot or ankle injury?
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-Do I need x-rays or an MRI for my foot or ankle injury?
X-rays only show bones, while MRIs show soft-tissue structures like muscles, tendons and ligaments. Many people – and some doctors – believe that an ankle injury is automatically a ligament or tendon injury, which wouldn’t show up on an x-ray. X-rays can be important, though, to demonstrate arthritis, stress fractures and other causes of pain.