Foot injuries are very common among athletes. The feet of athletes are often under a lot of stress, which makes them vulnerable to injury. People who actively take part in athletic activities constantly put themselves at risk of sustaining injuries. Here are four common foot injuries athletes experience.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a common condition that is usually associated with heel pain. This condition occurs due to the inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is the strong band of tissue on the bottom of the foot. The pain usually occurs when it gets irritated. This painful injury is mostly found in people who are on their feet for long periods of time like athletes. However, it can happen to anyone.
Stress Fractures
Stress fractures often occur on the foot and lower leg. These are tiny cracks in the bone that are caused by repetitive force usually from overuse such as running long distances or repeatedly jumping. Athletes who take part in sports like running, tennis or gymnastics are usually at a higher risk for stress fractures. This is mainly due to repetitive stress placed on the ankles and feet and the muscles are often unable to absorb the stress. At first, a person may not notice any pain, but it usually worsens with time. The tenderness starts at a particular spot and reduces during rest and a person may have swelling around the painful area.
Lisfranc Injuries
The Lisfranc joint is basically the point at which the tarsal bones and the metatarsal bones connect. The Lisfranc ligament is a tough tissue band that joins two of these types of bones. This is beneficial for maintaining the strength of the joint and proper alignment. Injuries to the joint commonly occur in people who take part in different sports such as running, football and other contact sports. These injuries occur due to direct and indirect forces to a person’s foot. A direct force usually involves something heavy falling on the foot whereas an indirect force often involves twisting the foot.
Turf Toe
A turf toe injury is a sprain of the main joint of the big toe. The joint is also called the metatarsophalangeal joint or MTP joint. This injury is referred to as turf toe because of the frequency of MTP joint sprains that often happen while playing on artificial turf. But a turf toe injury can happen on any surface. Although this injury is usually associated with football, it can occur in different sports and activities.
Visit Your Doctor
Some common foot injuries are plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, Lisfranc injuries and turf toe. Knowing the warning signs of foot injuries is beneficial. It can help prevent any further damage to your feet. If you want to learn more about common sports-related foot injuries, talk to your doctor.
SRO Foot & Ankle Center
SRO’s Foot and Ankle Program is your first -choice treatment program, caring for the foot and ankle no matter how common or complex. We provide a comprehensive array of treatment alternatives covering nonsurgical as well as surgical methods to overcome a patient’s pain and lost function. Take that first step towards better foot and ankle health and give us a call today. https://www.srortho.com/centers-of-excellence/foot-ankle/
Mark E. Schakel, M.D.
As an orthopaedic Surgeon and Director of The Foot & Ankle Program at SRO, Dr. Schakel treats problems of the foot and ankle. Dr. Schakel is the director of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Trauma Service. He has extensive experience in treating problems of the foot and ankle, including reconstructive, traumatic, sports-related, and congenital problems. Learn more …
