Sports Injuries

What are some common foot and ankle injuries?

Sports injuries that most commonly affect the feet and ankles include:

• Ankle sprains
• Tendon tears
• Muscle strains in the foot and lower leg
• Fractures
• Turf toe and sand toe
• Blisters
• Abrasions

Trauma and overuse cause most sports-related injuries in the feet and ankles. The Neuhaus Foot & Ankle team of doctors take a comprehensive approach to foot and ankle care, examining and treating your entire foot and ankle.

With this complete approach, your doctor can identify areas of tightness and weakness – in addition to your specific injury – and provide thorough treatment and rehabilitation so you can get back on your feet without chronic discomfort.

How are foot and ankle injuries diagnosed?

During your initial visit, your doctor examines your foot to assess for signs of bruising, swelling and increased or decreased range of motion. Your doctor performs specific orthopedic tests to assess the stability of your joints, the strength of the surrounding muscles, and fracture indicators.

If a fracture is suspected, your doctor orders X-rays to identify the specific location of the fracture and the extent of your fracture. Since the feet and ankles have many small bones, fractures can affect more than one bone and may displace or chip off pieces of other bones.

Depending on the extent of your injury, your doctor provides appropriate treatment recommendations.

How are foot and ankle injuries treated?

For minor injuries – like non-complex ankle sprains or abrasions – your doctor ensures your foot and ankle are clean and dry before wrapping the area with bandages or gauze if needed. Your doctor also provides crutches and other supports, as needed.

For complex ankle sprains – like a high ankle sprain – fractures, you may need to wear a supportive boot and use crutches until your injury fully heals. For tendonitis, you may also need to be placed in a boot or other supportive device. At the time of your appointment, your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatories if needed. Physical therapy is available once the area has healed sufficiently and you’re ready to stretch and strengthen your foot and ankle.

More complicated injuries – like tendon tears and displaced fractures – may require surgery to correct the injury and avoid further damage to your foot or ankle. If this is recommended, your doctor explains how your surgery is performed and what you can expect during recovery and rehabilitation.

For thorough and effective treatment of sports-related foot and ankle injuries, call or schedule a visit online at Neuhaus Foot & Ankle now.