Athletes- Protect Your Feet And Avoid The Bench

Basketball, football, running, tennis volleyball- repeated high stress from these

high-impact sports can result in foot injuries and problems that require professional attention. Participation in sports activities requires careful training and conditioning. A podiatrist should attend to sports injuries of the feet quickly for the best treatment and to avoid serious injury to the feet. Among the most common are stress fractures, ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis and athlete's foot.

Stress Fractures and Ankle Sprains

A sprained ankle means you've torn tissue- a muscle, tendon or ligament. A sprain usually occurs following a sudden twisting movement of the foot or an awkward step on uneven surface. Pain and swelling are the best indicators that you've sprained an ankle. The severity of sprains vary, and to ensure full recovery, its best to see a podiatrist for a thorough examination.

Stress fractures on the other hand are usually caused by overtraining and repeated stress on a hard surface over a period of time. Most stress fractures occur in the bones in the front of the foot that attach to the toes, the metatarsal bones. The best way to treat a stress fracture is rest. This usually means taking an extended time out-typically six to eight weeks-from your routine sport to allow the bone to heal. Failing to provide an adequate amount of time for the fracture to repair itself could result in more persistent fractures and other serious foot problems in the future. It is often difficult to differentiate between a sprained ankle and a stress fracture, and an x-ray is typically necessary.

Plantar Fasciitis

Another common and painful foot condition is plantar fasciitis- an inflammation and irritation of the band of tissue that extends from the heel along the arch of the foot. Of all athletes, runners experience plantar fasciitis the most, causing pain in the heel and arch.

Rest, ice and inflammatory medications are often the best treatments for plantar fasciitis. You can also talk to your podiatrist about specific exercises, stretches, and shoe inserts that alleviate the heel pain and help heal the inflamed tissue.

Athlete's Foot

It's very common for athletes to experience some fungus on their feet. Athlete's foot is the most common of these infections, and is most often contracted in warm, moist public areas, such as locker rooms, showers and pools. This foot fungus usually appears as cracked and peeling skin on the bottom of the foot or between the toes. It typically itches, and when severe, blisters can form.

Prevent athlete's foot by always wearing shoes in public areas, and keep feet dry before putting on socks. Most of the time over-the-counter anti-fungal foot powder is enough to eliminate the infection. But in severe cases, a prescription strength medication will be necessary for getting rid of the commonly recurring condition.

Foot injuries and conditions do happen- especially to individuals that actively participate in sports and physical activities. While you can always prevent these problems from occurring, you can prepare yourself for such injuries.

Contact your Middletown podiatrist for more information on how you can properly care for your feet when participating in athletics, and to know when to seek treatment immediately.

by: Gen Wright

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