You don’t have to be a pro athlete to suffer a sports injury. Trouble can befall anyone from a marathon runner to a golfer to someone who plays a few quick games of pickup basketball every other weekend.

In any of these situations, a sports injury can really put a hitch in someone’s game—especially if it has developed in the foot or ankle. In fact, in the majority of cases, activities should be at least temporarily suspended until you can deal with the problem effectively.

We know how disappointing and frustrating that can sound for many athletes and goal-setters, but we assure you it’s the best route toward getting back to full strength as soon as possible and not risking more chronic injuries. And at Christian County Foot & Ankle Center, we’re committed to helping our patients return to what they love doing, every step of the way.

TWO TYPES OF SPORTS INJURIES

A machine with many moving parts can experience many kinds of breakdowns, and our feet and ankles alone have plenty of moving parts!

We could talk about different individual injuries all day, but it would likely be more useful to you if we divide them all into two general categories: acute injuries and overuse injuries.

Acute injuries are those that are the result of a sudden impact, twist, or force. When you see a football or soccer player rolling on the ground after a particularly hard hit, they likely have just sustained an acute injury. Standard fractures and sprains fall under this category.

Overuse injuries occur when the body is forced to levels beyond what it is currently conditioned to endure. A long-distance runner who starts feeling consistent pain likely has an overuse injury. They may have pushed too hard, too quickly with their routine, or their feet may be sustaining the repetitive impacts of running without having enough rest time to properly recover. Injuries like Achilles tendinitis and stress fractures (e.g. hairline cracks in the surface of a bone) are usually identified as overuse injuries.

We see many types of sports injuries. Among the most common are:

But you shouldn’t initially concern yourself with specifics. If you are experiencing any consistent foot or ankle pain—whether during activity or anytime else—give us a call!

TREATING SPORTS INJURIES

To best address any sort of pain, discomfort, and other symptoms from a sports injury, we must first identify both the condition and the causes that contribute to it. And the answer is often much more than just, “You did something to it.”

While you can’t really avoid the surprise of many acute injuries, and overuse injuries can arise when you push yourself too hard, other factors can still be at play.

For example, your foot structure can be one such significant element. If you have an abnormality such as flat feet or high arches, it can affect the way weight is distributed across the feet and cause excess stress in certain areas. This can make them more prone to injury.

When you come to see us for a sports injury, we will take the time to fully evaluate the situation, which not only includes a physical examination, but also questions about your physical activity and how your problems are affecting it.

After we have all the information, we can make recommendations for treatment and recovery. A full plan might include one or several elements, including:

  • Rest (but we can help you determine other, lower-impact activities you can perform during recovery).
  • Specific stretches and exercises to strengthen and condition areas in need.
  • Ice therapy to reduce pain and inflammation.
  • Changes in footwear or workout routines.
  • The use of custom orthotics to take excess pressure off certain areas of the foot.

We can discuss a comprehensive plan that best suits your needs and gets you back to action safely. Trying to be active in the wrong ways too soon can risk re-injury and chronic problems such as ankle instability or even arthritis.

Don’t Delay: Take a Time Out and See Us!

No matter your level of activity or your personal goals, one thing always remains constant: do not wait to seek help or try to “push through” pain if you are experiencing it! Doing so is only a ticket to making matters worse.

Call Christian County Foot & Ankle Center at (270) 885-1203 to schedule an appointment with us and take the first steps toward an effective recovery.