Treating and Preventing Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are not restricted by level of performance. You don’t have to be a pro athlete or a member of a team in order to suffer one. You basically just have to be (or have been) moving.
The feet and ankles are particularly vulnerable to sports injuries because of the great amounts of force they endure during activity. They’re made to endure these forces well, but sometimes things just become too much.
When a sports injury strikes, do not try to push through it. Keep off the injury as best as you can and give us a call. We are pros in sports injury treatment and will be more than happy to help you get back in the game.
Types of Sports Injuries
As we noted, sports injuries tend to occur when your feet or ankles take on more force than they are conditioned to handle. This leads to strains, tears, rips, cracks, and other painful problems.
In general, this overload can happen in two ways:
- Acute injuries, in which that force hits hard and suddenly – such as from a tackle or a roll of the ankle. Sprains and fractures are typical injuries under this category.
- Overuse injuries, in which we place too great a demand on our bodies without providing time to adjust or rest. This can happen more suddenly (such as breaking out into a dead sprint without warming up) or over time (the repetitive impacts of running and other activities).
Additional examples of overuse injuries in the feet and ankles include, but are not limited to:
- Achilles tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bursitis
- Neuromas
- Stress fractures
No matter what type of injury you sustain – whether pain arises immediately or after a workout – it’s a clear signal for you to stop what you’re doing and give us a call. Continuing as normal is a good way to risk further injury.
Treating Sports Injuries
A sports injury can be a very frustrating experience, especially if you are on a team, pursuing personal goals, or just love what you do. You want to get back to action as soon as you can, but not giving your body enough time and care for a full recovery can risk re-injury, which then increases your chances of chronic problems.
At Third Coast Foot and Ankle, our primary goal for sports injuries will always be to get you back to full strength as quickly and as safely as possible. There may still be some rest time involved, but we can also help you make the most of it by planning exercises and activities that won’t place as much stress on your recovery area.
The treatment plan we recommend for a sports injury largely depends on the type, location, and severity, as well as the needs of the patient. Parts of a treatment plan might include:
- Classic RICE (Rest, ice, Compression, Elevation) therapy
- Advanced treatments such as amniotic injections to promote faster soft tissue healing.
- Stretches and conditioning exercises to rehabilitate injured areas.
- Changes to more accommodative footwear.
- Changes to activity types and routines.
- The use of custom orthotics to draw excess forces away from vulnerable areas.
- Shockwave Therapy
In some situations, if conservative methods don’t get results, we may consider surgical intervention. If surgery is a consideration, we will fully discuss everything you may need to know about what a procedure might entail.
Preventing Sports Injuries (and Keeping You Moving)
Whether recovering from an injury or just trying to avoid one in the first place, there are many simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of a foot or ankle sports injury:
- Wear the right shoes for the job. Shoes designed for certain activities have added support and stability where needed. Do not wear worn-out shoes of any type, either!
- Warm up before activity. Make sure your muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues are ready for the paces you’ll put them through. Focus on dynamic stretching, which incorporates more light movement than just standing still and holding stretches.
- Give your body rest. When we exercise, we literally break our bodies down on a cellular level. Resting allows the body to rebuild itself stronger and more durable. Don’t provide that time, though, and the recovery can’t catch up to the breakdown, increasing injury risk. Rest days and cross-training are a necessary part of any good routine, no matter who you are.
- Work your way up gradually. Pushing yourself harder than your body can currently handle is a foundation for injury. Be patient with yourself, start a new activity at a low level, and work your way up at no more than a 10% increase of intensity (distance, weight, or time) per week.
We’re happy to discuss further tips with you, especially as they might pertain to your specific goals and needs!
Better, Faster, Stronger
Effective sports injury treatment and prevention will help athletes of all levels strive to be their best – and simply enjoy what they love to do longer.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you are experiencing persistent pain or other foot or ankle issues. Reach us by phone, or fill out our online contact form to connect with a member of our staff today.