Foot & Ankle Injuries

Facts about The Foot & Ankle

More than 11 million visits were made to physicians' offices in 2003 because of foot, toe and ankle problems, including more than 2 million visits for ankle sprains and strains and more than 800,000 visits for ankle fractures (Source: National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.) Consider this:

Walking puts up to 1.5 times your bodyweight on your foot.

Your feet log approx. 1,000 miles per year.

As shock absorbers, feet cushion up to one million pounds of pressure during one hour of strenuous exercise.

Below are just some of the different types of Foot & Ankle injuries:

Ankle sprains

Sprained ankles are one of the most common injuries in sports. Because the inner ankle is more stable than the outer ankle, the foot is likely to turn inward (ankle inversion) from a fall, tackle, or jump. This stretches or tears ligaments; the result is an ankle sprain. The lateral ligament on the outer ankle is most prone to injury.

Achilles tendon injury

The strongest and largest tendon, the Achilles tendon connects muscles in the lower leg with the heel bone. Sports that tighten the calf muscles, such as basketball, running and high-jumping can overstress this tendon and cause a strain (Achilles tendinitis) or a rupture. A direct blow to the foot, ankle, or calf can also cause it.

Overuse injuries

Excessive training, such as running long distances without rest, places repeated stress on the foot and ankle. The result can be stress fractures and muscle/tendon strains.

Shin splints

Pain in front of the shin bone (tibia) usually is caused by a stress fracture, called shin splints. Overtraining, poorly fitting athletic shoes, and a change in running surface from soft to hard puts athletes at risk for this injury.

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