The most common Foot and Ankle Injuries for Adults
When it comes to adult athletics, foot and ankle injuries are common. Whether it is a basketball game with your friends, weekly competitive adult leagues or personal training for an event (such as a marathon), your feet and ankles tend to take a lot of abuse.
Here is a list of the top sports-related injuries we typically see during the summer months:
Stress Fractures: are tiny cracks (or fractures) in your foot or ankle bones that develop due to repeated impact and stress over time. Typically, the pain would either feel like a deep, dull ache or sharp and intense. This type of injury typically occurs in sports that involve a lot of running or jumping.
Shin Splints: a very common injury where an athlete experiences pain or swelling on the front of their lower leg where the shin is located. The injury develops due to overuse and will typically heal naturally over time.
Achilles Tendon Injury (or Tendonitis): This injury is one of the toughest injuries to deal with as an adult. An inflamed Achilles tendon can produce pain in the lower calf and heel area. If it continues to weaken, the Achilles tendon can be prone to rupture, often leading to a screeching halt in all your activities.
Ankle Sprain: this is most likely the most common injury in all of sports. Ankle sprains typically occur in any sports that involves quick directional changes such as basketball, tennis, soccer, and football. Although it it impossible to avoid, there are various methods to prevent injuries by wrapping/taping your ankles, wearing protective ankle gear or stretching prior to playing.
During the summer months, it is important to speak with a podiatrist to learn more on how to properly prevent injury or how to spot an injury early to prevent further aggravation. In the past, our team has worked with adults participating in various summer sports and will be here to assist you as well. Click here to set up an appointment with our team at River Podiatry.
