Football, Feet and More

Football season is in full swing, and whether it’s pro ball or pee-wee injuries are likely to occur. Even on the best day, with the most well trained athlete, accidents can happen, but we are here to help!

The most common injuries we see from team sports, like football, are plantar fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, neuromas, stress fractures and capsulitis. One of the most important things for athletes of all levels to remember is not to over-do it. The majority of injuries in athletes are what we call ‘overuse injuries’. 

More often than not injuries start off as small problems, which are easy to self-heal, however these injuries become exaggerated when the proper time-off/rest time isn’t observed.  With team sports it is sometimes hard to sit on the sidelines, but it can be a vast difference in the severity of your injury and your recovery time. 

At the first sign of pain, impact, swelling or chronic soreness it is important to not only seek medical treatment, but to adhere to your recovery plan for the best outcome. This is especially vital in younger athletes in order to avoid chronic or long-term foot and ankle damage. 

Dr. Saffer and Dr. Brown are experts in the fields of sports podiatry, and love working with youth to establish healthy and successful plans for an active future. Come see us today! 

The Dreaded Shin Splints

Shin splints seem like a normal side effect to activity, but the truth is a few simple precautions can stop your pain. Shin splints refer to pain on either side of the leg bone that is caused by muscle or tendon inflammation.

Shin splints are often related to a collapsing arch (flat foot), but may be caused by a muscle imbalance between opposing muscle groups in the leg due to increasing intensity or distance of workouts, or due to a lack of cross training (strengthening all your muscles not just the ones used in your sport).

At the other extreme are people with "high arch feet". These feet are very tight-jointed and do not yield enough upon impact. Common rigid foot running injuries are stress fractures, ball of the foot pain, and shin splints.

In addition, wearing the wrong time of athletic shoe for your feet or not replacing shoes at the proper time can also increase the risk of getting shin splints. Proper stretching before and after exercise and sports can help to alleviate the occurrence of shin splints and to reduce the pain in already existing ones.

In severe cases we recommend corrective shoes, or orthotics (corrective shoe inserts) to help prevent shin splints.

As you can see many people across the board suffer from this issue. Being proactive with your footwear and proper stretching can save you a lot of down time, corrective measures, money and pain in the long run. If you are suffering from pain or would like ideas on stretches and preventative measures please contact us today.