Sports medicine conditions such as foot and ankle injuries are common among people who participate in certain sports. There are many reasons these injuries can occur, including not stretching or warming up properly, not wearing the proper type of shoes, injuries that occur during play, and not taping or providing other types of support for the ankle or foot. The most common foot and ankle injuries experienced by people involved in sports are ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendon damage or ruptures. If not treated properly simple injuries can become big problems that can lead to permanent disability.
Dealing with sports injuries these injuries can be relatively simple if they are diagnosed and treated early. Many athletes dismiss the initial aches and pains that are the early warning signs of injury as just soreness or tired muscles. When athletes try to ‘work through’ these pains, it can lead to serious problems. Many minor injuries are made far more serious when athletes continue to put strain and pressure on them and turn a mild strain into a serious strain and a minor tear into a rupture. Athletes should always have any unusual aches and pains evaluated by a skilled, licensed medical professional.
Every patient is different, every sport is different, and so the treatment of each patient will vary according to his or her lifestyle and feet and choice of activity. Dr. Schottenstein has extensive experience in treating athletes and sports injuries. She employs a team approach with other specialists to deliver a customized, sports specific treatment to get patients back in the game fast! Dr. Schottenstein can also recommend shoe gear which will suit the patient’s individual foot type, and provide advice on how to recover and get active again, while preventing future injury. Generally, the earlier the symptoms are treated the quicker you can get back to enjoying your favourite activities