While athletes have amazing endurance and disipline, they are not exempt from injury. The goal of this blog post is to help bring awareness to an injury you currently have as well as help prevent injury in the future. Below are the 5 most common foot injuries that athletes may experience:
- Blisters:
Though not the most severe injury, blisters cause acute pain. They can also occur very easily. When you run excessively while wearing your running shoes, it is imperative that your feet will not be sweaty for a long time. This makes them prone to blisters. As a runner, make sure that your shoes are a good fit and you wear socks that absorb excess moisture. You will be good to go!
- Black toenails:
Black toenails or subungual hematoma is caused when your toes face friction against the front of the running shoes. This can happen if the shoes are ill-fitting or when you run downhill. Your toes become bruised as well as inflamed. In such cases, the runner often loses the nail. As said, ‘prevention is better than cure.’ Wear shoes with the right fit and make sure that you lace your shoe correctly. This is your best chance of preventingblakc toenails.
- Ankle sprain:
A sprain can be moderate and may only cause minimal pain in a few cases. However, in other cases, it may be so severe that one begins to experience difficulty in walking. Ankle sprains are caused by twisting of the foot that directly damages the ligaments of the ankle. Even if it is not severe, you should always opt for an appointment with a practitioner.
- Heel spur:
A heel spur is a calcium deposit. This deposit leads to a bony protrusion on the heel bone. This can become extremely painful in the rear-foot. You will feel most of it while you stand and walk. Runners who have flat feet or high arches are the ones more prone to heel spurs than those who don’t.
- Stress fractures:
Runners have a higher risk for stress fractures due to the continual stress given on their ankles and feet. A stress fracture is like a small crack in the bone, not like the typical fracture where the person has gotten a bone broken. However, the condition is still painful.
- Plantar Fasciitis:
Plantar Fascia is a band of fibrous tissue that supports the arch of your foot. In cases when you run excessively, the Plantar Fascia may absorb too much stress. As a result, they become inflamed and hurt. This condition is known as plantar fasciitis. This causes pain, and such conditions need immediate treatments.
For a runner or athlete, these injuries will be a part of the journey. The best you can do is to ensure that you have applied all preventive measures. If you believe you’ve suffered a sports injury or would like to know more about preventing athletic foot injuries, contact Foot & Ankle Associates today. Your foot health is the number priority to our board certified podiatrists!