Foot & Ankle Injuries & Conditions
Your feet keep you going all day, so it’s natural to be worried about your ability to function if you injure your foot. Foot and ankle injuries are common for athletes and highly active people, affecting your performance.
At the Memorial Sports Medicine Center, our team of orthopedic sports medicine specialists has extensive expertise in treating injuries and conditions that affect the feet and ankles. We focus on advanced care to get you back to your favorite activities.
Foot and Ankle Injuries and Conditions We Treat at Memorial
Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons, primary care sports medicine doctor and their teams work with athletes and highly active people at all levels of sports. Some of the foot and ankle injuries and conditions we treat include:
Achilles tendon injuries
The Achilles tendon (tissue that connects muscle to bone) connects the calf muscle to the heel bone and helps you walk, run, jump and stand on tiptoe. As the largest tendon in the body, the Achilles tendon can sustain heavy stress but is prone to injury from overuse. Common Achilles tendon injuries include tendonitis and rupture.
Ankle and foot fractures
A broken foot, toe or ankle can result from overuse from repetitive movements in sports like running, tennis or basketball and are known as stress fractures. A direct impact, like a hard kick or other forceful contact, can also cause broken bones in the feet, toes or ankles.
Because broken ankles and sprained ankles have similar symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor for any ankle injury.
Ankle and foot pain
Injuries such as ankle sprains, conditions such as plantar fasciitis or overuse due to repetitive movement can cause pain and instability in the foot or ankle. Find out more about foot pain and problems.
Plantar fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a ligament (tissue that connects bones) along the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the ball of the foot. This ligament supports the foot’s arch, and repetitive stress or stretching can lead to tears that cause inflammation and pain.
Ongoing plantar fasciitis can eventually lead to a heel spur, which is a calcium deposit that forms where the ligament connects to the heel bone.
Sprained ankle
The ankle joint is where the two lower leg bones and the ankle bone come together, supported by ligaments. Ankle ligaments can overstretch and tear as a result of a sudden, sharp twist or roll of the ankle.
Ankle sprains are a common sports injury and usually heal with rest and ice. But severe sprains can weaken ligaments, increasing instability in the ankle.
Strains
A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon and can result from overuse, falls, sudden twists, poorly fitting footwear or forceful impacts such as tackles or other contact during sports. A foot strain is a common injury in athletes and highly active people.
Turf toe
A sprain in the main joint of the big toe is commonly called turf toe, because the condition arose when artificial turf became more widely used on playing fields. Turf is firmer than natural surfaces and provides less shock absorption.
Repeated running, jumping and putting excessive force on the feet on turf can cause the big toe to hyperextend (when a joint extends beyond its normal range of motion), causing a sprain.
Diagnosis and Treatments for Ankle and Foot Injuries
When you come to the Memorial Sports Medicine Center, you’ll first meet with one of our doctors for a physical exam and discussion of your symptoms. You will likely need imaging so that your doctor can accurately diagnose the problem and begin your treatment plan.
Our doctors and their teams use advanced imaging technologies. We can do X-ray and mini-fluoroscopy (live X-ray, like a video) right in our office, so you won’t have to go to another department.
We give specialized injections in our office as well, to treat a range of conditions. We often use ultrasound to guide the procedure for more precise results. Learn more about your treatment options at the Memorial Sports Medicine Center, including:
Contact Us
To schedule an appointment or learn more about sports medicine at Memorial, call 954-265-8326.
