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Common Foot
Injuries
Ankle Sprain
On a daily basis, approximately 25,000 people sprain
their ankles, according to the American Orthopaedic
Foot and Ankle Society.
Ankle sprains are caused by an unnatural twisting or
force on the ankle bones of the foot, often resulting
in one or more ligaments on the outside of the ankle to
be stretched or torn. If not properly treated, ankle
sprains could develop into long-term problems.
Treatment includes resting the ankle and applying ice
to reduce swelling. Compressive bandages also may be
used to immobilize and support the injury. More serious
ankle sprains, particularly in competitive athletes,
may require surgery to repair to tighten the ligaments.
Broken Ankle
During the past 30 years, doctors have noted an
increase in the number and severity of broken ankles,
due in part to an active, older population of "baby
boomers," according to the American Academy of
Orthopedic Surgeons.
The ankle has two joints, one on top of the other. A
broken ankle can involve one or more bones, as well as
injuring the surrounding connecting tissues or
ligaments.
Any one of the three bones that make up the ankle joint
could break as the result of a fall, an automobile
accident or some other trauma to the ankle. A broken
ankle may also cause damage to the ligaments. Because a
severe sprain can often mask the symptoms of a broken
ankle, every injury to the ankle should be examined.
Symptoms of a broken ankle include:
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Bruising.
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Deformity,
particularly if there is a dislocation as well as
a fracture.
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Immediate and severe
pain.
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Inability to put any
weight on the injured foot.
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Swelling.
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Tender to the touch.
Fractures
Nearly one-fourth of all the bones in your body is in
your feet. A broken (fractured) bone in your forefoot
or in one of your toes is often painful but rarely
disabling. Most of the time, these injuries heal
without operative treatment. Types of fractures include
stress fractures and general bone fractures.
Stress fractures frequently occur in the bones of the
forefoot extending from your toes to the middle of your
foot. Stress fractures are like tiny cracks in the bone
surface. They can occur with sudden increases in
training (such as running or walking for longer
distances or times), improper training techniques or
changes in training surfaces.
Most other types of fractures extend through the bone.
They may be stable, in which there is no shift in bone
alignment, or displaced, in which the bone ends no
longer line up properly. These fractures usually result
from trauma, such as dropping a heavy object on your
foot, or from a twisting injury. If the fractured bone
does not break through the skin, it is called a closed
fracture. Several types of fractures occur to the
forefoot bone on the side of the little toe (fifth
metatarsal).
An ankle-twisting injury may tear the tendon that
attaches to this bone and pull a small piece of the
bone away. A more serious injury in the same area is a
Jones fracture, which occurs near the base of the bone
and disrupting the blood supply to the bone. This
injury may take longer to heal or require surgery.
Symptoms include pain, swelling, and sometimes
bruising.
Osteochondromas
Osteochondromas are benign bone tumors under the
toenail. They form in the bone beneath the toenail. An
osteochrondroma accounts for about half of all benign
bone tumors, occurring mostly in children and young
adults. Unless they cause irritation to the surrounding
tissue, they are generally not very painful.
Sometimes, they can deform the toenail and cause an
ingrown toenail. In some cases, they are removed
surgically, but can recur even after the procedure.
Osteochondritis
Dessicans (stiff ankle)
These are lesions that usually cause pain and stiffness
of the ankle joint and affects all age groups. Often,
osteochondritis usually follow a twisting type injury
to the ankle.
Osteochondritis may cause swelling and ankle pain. When
immobilization of the injury doesn`t alleviate the
problem, surgery is sometimes prescribed. The
procedures usually involves removing the loose fragment
of cartilage and bone from the ankle joint and placing
small drill holes in the defect. The drill holes
stimulate new blood vessels to fill the area and help
form scar tissue to fill the defect.
Shin Splints
Shin splints are pain to either side of the leg bone,
caused by muscle or tendon inflammation. It is commonly
related to a collapsing arch, but may be related to a
muscle imbalance between opposing muscle groups in the
leg.
Proper stretching and corrective shoes or shoe inserts
for pronation can help prevent shin splints.
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