How to Avoid 3 Common Summer Foot and Ankle Injuries
Summer is in full swing, and we hope you’re in the great outdoors, staying active! (And lathering up with sunscreen, all over your feet!) Yes, summer is a time for running, swimming, golfing, hitting the tennis courts or simply getting active in your garden.
But with all that movement, your feet and ankles can pay the price. During the summer months, we see so many activity-related injuries in our Westfield, IN podiatry practice. Want to keep problems like sprains, pains and broken bones from ruining your summer down-time? Well, we do too! So keep reading for tips on beating 3 common summer foot and ankle injuries.
Play Keep Away with Ankle Sprains
We call any stretching or tearing injury to your ankle ligaments an ankle sprain. This injury usually happens when you roll, twist or turn your ankle in an unusual way. Symptoms can include swelling, instability and pain. Often, it’s a sports injury. But something as simple as tripping over your child’s toys, or walking on an uneven sidewalk, could get you into sprain territory.
Want our best advice for avoiding this injury? Be sure to warm up prior to any sports activity. Focus on exercises which improve your balance, strengthen your core and improve flexibility. Choose supportive footwear, especially when you play sports, such as tennis or basketball, with lots of lateral movement and quick direction changes. And if you suspect you’ve sprained your ankle? Don’t try to walk off the pain. Instead, come in right away to properly treat your injury and prevent further complications!
Heel Pain: Not So Cool for the Summer
The heel pain of plantar fasciitis comes from inflammation in the tissue band that runs from your heels to your toes. You can develop plantar fasciitis by ramping up your activity levels suddenly, like we do in summer. More force then tugs at your plantar fascia, creating irritation. With this kind of heel pain, your symptoms will likely feel worst when you first get out of bed in the morning. But, if you ignore your symptoms, they’ll gradually increase, until you find walking difficult at any time of day.
To keep heel pain away this summer, gradually build up your activity levels. And don’t forget to stretch your toes and calf muscles after exercising. Finally, talk to us about even minor heel pain symptoms as soon as they show up. That way we can intervene with minimally invasive treatments to offer pain relief.
The Season of Stress Fractures No More
Stress fractures are just like other broken bones: a real injury in need of medical attention. But these tiny cracks in your bone aren’t usually the result of an acute injury. Instead, they tend to develop over time, as you put repeat stress on the same part of your body (often your shin or foot bones.) Stress fractures can also develop from normal use of a bone that's weakened by a condition such as osteoporosis. At first, you may notice pain that comes on when you’re active, then goes away with rest. But over time, the pain may become a constant in your day. You might also have swelling around the painful area.
As a common overuse injury, we see lots of runners and ball players with stress fractures. We can help prevent this injury by supporting you with orthotics. Stress fractures can also be prevented by starting any new exercise program slowly and progressing gradually and wearing the appropriate footwear for your activity. Adding low impact activities to your exercise routine and making sure your diet includes enough calcium, vitamin D and nutrients can also help prevent stress fractures. But if you wait until problems develop, you’ll need to stop most sports until your fractures heal, or your injury will worsen.
Want to save your feet, and your summer, from pain and injuries? Pay attention to any symptoms that pop up. And request an appointment at the first sign of trouble, so a small issue won’t ruin the rest of your season of relaxation.