Foot and Ankle Injuries
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Transcript Foot and Ankle Injuries
FYI
The foot and ankle support the weight and transfer
force as a person walks and runs.
The feet and lower legs work to maintain balance and
adapt to various surfaces.
Ankles are the most common and most frequent
injured joint.
Preventing Foot and Ankle Injuries
Taking care of the foot and ankle is essential to injury
prevention and continuous athletic participation
Preventative measures may include:
Wearing shoes that provide ankle and arch support.
Using supportive ankle taping
Strength and conditioning programs
Treating Foot and Ankle Injuries
and Conditions
Since the feet and legs form the foundation on which
an athlete walks and runs, injuries to ligaments,
tendons, muscles, and bones can be disabling.
Ligament Injuries
Sprain-stretching or tearing of ligaments and usually
occurs as a result of trauma to a joint that is forced to
the extreme of its range of movement.
Sprains commonly occur at the great toe, arch, lateral
ankle joint (outside), and the medial ankle joint
(inside)
Great-toe Sprain
• Great-toe helps kick a ball, push off when walking or
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running, and maintain balance.
If excessive force is applied to this area, such as forced
flexion and extension, the ligaments can be sprained.
Some feel turf causes more great-toe sprains than real
grass.
ATC will recommend RICE
When athlete returns to action, the great-toe can be
taped and padded to provide support and decrease
pain.
Arch Sprain
Can be caused by running on a hard surface,
improper footwear, or repetitive stress
Athlete will report significant pain over the
involved arch and will experience difficulty
walking or running
ATC will notice swelling and some discoloration
over the plantar surface
PRICE (protection, rest, ice, compression,
elevation)
An arch pad may relieve some of the pain
Lateral and Medial Ankle Sprains
85% of ankle sprains are caused by excessive inversion
Deltoid ligament is very strong compared to the lateral
ligaments and the fibula prevents severe eversion
When the ankle inverts, the lateral ligaments are
injured
Severity will depend on the amount of force, the amount
of taping, the type of shoe, and the strength of the
muscles
Lateral and Medial Ankle Sprains
Athlete with an injury must be evaluated to determine
its severity
Shoe and sock must be removed
Swelling and discoloration may occur
ATC will determine the severity based on the athlete’s
ability to move the ankle
if no decrease in range of motion or strength, athlete may be
allowed to play with the ankle protected by a brace or tape
Any decrease in range of motion will be treated with PRICE
Ankle Dislocations
Can occur either anteriorly or posteriorly
Anterior dislocation occurs when the heel of the foot
strikes the ground forcefully
Posterior dislocation occurs with a blow to the anterior
aspect of the leg while the ankle is in plantar flexion
Deformity, obvious pain, rapid swelling will occur
ATC will splint the lower leg and ankle, call 911, give
the athlete ice, and remove athlete from the field
*Physician must put the bones back in place because
the ligaments, nerves, and blood vessels can be
damaged
Muscle and Tendon Injuries
Strains occur as a result of overstretching or putting a
muscle or tendon under excessive tension
Tendonitis-inflammation of a tendon
Typically occurs as a result of a repetitive stress (running
or jumping)
Common tendon injuries and strains in the foot region
involve the Achilles tendon
Achilles Tendinitis
Achilles tendon is the strong tendon joining the
gastrocnemius muscle in the calf to the heel
Any sport involving repeated running, jumping,
and landing may cause cells in the tendon to break
down prematurely—causing tendonitis
ATC will note swelling, tenderness, and expression
of pain.
Rest and ice will need to be done by the athlete
Achilles Tendon Rupture
Feels as if someone shot him in the back of the
lower leg
Occurs when there is forced dorsiflexion of the
foot, a blow over the Achilles tendon, or a sudden
forceful contraction of the gastrocnemius
Athlete will feel the tearing
ATC will notice swelling and a depression where
the tendon used to be attached
The tendon must be repaired surgically
Bone Injuries
Direct impact to an area and repetitive use can cause
fractures
Common symptoms include pain, pressure, and
inability to move the body part
ATC can splint the injured area
Athlete must go to a doctor to get X rays and a cast
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Metatarsal Avulsion Fracture
Most common avulsion fracture-aka Jones fracture
The ankle is forced into inversion, the muscles
contract forcefully to stabilize the later aspect of the
ankle, the peroneus brevis tendon pulls part of the
bone away at its attachment
ATC uses PRICE and refers athlete to the team
physician
Epipyseal Injury of Distal Tibia and
Fibula
Epiphyses-growth plates
Distal tibia and fibula epiphyses become injured
when the ankle is forced into plantar flexion and
inversion
Athlete will experience pain and swelling
ATC will splint the injury and refer him to a
physician for X rays
Possible for the epiphysis to close prematurely,
which will stunt bone growth at that site
Stress Fractures
Most commonly occur to the tibia, fibula, and
metatarsals
Repetitive stress due to running is usually the cause
Pain becomes more intense at night and after the
activity
A bone scan can be used to verify a stress fracture
An X ray will not show a stress fracture until 2 weeks
after the initial injury when a callus begins to form at
the site
Takes 4-6 weeks of rest
Other Common Injuries
The weight-bearing lower extremities are prone to
other injuries
Shinsplints
Common term used for pain in the lower leg
Muscle fibers on the medial side of the tibia
become torn and irritated
Athlete complains of pain and inability to run or
walk properly
Treatments-PRICE, changing training activities,
taping is possible.
Recommended to get new shoes, stretching and
arch supports
Contusions
Bruising
Soccer and field hockey players are prone to
contusions of the lower leg
RICE
ATC may tape on additional padding to protect area
from further impacts
Toe
Abnormalities
Hammer Toe-middle joint of the toe is flexed and the
joint (phalange and metatarsal) is hyperextended
Halux valgus (bunion)-pressure on toe toward the
midline of the body at the great toe
Ingrown toenail-nail grows into the surrounding soft
tissue