Sports Injuries

Types of Sports Injuries

Sports injuries of the foot and ankle can be divided into two general camps:

• Injuries that happen from a sudden force or impact. These can include sprains, fractures, and tendon ruptures. Usually, something has caused part of the body to move beyond what it was capable of normally moving.
• Injuries that happen as a result of overuse. The affected area has not necessarily been overextended, but it has been pushed harder than it has been conditioned to endure or has not been given proper time to recover from repetitive stress.

The latter type of injury—overuse injury—is much more preventable than the first type. They still have a way of sneaking up on you, however. An aching in the foot or heel can keep flaring up during or after a run, for example. Any such pains that don’t improve in a couple days are signs that something is wrong and needs to be addressed.

A few common types of overuse injuries include:

• Plantar fasciitis – The inflammation of the thick band of tissue that supports the arch of each foot. This can develop from the repetitive impacts of running and cause sharp pains in the heel after long periods of inactivity.
• Stress fractures – Hairline cracks that form along the surface of a bone. This type of fracture often forms when the bones of the feet are placed under repetitive stress and not allowed enough time to recover and re-strengthen.
• Achilles tendinitis – The inflammation of the tendon that connects the heel bone to the calf muscle. The tendon can become strained via overuse, or wear down as we age.
• Neuroma – The swelling and pinching of nerve tissue in the front of the foot. Can cause pain, tingling, and numbness, and often feels like a marble or some other object is stuck in your shoe.