Some conditions affecting your foot and ankle make it quite challenging for you to walk or exercise and affect your productivity at work, especially if your career requires long-standing hours. In most cases, if you begin experiencing any discomfort that does not go away after days or weeks, you are encouraged to seek medical advice because some might cause severe problems in the future. Doing so helps your care provider determine the cause and offer appropriate treatment. Among the concerns that might be causing the discomfort may include foot and ankle injuries which can either be chronic or acute. Therefore, if you have a foot or ankle injury and seek treatment, podiatrist Scottsdale among other specialists, provides a solution to all your concerns. They are qualified and experienced in offering the best treatment options for all types of foot and ankle injuries. Read on below to understand more about foot and ankle trauma.
What are acute foot and ankle injuries?
Usually, there are various types of acute foot and ankle injuries, including:
- Fractures
Generally, there are a total of fifty-two bones in each foot and ankle. A break on any of the bones is referred to as a fracture. Therefore, you are more likely to have foot or ankle fractures if you drop a heavy object, thus squashing your foot. Heel, ankle, and talus fractures are common foot and ankle injuries affecting most people.
- Strains and sprains
Sprains refer to injuries where the ligament overstretched or tears and commonly affect your ankle. And on the other hand, strains occur when the tendons overstretch or tear. The Achilles tendon is the largest in your body and is commonly located at the back of your heel, but under enough force, it might rupture, causing a strain.
What type of chronic foot and ankle injuries might you have?
Of importance to note is that chronic foot and ankle injuries are due to repeated movements of these parts to excess. Therefore, repetitive or overuse strains often build up tiny tissue injuries that lead to chronic pain and inflammation. Examples of foot and ankle overuse injuries include:
- Stress fractures
They are minute or small cracks usually found on ankle or foot bones. They are common among athletes and are more likely to occur when running on hard surfaces. They can also occur if the athlete uses footwear that does not cushion their feet appropriately.
- Tendonitis
And since the Achilles tendon is found around your ankle joint, it is more likely to get inflamed due to overuse injury. And chronic tendonitis eventually develops into tendinosis which refers to a deterioration of the tendon tissues.
- Circulatory problems
When you have poor circulation in your foot, you are more likely to develop other types of ankle and foot injuries. Examples of circulatory concerns that might cause injuries in your foot or ankle include venous insufficiency and diabetes. Poor circulation reduces oxygen and nutrient supply to your feet, resulting in the fluid build-up, which leads to ulcers.
Identifying the cause of discomfort in your foot is key to treatment. Therefore, if you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your foot and seek relief, you can start by calling Phoenician Foot & Ankle Specialists today.