Injuries are an inevitable part of playing sports and usually impact the lower extremities of the body viz., feet, legs and ankles. Such injuries occur frequently when the limbs, muscles and tissues of sportspersons suffer wear and tear due to intense physical activities. And since the injuries are mostly related to the feet, which is an important part to maintain the gait of a person, hence, Podiatrist comes into play. It is not always the surgery that helps an injured sportsperson with a debilitating foot injury to be treated but there exists a host of other options. These include rehabilitation, prevention strategies, and delivering cutting edge treatments without involving surgery.
Healthy feet, besides maintaining the posture, facilitate running by lifting the arches at the right time. However, should someone suffer from flat feet or the feet rolled in up to a certain extent, then the muscles in the lower limb are likely absorb the stress resulting from running. This can cause injuries, which for a sportsperson can get exacerbated due to prolonged physical activity.
Type of sports injuries
Sportspersons, apart from suffering injuries on account of excessive physical exertion, can be vulnerable to certain physical ailments due to specific feet conditions like flat feet. The type of injuries a sportsperson can suffer are as follows
- Shin splints
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Ankle Injuries
- Patellofemoral Syndrome or Runner Knee
- Stress Fracture
- Sprain Ankle
- Peroneal Tendonitis
- Corns and Calluses
- Nail Injuries
How can the Podiatry services at Mandurah help sportspersons with specific injuries
Taking care of Corns and Calluses: These are formed due to friction and pressure arising out of running and can reduce the elasticity of the skin. If there is an excess build up of such skin ailments, the sportsperson can suffer from painful blisters. These can be easily treated by the Podiatrists at Peel Podiatry Clinic by the gentle debridement/parring of the calluses and corns followed by the application of moisturisers among other techniques
Treating bruised or ingrown toenails: Bruised or ingrown toenails can lead to infection if not treated in time. The infection can cause painful ulcerations thereby preventing the sportsperson from walking let alone running. Ingrown toenail can be treated by podiatrists either with conservative approach i.e. proper cutting and removal of the ingrown spicule or surgical approach i.e. a wedge resection and matrix sterilisation.
Fungal nail infection: Fungal infection can be treated by the topical application of an anti-fungal ointment. Additionally, PACT (Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy) treatment can be used effectively to kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi in a painless way
Correcting any feet alignment issues by using orthotics: A faulty foot alignment or flat foot can cause injuries and pain along the spinal cord and in the lower extremities. These can be managed by the orthotics services at Peel Podiatry Clinic in Mandurah by using suitable shoe inserts to support, align, and improve the functioning of the feet, ankles, knees, and back
Conclusion
Sports injuries can be debilitating and have the potential to end the career of a person. And instead of going through costly surgeries with probable side effects, it is better to visit a Podiatrist.