The 5 Most Common Foot Injuries

Your feet are an essential part of your body. They are the main point of contact with the ground, allowing you to move around effortlessly.

But, your feet are more than just a walking aid. They help you balance, the right gait encourages correct posture while a poor gait can cause a variety of aches and pain. Your feet can literally affect every part of your body!

That’s why it’s essential to understand the 5 most common foot injuries. Knowing when your foot is not working as it should be means you can see a specialist in physiotherapy Botany and get the best possible advice to heal your foot and maintain your health.

1. Achilles Tendonitis

The Achilles is a tendon and the largest one in your body! It joins the calf muscles to the heel bone. If it is overused it is likely to become inflamed. Inflammation is painful but doesn’t stop you from using your foot.

Unfortunately, persisting with activity increases the inflammation and the likelihood of tearing your Achilles.
This is painful and will stop you from using your foot while it heals.

2. Sprained Ankle

Sprained ankles are one of the most common foot injuries that doctors see. There are many ways in which you can sprain your ankle, from putting your foot down on an uneven surface to jumping and landing funny.

This stretches the ligaments on either side of the ankle and can even tear them. It’s painful, although fortunately a minor issue.

Rest and alternate heat and cold treatment should resolve the issue in a few days. But, it is always worth consulting a medical professional to ensure there are no further issues.

3. Fractured Ankle

The fractured ankle is an extension of a sprain. In other words, your uneven landing has placed enough strain on your ankle bone that it develops cracks, although doesn’t break completely.

It will be painful, the ankle will swell, and you need to get specialist help. This will ensure it is set correctly, doesn’t become infected, and heals properly.

4. Plantar Fasciitis

This injury is most often associated with runners. However, it can affect anyone as it simply means the band of tissue in the base of your foot has become inflamed.

The most common symptom of this condition is pain, especially when you take the first steps in the morning or after sitting for a period of time.

Ice and rest can help the plantar fasciitis to heal. In some cases, it may be necessary to get anti-inflammatory medicine and a heel pad. This allows the inflammation to subside and foot movement to return to normal.

5. Stress Fractures

Stress fractures are tiny cracks that can appear in any of the feet bones. Many of the bones are very small and repetitive or excessive force can cause tiny cracks to appear.

These can heal by themselves, the key is to give your body time to heal. In fact, this is one of the reasons you shouldn’t over-exercise.

Allowing your feet to rest between exercise sessions ensures the bones and muscles heal, dramatically reducing the risk of stress factors.