Sports-Related Foot and Ankle Injuries

You are always at risk of an injury, whether you are a professional, amateur or recreational athlete, a weekend warrior or play sports every once in a while for fun. Foot and ankle pain, and injuries, are very common in just about any sport due to excessive stress from a particular activity, poor footwear or a traumatic injury.

If you have developed sports-related pain or injury, there is no need to suffer and not be able to do the athletic activities you enjoy. Fortunately, Dr. Thomas Silver can help you! As past podiatrist for the Twin Cities Marathon and an avid runner and bicyclist, he understands what it means to be able to do the sports you enjoy most without pain or injury. Whether you have pushed your body to its limits and now have persistent pain, sustained an acute injury that needs attention, or even have a minor problem interfering with your activities, you need to be promptly evaluated and treated at Westwood Foot Clinic by Dr. Silver and his experienced staff. Don’t delay contacting us for an appointment hoping that a problem will just go away! Same day appointments are often available.

Some Common Sports Injuries We Treat:

Ankle Sprains
Sprains occur when the ligaments surrounding the ankle are stretched or strained beyond their normal range of motion. A slight twist can cause a minor sprain that often heals well with rest, icing, and immobilization. A more severe injury involving torn ligaments, bone chips, or even a fracture would require immediate medical attention and appropriate treatment to ensure the future health of your ankle. Chronic ankle instability and pain could result from delaying or not getting the appropriate treatment. Contact our office immediately for an appointment with Dr. Silver if you have injured your ankle!

Plantar Fasciitis
One of the most common athletic injuries is plantar fasciitis. It may start out as a simple strain to the tissue that attaches to the bottom of your heel but can become a chronic, severe painful condition. It may be most painful on your first steps in the morning or after resting and can prevent you from running or participating in any sports. Unfortunately plantar fasciitis often doesn’t go away with rest and left untreated it often becomes more painful and a chronic condition. Fortunately, Dr. Silver specializes in the treatment of painful plantar fasciitis. He can eliminate your heel pain and help to keep it from coming back. He often has helped those who didn’t get relief from other doctors or health professionals they had seen previously. There is no need to suffer with this problem any longer when Dr. Silver can help you!

Achilles Tendonitis
The Achilles tendon is the strongest tendon in your body and designed to withstand an extreme amount of stress. Sports that require a lot of running, jumping or pushing off with your feet can lead to increased stress to the Achilles tendon. As a result, it can become chronically inflamed, torn, or even rupturing completely. Chronic or acute pain where the tendon attaches to the back of your heel bone or pain in your tendon or calf muscle should be looked at as soon as possible to confirm the extent of your injury and for Dr. Silver to determine the best treatment for you. Putting off treatment for an Achilles tendon injury only puts you at risk for developing a chronic condition that may be more difficult to treat, requiring more extensive care.

Blisters
A blister can range from a minor annoyance to a serious complication depending on its severity, location, treatment, and whether you have any underlying condition that could inhibit healing. Runners are particularly at risk for blisters, which can make running very uncomfortable or even cause an infection. Whether it’s treatment of a painful blister or help preventing them from developing, Dr. Silver can help.

Shin Splints

Shin splints are a common complaint for both experienced and amateur runners as well as other sports involving running. There are many causes of shin splints including: over-training, poor running form, a weak or imbalanced foot structure, increasing miles too quickly, improper warm-up and poor footwear can all lead to pain on the inside front part of your leg. Sometimes this type of pain will resolve with rest, training changes or shoe modifications. Pin-point tenderness with swelling may even be the sign of a stress fracture. If your pain continues or interferes with sports then it’s necessary for Dr. Silver to evaluate this as soon as possible.

Preventing Future Foot & Ankle Problems

Sports-related injuries often lead to chronic pain and/or recurring problems if not treated promptly or properly. Even minor problems-such as corns, calluses, plantar warts, ingrown, deformed or fungal toenails and Athlete’s foot infections-can interfere with your athletic activities. Whether it’s a minor, chronic or acute foot or ankle problem, Dr. Silver can help. You can rest easy knowing that you will be provided with the treatment you need to get you back in the game and to help prevent future injuries. If you lead an active lifestyle, we can also provide foot care to keep you enjoying an active lifestyle without foot pain or injury. Call the Westwood Foot Clinic today for an appointment at (763) 231-2341 or request it online (same day appointments often available).

Westwood Foot Clinic proudly serves the communities of St. Louis Park, New Hope, Plymouth, Wayzata, and Minneapolis.