Common Foot Injuries

Everyone has had a foot injury, at one time or another, whether it is a minor toe injury or minor foot injury. The injuries related to foot, toe and ankle are usually during the activities like work related tasks, work or projects around home, or sports or recreational activities. The sports activities are the common cause for injuries in children and the risk is also higher for any injury in this. If any bone injury occurs near the joint, it might end up injuring the growth plate, called physis, in a child and it is a must that it should be evaluated. With the games and sports, there are other activities like gymnasts, dancers, or soccer or basketball players, who get their tor, foot or ankle injured. When it come to older adults, they have a higher risk for fractures and injuries because their muscle mass is lost and bone strength is not so much like it is in younger adults. Most of the minor injuries tend to heal themselves with time, on their own. But the ones that are severe, they need to be treated by the doctors.

Sudden (Acute) Injury

These injuriesusually occurred when they are hit by a direct blow, a fall, a penetrating injury, or from twisting, jamming, jerking, or getting a limb bent abnormally. The pain that it brings might be severe and sudden. Swelling and bruising also might show up after the injury. The acute injuries include:

• Bruises (contusions)
• Puncture wounds – these increase the risk of infection as they are pretty hard to clean and also provide a moist and warm place for bacteria growth.
• Ligament injuries
• Tendon injuries – like ruptured tendons in heel (Achilles tendon), Sever`s disease.
• Joint injuries (sprains) – if the sprain does not heal, it can lead to a condition called osteochondritis dissecans.
• Pulled muscles (strains)
• Broken bones (fractures) – like broken toe.
• A crushing injury – leading to compartment syndrome.
• A bone moving out of the place (dislocation).

Overuse Injuries

These are the injuries that occur when your joint or any other tissue of the foot has got placed with too much stress, and this usually occurs because of overdoing an activity. The injuries that are included in overuse injuries are as follows:

• Retrocalcaneal bursitis –It is actually the bursa inflammation and causes tenderness and swelling of the back of the ankle and heel. Pain gets worse while doing any activity and wearing shoes.
• Achilles tendonitis or tendinosis(tendinopathy) – It is the breaking down of the soft tissues around and in the Achilles tendon that connects the muscles in the calf to the bone of the heel.
• Stress fractures– These are actually a hairline crack in a bone.
• Plantar fasciitis– This one is actually an inflammation of the planter fascia which is a flat and broad ligament present on the bottom of the foot, extending from the front side of the heel to the base of the toes. It also helps in maintaining the arch of the foot.
• Metatarsalgia– This one is basically the pain in the base of the toes of the foot.

The foot injuries are something that no one can escape from but it does not mean that they must be overlooked completely. A simple sprain can occur while a person is walking normally and has tripped somehow. So, you just have to see whether the injury is small enough to get healed on its own or it is pretty bad. If the injury is pretty bad, rush to a doctor and get it diagnosed so that it does not get worse. And after diagnosis, get it treated. Simple.