You cannot watch football this season without hearing about Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. They have been over analyzed in every way possible. So much attention surrounds the legend and the rising star who replaced him. They have faced each other twice already this season, both with a Favre victory, yet the discussions don't seem to subside for a moment. So, to add on to this intense analysis, let us explore the foot injuries of the two athletes!
Prior to the Viking and Packer game, Favre had his first report on the Viking's injury list with foot pain. Nothing more was said about the issue other than that he had a sore foot. The irony of the situation is that after the game, Rodgers suffered from a foot and a toe sprain. Is this the beginning of the end? Did Favre get the last word through foot injuries?
A sprain describes an injury in which a ligament between two bones is stretched, damaged or torn. A Grade 1 injury is fairly mild with only minor damage to the ligament. A Grade 2 injury is a partially torn ligament and a Grade 3 is a ligament that is completely torn. With a grade 1 injury, the recovery time is short with very few possible complications.
On the other hand, a grade 3 can takes months to heal and is often extremely painful. Foot sprains are rare in the general population, but are common in sports that put the foot in abnormal twisting positions. Such injuries usually result in a grade 1 or grade 2 damage and complete recovery can be seen within the season with much improvement in only weeks.
Treatment consists of rest, icing, strapping, and anti-inflammatory drugs. A sprained big toe is better known as turf toe. This usually results when the big toe is abnormally hyper-extended. This injury can often be more debilitating than a foot sprain because of the important role the big toe plays in pushing off the ground when running. The grading system is the same as a foot sprain with Grade 1 being a minor injury and grade 3 being more severe.
To prevent further damage with the ability to continue activities, taping techniques have been proven quite effective. The severity of the foot injuries of Favre and Rodgers has been downplayed and seeing their continued performance on the field allows us to assume they are minor.
Still, these injuries can be very painful and increases the risk for a more severe injury. To prevent further injuries, both players should be undergoing physical therapy and switch to a more stable shoe gear. The cleats and the flexibility of football shoes increase the chance that the foot will be twisted in a position that could worsen the injury.
Rodgers' first line of treatment should be to have more protection on the field. It is likely that the injury resulted after one of his many sacks this season. Favre, has age working against him. Younger athletes tend to recover better and faster than older athletes, but Favre has proven that age does not define his ability to play football. Only time will tell if these injuries will advance to a more serious problem that will take them off the field.
The likelihood of these injuries progressing is unlikely since they seem to be only presenting with minor symptoms. Thus, the live football drama series of Favre versus Rodgers will continue.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query athletes foot. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query athletes foot. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Effect of Ankle Injuries on Your March Madness Office Pool
There are two things for which March is known: green beer and basketball. This week, Americans are enjoying both. Whether you are a twelve year old boy or a grandma involved in the nursing home pool, it seems like everyone is talking about March madness. But did you know that just the last week there were five foot or ankle injuries among the players competing in the NCAA tournament. Before you turn in your bracket, you may want to take some of these injuries into consideration.
Robert Sacre, Gonzaga Bulldogs; Liam mcMorrow,Marquette Golden Eagles; Ty Lawson, North Carolina Tar Heels; Teondre Williams, Oregon Ducks; and Jonnie West, West Virginia Mountaineers have all had foot or ankle injuries within the last week and all of their teams have advanced into the tournament. Whether or not these injuries will affect the teams is questionable, but what we should be asking is why these injuries are happening so late in the season. At this point, the athletes should be at their prime strength, so why are the falling apart?
Basketball, like all sports, puts significant stress on your body especially your foot. Running causes an increase in forces on your foot and ankle three to six times your body weight. When a forward goes up for a rebound, they come down to contact the ground with a forces six times their body weight. Our body is designed to compromise and adjust for these forces, but if we do them too fast, we can cause damage to our body. This is why athletes go through training. Even with the best training, such as that provided to college athletes, your body can still get injured!
Ankle sprains are the injury seen most often on the court. Once an athlete has one ankle sprain, they are much more likely to have another one because the ligaments are weekend. Ligaments are small fibrous bands of tissue that connect bones to other bones. This along with muscles allows the skeletal system to have a considerable amount of stability. If a ligament gets stretched or injured, it will never recover to have the same amount of strength that it did before the injury. Therefore, once you have an ankle injury, you are much more prone to have one in the future.
So why aren’t athletes spraining their ankles every day.
Physical Therapy helps your body regain as much strength and function as possible. Since muscles also contribute to stability, a physical therapist will adjust the patient’s exercises to strengthen the muscles in the areas prone to injury. This type of therapy is the most beneficial and is why your podiatrist often suggests physical therapy for most types of injuries.
Basketball shoes are quite a bit different than the cross trainers or running shoes we all have stashed away in our closets. Basketball shoes or high tops come up higher to give your ankle more support. You put a lot of stress on your body jarring back and forth, running up and down the court and jumping up for the rebound. Simply changing your shoe gear can do wonders to reducing injuries on the court.
In addition, some people are more prone to ankle sprains due to biomechanical weaknesses, or simply put, the way their foot and ankle moves when they walk or run. This can innate weakness can be eliminated with a properly made custom orthotic that controls excessive foot motion.
Though the NCAA offers some of the best training and resources to their athletes, some injuries are inevitable. If you ever roll your ankle, take a stumble, or hear a POP, make sure to contact your podiatric physician as soon as possible. The earlier you seek medical attention by a highly trained doctor in the foot and ankle or a podiatrist, the better the outcome of your injury will be.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Sending Your Child's Feet to College
Some of you have been dreading this day since the day he/she was born. Some of you have been waiting anxiously since he/she became a teenager. Your bundle of joy is all grown up and on their way to college. Parents across the world are preparing their lectures on sex, drugs, and alcohol. There is so much they have to learn on their first adventure with independence. What parents often overlook at this vulnerable time in their child’s life is the “foot talk.”
Hear me out before you think I’m crazy. I don’t want to undermine the importance about talking to your child about sex, drugs, and alcohol, but there are other important conversations to have. Young adults can be afflicted with a magnitude of foot disorders that can be very embarrassing and socially limiting.
Sweaty, Smelly Feet!
How on earth will your son your daughters make any friends if they have the smelly feet dorm room! If you think your child’s feet stink, imagine confining all of their dirty socks and shoes and their feet in a small poorly ventilated, overheated dorm room. It may not seem like a big deal now, but it is a major problem that can lead to athletes foot and toenail fungus. In your 20s with a fungus farm growing on your feet… good luck meeting your life partner!
Bare feet among fungus, bacteria, and who knows what!
We have all heard the importance about wearing sandals in public showers, but what about public areas in general. How often do the hallways of the dorm or your child’s dorm room floors actually get cleaned? It is college, so we can only imagine what is on the carpet. All you need is a tiny cut or skin opening to get infections. Plantar warts can be very common among college students because the virus can easily transfer from person to person when everyone is walking around barefoot in their new home called the dorms!
Ladies are walking home barefoot because their feet hurt!
If you’re a woman, you know the pain induced by wearing cute shoes. After spending all night in those high heels at a party (I mean “library”), the girls’ kick off their heels to relieve their feet on the walk home. What’s on the sidewalks in a college town? The most dangerous is glass! I recently went to surgery for a young lady who had a piece of glass lodged in her foot for 3 months! This lucky girl avoided a severe infection, but that is not always the case.
Pedicure day with the girlfriends!
Whether your daughter is familiar with getting pedicures or not, the girls will hang out and do girly things like pedicures. Don’t forget your college driven child is broke, thus they are always looking for a good deal whether it is penny beer pitchers or affordable pedicures. A pedicure can be disastrous if the tools are not cleaned properly, the spa chairs are not flushed properly, and the pedicurist does not use proper precautions to not cross contaminate. Remember, people with foot fungus or bacterial infections get pedicures too. Now I’m not saying the more expensive the pedicure the safer it is, but remind your child to ask about the cleaning techniques of the pedicure instruments.
So if you don’t have enough to worry about sending your child off to college, here some more things to add to your list. If your child has sweaty feet, see a podiatric physician before all possible friends are running away from the odor. Remind your children to watch their feet and take note of any changes. Don’t wait 3 months before you seek medical help for glass lodged into the foot, toenails changing color, or flaky, itchy athlete’s foot.
Hear me out before you think I’m crazy. I don’t want to undermine the importance about talking to your child about sex, drugs, and alcohol, but there are other important conversations to have. Young adults can be afflicted with a magnitude of foot disorders that can be very embarrassing and socially limiting.
Sweaty, Smelly Feet!
How on earth will your son your daughters make any friends if they have the smelly feet dorm room! If you think your child’s feet stink, imagine confining all of their dirty socks and shoes and their feet in a small poorly ventilated, overheated dorm room. It may not seem like a big deal now, but it is a major problem that can lead to athletes foot and toenail fungus. In your 20s with a fungus farm growing on your feet… good luck meeting your life partner!
Bare feet among fungus, bacteria, and who knows what!
We have all heard the importance about wearing sandals in public showers, but what about public areas in general. How often do the hallways of the dorm or your child’s dorm room floors actually get cleaned? It is college, so we can only imagine what is on the carpet. All you need is a tiny cut or skin opening to get infections. Plantar warts can be very common among college students because the virus can easily transfer from person to person when everyone is walking around barefoot in their new home called the dorms!
Ladies are walking home barefoot because their feet hurt!
If you’re a woman, you know the pain induced by wearing cute shoes. After spending all night in those high heels at a party (I mean “library”), the girls’ kick off their heels to relieve their feet on the walk home. What’s on the sidewalks in a college town? The most dangerous is glass! I recently went to surgery for a young lady who had a piece of glass lodged in her foot for 3 months! This lucky girl avoided a severe infection, but that is not always the case.
Pedicure day with the girlfriends!
Whether your daughter is familiar with getting pedicures or not, the girls will hang out and do girly things like pedicures. Don’t forget your college driven child is broke, thus they are always looking for a good deal whether it is penny beer pitchers or affordable pedicures. A pedicure can be disastrous if the tools are not cleaned properly, the spa chairs are not flushed properly, and the pedicurist does not use proper precautions to not cross contaminate. Remember, people with foot fungus or bacterial infections get pedicures too. Now I’m not saying the more expensive the pedicure the safer it is, but remind your child to ask about the cleaning techniques of the pedicure instruments.
So if you don’t have enough to worry about sending your child off to college, here some more things to add to your list. If your child has sweaty feet, see a podiatric physician before all possible friends are running away from the odor. Remind your children to watch their feet and take note of any changes. Don’t wait 3 months before you seek medical help for glass lodged into the foot, toenails changing color, or flaky, itchy athlete’s foot.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Kobe Bryant Tears Achilles Tendon
Could This be the End of His Career?
During the fourth quarter of yesterday’s Los
Angeles Lakers game, Kobe Bryant suffered a probable Achilles tendon tear in
his left leg. Probable, because he will
undergo an MRI to confirm the diagnosis.
However, a complete tear is easily diagnosed by
clinical examination. A doctor will perform what is called the Thompson’s test,
whereby the patient is lying on his stomach and the doctor will squeeze the
calf muscle. The foot should move up and
down if the Achilles is not ruptured. If
it is, the foot will not move.
The Achilles tendon attaches the calf muscle to
the back of the heel bone. It is a very
thick and strong tendon and not easy to tear, but it is still a common injury.
Causes of Achilles tendon tears can be caused by overuse, such as in sports,
when one does too much, too fast, and too soon.
Combine that with lack of stretching, then you have a great recipe that
can lead to this type of injury.
In addition, the injury is common in
professional athletes because of the tremendous force that is applied to this
tendon while playing their sport. It
usually occurs as the foot is planted on the ground and then there is a quick
rotation of the leg and ankle. So, in
Kobe Bryant’s case, as he planted his left foot, he quickly turned his body,
causing the tendon to snap.
Bryant is 34 years old and has played more
minutes per game during the month of April then in any other time during his
prodigious NBA career. This has
definitely caused a lot of wear and tear on his body.
Other causes for this type of injury is wearing
high heels, which causes a lot of stress on the tendon, as well as trauma to the
tendon, such as a blow to the area.
Bryant will need surgery to repair this tendon,
and recovery will be anywhere from 6 months to a year. This type of injury ended careers of Dan
Marino and Charles Barkley. Hopefully,
this is not the end for Kobe.
If you are having pain at the back of your
heel, you should see your podiatrist. AtFamily Foot & Ankle Specialists in Piscataway and Hillsborough, NJ,
we see and treat a lot of athletes with this sort of injury.
we see and treat a lot of athletes with this sort of injury.
To get more information on foot and ankle injuries, get our free book, "Stop Foot Pain Fast: A User's Guide to Foot and Ankle Health.
If you are experiencing foot or ankle pain, call to get a FREE appointment at our Piscataway podiatrist office.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Losing Weight Workouts without Foot Pain
The optimistic visions of the New Year are contagious. Lofty goals are being set and we all aim high in January. Still, many of us hold back. We paddle through a long list of excuses on why this year is not the year. Weight can be a huge aggravator for foot pain. Losing weight helps foot pain, but how do you lose weight when you can barely walk without pain?
In a survey done by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 72 percent of Americans says they do not exercise because of foot pain. First, foot pain is not an excuse and will not be accepted as one in my office! If you are having foot pain that is keeping you from healthy activities then something is wrong and you need to be treated. There are a variety of reasons that you may be having foot pain. Common conditions like plantar fasciitis require treatments such as cortisone injections, physical therapy, and night splints. Occasionally surgery is needed but this is a last resort.
The first thing to evaluate is your shoes. Not just the shoes you exercise in but all of your shoes. Most of us wear bad shoes or none at all. Whether it is dress codes or personal style, we do not give our feet enough room or support. We also love to kick the shoes off. Yes, walking barefoot around your house can be very bad for your feet! Some of us need extra support all of the time. Your shoes should be wide enough, long enough and have support in the arch area. Some athletes have trended towards the minimalist shoes or barefoot running. Is it ok? For some people, yes it is ok, but this is not for everyone and is only for the elite athlete with impeccable foot structure. Very few of us have the foot type that can bare the abuse.
Next is to evaluate the type of activities you are doing. Some sports or work outs have a higher impact on your feet than others. Swimming and biking have very low impact on the feet and are great alternatives if you are struggling with your feet. Other activities put a greater demand on your feet such as running on a treadmill or blacktop. You must also evaluate the consistency of high impact activities. Alternating between low and high impact activities will keep you doing what you love but also keep you on your feet!
It is that time of year to be optimistic. You will cure your foot pain, get back to the gym and lose the weight! First find the source of the pain, seek treatment, and stay focused. It is easy to find excuses and the foot is an easy target. Don’t let your feet get the best of you. 72 percent is an unreasonable amount of Americans struggling with foot pain.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Losing Weight Workouts without Foot Pain
The optimistic visions of the New Year are contagious. Lofty goals are being set and we all aim high in January. Still, many of us hold back. We paddle through a long list of excuses on why this year is not the year. Weight can be a huge aggravator for foot pain. Losing weight helps foot pain, but how do you lose weight when you can barely walk without pain?
In a survey done by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 72 percent of Americans says they do not exercise because of foot pain. First, foot pain is not an excuse and will not be accepted as one in my office! If you are having foot pain that is keeping you from healthy activities then something is wrong and you need to be treated. There are a variety of reasons that you may be having foot pain. Common conditions like plantar fasciitis require treatments such as cortisone injections, physical therapy, and night splints. Occasionally surgery is needed but this is a last resort.
The first thing to evaluate is your shoes. Not just the shoes you exercise in but all of your shoes. Most of us wear bad shoes or none at all. Whether it is dress codes or personal style, we do not give our feet enough room or support. We also love to kick the shoes off. Yes, walking barefoot around your house can be very bad for your feet! Some of us need extra support all of the time. Your shoes should be wide enough, long enough and have support in the arch area. Some athletes have trended towards the minimalist shoes or barefoot running. Is it ok? For some people, yes it is ok, but this is not for everyone and is only for the elite athlete with impeccable foot structure. Very few of us have the foot type that can bare the abuse.
Next is to evaluate the type of activities you are doing. Some sports or work outs have a higher impact on your feet than others. Swimming and biking have very low impact on the feet and are great alternatives if you are struggling with your feet. Other activities put a greater demand on your feet such as running on a treadmill or blacktop. You must also evaluate the consistency of high impact activities. Alternating between low and high impact activities will keep you doing what you love but also keep you on your feet!
It is that time of year to be optimistic. You will cure your foot pain, get back to the gym and lose the weight! First find the source of the pain, seek treatment, and stay focused. It is easy to find excuses and the foot is an easy target. Don’t let your feet get the best of you. 72 percent is an unreasonable amount of Americans struggling with foot pain.
In a survey done by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 72 percent of Americans says they do not exercise because of foot pain. First, foot pain is not an excuse and will not be accepted as one in my office! If you are having foot pain that is keeping you from healthy activities then something is wrong and you need to be treated. There are a variety of reasons that you may be having foot pain. Common conditions like plantar fasciitis require treatments such as cortisone injections, physical therapy, and night splints. Occasionally surgery is needed but this is a last resort.
The first thing to evaluate is your shoes. Not just the shoes you exercise in but all of your shoes. Most of us wear bad shoes or none at all. Whether it is dress codes or personal style, we do not give our feet enough room or support. We also love to kick the shoes off. Yes, walking barefoot around your house can be very bad for your feet! Some of us need extra support all of the time. Your shoes should be wide enough, long enough and have support in the arch area. Some athletes have trended towards the minimalist shoes or barefoot running. Is it ok? For some people, yes it is ok, but this is not for everyone and is only for the elite athlete with impeccable foot structure. Very few of us have the foot type that can bare the abuse.
Next is to evaluate the type of activities you are doing. Some sports or work outs have a higher impact on your feet than others. Swimming and biking have very low impact on the feet and are great alternatives if you are struggling with your feet. Other activities put a greater demand on your feet such as running on a treadmill or blacktop. You must also evaluate the consistency of high impact activities. Alternating between low and high impact activities will keep you doing what you love but also keep you on your feet!
It is that time of year to be optimistic. You will cure your foot pain, get back to the gym and lose the weight! First find the source of the pain, seek treatment, and stay focused. It is easy to find excuses and the foot is an easy target. Don’t let your feet get the best of you. 72 percent is an unreasonable amount of Americans struggling with foot pain.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
How Lysacek won Gold on an Injured Foot
Winning an Olympic gold medal is the greatest accomplishment an athlete can have. All of the training, work and anticipation for the completion can be slammed into a halt if one suffers an injury near the games. Evan Lysacek has been struggling with a foot injury and was still able to put on a performance of a lifetime and win a gold medal.
Prior to the world championship, Lysacek suffered from a stress fracture in his foot. For this reason, he chose to remove the quadruple jump from his performance. After winning the competition, the champion spent time in a walking boot and had to rest from training in order to allow the fracture to heel. By the time the U.S. championship came around, Lysacek’s foot was back on track and he was fearless in performing a quadruple jump in his performance.
Stress fractures are small overuse fractures commonly seen in athletes. Unlike traumatic fractures, stress fractures are very small and thus referred to as a hairline fracture. These fractures can be very difficult to see on x-ray. Since the injury is so minor, the treatment is quite simple. Rest, rest and more rest is a straightforward treatment but a very difficult thing to do. Athletes have a very difficult time sustaining from their work out regimens; but if one does not rest, the stress fracture can progress to a complete fracture that would demands surgery.
Evan Lysacek was able to skate through his injury at the world championship, and then allowed himself to heal completely afterwards. Ignoring the injury or not allowing for proper healing, the fracture could have jeopardized his future in skating. After his quadruple jump at the U.S. championship, Lysacek started to feel similar foot pain all over again. He was not diagnosed with a stress fracture, but it was the wakeup call that he needed to focus on his training and performance techniques.
The quadruple jump is the most difficult trick a male ice skater can perform and only a few people in the world can execute it with grace and precision. Due to the difficulty, and the unnatural forces caused by the takeoff and landing of the jump, injuries can easily occur. Evan Lysacek knew his body’s limits and chose to discontinue training and performing quadruple jumps. This put him at a huge disadvantage in competitions, but this did not stop him from perfectly executing every element of his program.
All athletes, including the Olympic champions, YMCA junkies and weekend warriors need to pay closer attention to their body. You can only be a good as your body can handle. No one can be their best while injured. Lysacek dissected his body’s capabilities and was still able to walk away from Vancouver as a champion without the most prestigious element of an ice skating presentation. His performance had the world at the edge of their seats and he still kept his foot safe from reinjuring.
Prior to the world championship, Lysacek suffered from a stress fracture in his foot. For this reason, he chose to remove the quadruple jump from his performance. After winning the competition, the champion spent time in a walking boot and had to rest from training in order to allow the fracture to heel. By the time the U.S. championship came around, Lysacek’s foot was back on track and he was fearless in performing a quadruple jump in his performance.
Stress fractures are small overuse fractures commonly seen in athletes. Unlike traumatic fractures, stress fractures are very small and thus referred to as a hairline fracture. These fractures can be very difficult to see on x-ray. Since the injury is so minor, the treatment is quite simple. Rest, rest and more rest is a straightforward treatment but a very difficult thing to do. Athletes have a very difficult time sustaining from their work out regimens; but if one does not rest, the stress fracture can progress to a complete fracture that would demands surgery.
Evan Lysacek was able to skate through his injury at the world championship, and then allowed himself to heal completely afterwards. Ignoring the injury or not allowing for proper healing, the fracture could have jeopardized his future in skating. After his quadruple jump at the U.S. championship, Lysacek started to feel similar foot pain all over again. He was not diagnosed with a stress fracture, but it was the wakeup call that he needed to focus on his training and performance techniques.
The quadruple jump is the most difficult trick a male ice skater can perform and only a few people in the world can execute it with grace and precision. Due to the difficulty, and the unnatural forces caused by the takeoff and landing of the jump, injuries can easily occur. Evan Lysacek knew his body’s limits and chose to discontinue training and performing quadruple jumps. This put him at a huge disadvantage in competitions, but this did not stop him from perfectly executing every element of his program.
All athletes, including the Olympic champions, YMCA junkies and weekend warriors need to pay closer attention to their body. You can only be a good as your body can handle. No one can be their best while injured. Lysacek dissected his body’s capabilities and was still able to walk away from Vancouver as a champion without the most prestigious element of an ice skating presentation. His performance had the world at the edge of their seats and he still kept his foot safe from reinjuring.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
As Does Ryan Howard’s Achilles Tendon Goes Pop, so Does the Phillies Season
The favorite Philadelphia Phillies lost their playoff series last night to the St. Louis Cardinals. On the very last play, Ryan Howard, the Phillies first baseman, was running out a ground ball. On the way to first base, Howard crumbled to the ground. “I heard my Achilles Tendon pop,” he said.
That pop that Howard describes is a sign of an Achilles Tendon tear. You might say well, he has all off season to recover, but Achilles Tendon ruptures are not to be taken lightly. Since the Achilles is the largest and the strongest tendon, it is also the hardest tendon to heal after an injury. The tendon attaches the big calf muscle to the back of the heel bone, also known as the calcaneus. When the calf muscle contracts, the tendon allows you to point your foot and stand tiptoe. The tendon is necessary to run, walk and put your foot down.
How does the Achilles Tendon Tear?
Tears are really not that common and usually occur in Men over 40 or in athletes who perform a ballistic movement, like Dan Marino did several years ago, when he pushed off his foot to throw a pass. The athlete pivots, jumps or runs in a very quick fashion.
The injury can also happen in these situations.
1) You make a forceful push-off with your foot while your knee is straightened by the powerful thigh muscles. One example might be starting a foot race or jumping.
2)You suddenly trip or stumble, and your foot is thrust in front to break a fall, forcefully overstretching the tendon.
3)You fall from a significant height.
When the injury occurs, a loud pop sound usually happens. It is sometimes sounds like a gun shot went off. Sometimes the tendon doesn’t fully tear, and you get a partial rupture. Partial tears can lead to a full blown rupture if left untreated. In young athletes, surgery is usually needed to repair the tendon if it was fully ruptured. Partial tears can be treated with initial immobilization and physical therapy.
Rehabilitation after surgery can be from 3-6 months. Most professional athletes, like Ryan Howard, would need about three-four months before being ready to play their sport.
Another way to get a tear of the tendon is to ignore pain in the area. It is very common to develop Achilles Tendinitis, which is a swelling along the tendon. If one ignores this pain and continues to stay very active, the inflamed tendon can tear. So, it is very important to see your podiatrist if this happens.
That pop that Howard describes is a sign of an Achilles Tendon tear. You might say well, he has all off season to recover, but Achilles Tendon ruptures are not to be taken lightly. Since the Achilles is the largest and the strongest tendon, it is also the hardest tendon to heal after an injury. The tendon attaches the big calf muscle to the back of the heel bone, also known as the calcaneus. When the calf muscle contracts, the tendon allows you to point your foot and stand tiptoe. The tendon is necessary to run, walk and put your foot down.
How does the Achilles Tendon Tear?
Tears are really not that common and usually occur in Men over 40 or in athletes who perform a ballistic movement, like Dan Marino did several years ago, when he pushed off his foot to throw a pass. The athlete pivots, jumps or runs in a very quick fashion.
The injury can also happen in these situations.
1) You make a forceful push-off with your foot while your knee is straightened by the powerful thigh muscles. One example might be starting a foot race or jumping.
2)You suddenly trip or stumble, and your foot is thrust in front to break a fall, forcefully overstretching the tendon.
3)You fall from a significant height.
When the injury occurs, a loud pop sound usually happens. It is sometimes sounds like a gun shot went off. Sometimes the tendon doesn’t fully tear, and you get a partial rupture. Partial tears can lead to a full blown rupture if left untreated. In young athletes, surgery is usually needed to repair the tendon if it was fully ruptured. Partial tears can be treated with initial immobilization and physical therapy.
Rehabilitation after surgery can be from 3-6 months. Most professional athletes, like Ryan Howard, would need about three-four months before being ready to play their sport.
Another way to get a tear of the tendon is to ignore pain in the area. It is very common to develop Achilles Tendinitis, which is a swelling along the tendon. If one ignores this pain and continues to stay very active, the inflamed tendon can tear. So, it is very important to see your podiatrist if this happens.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Roethlisberger’s Shoe Made Out of Steel After Foot Injury.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking a bit hit with Roesthlisberger’s foot. Originally reported as a foot sprained, some press releases are now reporting that the Steeler’s Quarterback has a broken bone in the foot. The official release from the Pittsburgh Stealers states that Roethlisberger injury is an aggravation of an old injury where scar tissue is present. So, is he going to play on Sunday?
It is believed that the Steeler’s Quarterback broke his fifth metatarsal bone. This bone is a long tubular bone located on the outside portion of the foot. The fifth metatarsal fractures are a highly researched topic and there are variable ways of treating this injury depending on the location. The majority of fractures in this bone can be treated conservatively with casting and rest. Occasionally, the fracture location or dislocation requires surgery and screw fixation.
Considering, that Ben has persisted that he will be playing on Sunday, we can assume this is a minor fracture that does not require surgery. He is currently ambulating in a walking boot and has been on light practice this week. The Steeler’s trainer stated that the Quarterback will be wearing a special shoe with metal plates protecting the injured area.
The fifth metatarsal is a common fracture site in athletes especially dancers. This is due to the extensive pivoting and jarring on the bone and surrounding tendons. Because of the bone’s location and soft tissue attachments, it does not take a traumatic event to break the bone. Simply landing on the foot wrong can cause such an injury. Recovery of most fractures in this area is easily treated with rest and decreased activity. Protection ambulation with a walking boot often all that is needed to make a full recovery.
When you are a professional athlete and have a record of 8-3, the rules of treatment are different than the average person’s. Winning games, egos, and pressure will push you in a direction that is not always the most beneficial for your body. It is probable that Roethlisberger’s foot break will not debilitate him or prevent him from throwing touchdown passes. It is also probable that his injury can worsen and the long term consequences of poor healing in the foot can mean chronic pain. Playing a a professional foot game in a metal shoe is not necessarily resting the injury.
It is believed that the Steeler’s Quarterback broke his fifth metatarsal bone. This bone is a long tubular bone located on the outside portion of the foot. The fifth metatarsal fractures are a highly researched topic and there are variable ways of treating this injury depending on the location. The majority of fractures in this bone can be treated conservatively with casting and rest. Occasionally, the fracture location or dislocation requires surgery and screw fixation.
Considering, that Ben has persisted that he will be playing on Sunday, we can assume this is a minor fracture that does not require surgery. He is currently ambulating in a walking boot and has been on light practice this week. The Steeler’s trainer stated that the Quarterback will be wearing a special shoe with metal plates protecting the injured area.
The fifth metatarsal is a common fracture site in athletes especially dancers. This is due to the extensive pivoting and jarring on the bone and surrounding tendons. Because of the bone’s location and soft tissue attachments, it does not take a traumatic event to break the bone. Simply landing on the foot wrong can cause such an injury. Recovery of most fractures in this area is easily treated with rest and decreased activity. Protection ambulation with a walking boot often all that is needed to make a full recovery.
When you are a professional athlete and have a record of 8-3, the rules of treatment are different than the average person’s. Winning games, egos, and pressure will push you in a direction that is not always the most beneficial for your body. It is probable that Roethlisberger’s foot break will not debilitate him or prevent him from throwing touchdown passes. It is also probable that his injury can worsen and the long term consequences of poor healing in the foot can mean chronic pain. Playing a a professional foot game in a metal shoe is not necessarily resting the injury.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Charles Woodson: Clubfoot to Super Bowl
Being born with a congenital deformity can be devastating. As a parent, you may struggle to understand why, how, and what should be done. It is incomprehensible to allow your child to suffer or struggle and you shouldn’t have to sit by and be helpless. When Charles Woodson was born with clubfoot, his parent probably never conceived that their son born with a foot deformity would someday be a successful football player. Clubfoot is a congenital foot deformity that occurs in about 1 in every 1,000 births and is twice as common in young boys as girls.
Clubfoot can be identified at birth and the foot will have an appearance of turning inward. The medical name for the deformity is Talipes Equinovarus. The exact cause of clubfoot is still widely debated and unknown. No genetic component has been discovered but statistics show that children whose parents or siblings have clubfoot are twice as likely to be born with club foot.
The child does not experience any pain, but if left untreated, the ability of the child to ambulate in the future is very limited. Disability would be inevitable. Over the last 25 years the treatment protocols have been debated. The current standard of treatment involves a series of casting starting shortly after birth. This treatment method is referred to as the Ponsseti technique. The cast is changed by a trained physician weekly and a series of manipulations and stretching are performed. Casting can be as few as 4 weeks but the amount of time taken correct the deformity is dependent on the complexity of the deformity. Most children also need their achillies tendon lengthened, a minor procedure done through a minimal incision. Fallowing correction of the deformity, the child will need to be in a series of braces that help maintain the correction. Less than 20 percent of children treated by casting will need surgery in the future to correct any residual deformity.
Though the child is bound to braces and continued foot care up the age of four, the deformity and treatment has little effect on the child’s development. By the time the patients is gearing up to ambulate, the braces are worn minimally, mostly while the child is asleep. Most children go on to have a normal childhood with few, if any, limitation. Often the only residual defect is the clubfoot having a slightly smaller size than the normal foot. If treatment is delayed, children may be subject to more invasive surgery and longer recovery times but surgical procedures for clubfoot have been well studied and discussed in the literature with good success.
From Clubfoot to athlete, there have been many professions who were born with the congenital deformity who grew up to be successful athletes. Charles Woodson is a Super Bowl Champion. Kristi Yamaguchi is a gold medal figure-skater. From MVP baseball players to star soccer players, people born with clubfeet have proven to overcome their congenital deformities.
Clubfoot can be identified at birth and the foot will have an appearance of turning inward. The medical name for the deformity is Talipes Equinovarus. The exact cause of clubfoot is still widely debated and unknown. No genetic component has been discovered but statistics show that children whose parents or siblings have clubfoot are twice as likely to be born with club foot.
The child does not experience any pain, but if left untreated, the ability of the child to ambulate in the future is very limited. Disability would be inevitable. Over the last 25 years the treatment protocols have been debated. The current standard of treatment involves a series of casting starting shortly after birth. This treatment method is referred to as the Ponsseti technique. The cast is changed by a trained physician weekly and a series of manipulations and stretching are performed. Casting can be as few as 4 weeks but the amount of time taken correct the deformity is dependent on the complexity of the deformity. Most children also need their achillies tendon lengthened, a minor procedure done through a minimal incision. Fallowing correction of the deformity, the child will need to be in a series of braces that help maintain the correction. Less than 20 percent of children treated by casting will need surgery in the future to correct any residual deformity.
Though the child is bound to braces and continued foot care up the age of four, the deformity and treatment has little effect on the child’s development. By the time the patients is gearing up to ambulate, the braces are worn minimally, mostly while the child is asleep. Most children go on to have a normal childhood with few, if any, limitation. Often the only residual defect is the clubfoot having a slightly smaller size than the normal foot. If treatment is delayed, children may be subject to more invasive surgery and longer recovery times but surgical procedures for clubfoot have been well studied and discussed in the literature with good success.
From Clubfoot to athlete, there have been many professions who were born with the congenital deformity who grew up to be successful athletes. Charles Woodson is a Super Bowl Champion. Kristi Yamaguchi is a gold medal figure-skater. From MVP baseball players to star soccer players, people born with clubfeet have proven to overcome their congenital deformities.
Friday, December 23, 2011
New Jersy Nets Center Has Foot Surgery
Brooks Lopez, the starting center for the New Jersey Nets, broke a bone in his foot and is having surgery to repair it today. He is expected to be out six weeks. The bone he broke is the fifth metatarsal and is located on the outside of the foot.
This is probably one of the most common foot fractures. It usually occurs when your foot rolls over. There is a tendon, called the peroneal brevis tendon that is under tension when you twist your ankle. This causes the tendon to pull on the bone and break a piece off. Sometimes, the piece is broken off in such a way that it needs to be put back surgically. Other times, the bone breaks but is not displaced, meaning it is a stable fracture and can be healed just by applying a cast.
There are three types of fractures in this location. The base of the fifth metatarsal fracture is called an avulsion fracture. This is because the tendon yanks or avulses the bone. This fracture is usally stable enough to be treated conservatively without surgery.
A second type is a stress fracture, which is not a through and through break and not displaced. They occur usually in young athletes that put a lot of strain on the bone, thus stressing the area.
The Jones fracture is located above the base (see above diagram) and is associated with poor healing. This fracture usually requires surgery and then non-weight bearing in a cast for six weeks. Surgery consists of putting in a screw to put the fracture back. We use intra-operative x-rays to make sure the screw and bone is in proper placement. The Jones fracture is in the area of good blood supply to this bone, thus, the nutrition to the bone is disrupted in this instance. This is the reason for the poor healing, unless it is surgically corrected.
However, in basketball players, or any athlete that is required to jump or pound on their foot for their sport, the best option is to surgically repair it just by using a screw. It takes about 6 weeks for the bone to heal and afterwards, Lopez will need to get back into playing shape. So, don’t expect him to be playing for about two months which is now almost the whole season, due to the shortened schedule.
