Most sports injuries can be classified as direct-impact injuries, which occur when an object (or another person) comes in contact with your foot or ankle, or indirect-impact injuries, like twists or “torquing” movements from pivoting or other movements. Many foot and ankle injuries occur as a result of repetitive stress from running or jumping that causes wear and tear on the:
Over time, these repetitive strains can cause damage on their own, or they can weaken the tissues and structures of your foot so it’s more prone to injuries. Some injuries can be caused by footwear that doesn’t fit properly or provide enough support for your foot. Still others occur when an athlete skips doing warm-up stretches and exercises prior to participating in a sport or activity, or when they use an improper form or technique during play.
Your feet and ankles contain dozens of bones, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues, and athletic activities can cause injuries to any of these. Still, there are some sports injuries that are more common, like:
Kids sometimes experience injuries in their growth plates, the ends of the bones that are still growing and developing. When that happens, proper treatment is critical to prevent deformities that can cause mobility issues all the way through adulthood.
The team at Colorado Foot + Ankle Sports Medicine has extensive training in diagnosing and treating sports-related injuries in athletes of all skill levels, in all types of sports, and at all ages, including student-athletes in:
Diagnosis begins with a review of your medical history and your symptoms, followed by a visual evaluation of your foot or ankle. Sometimes, the team at Colorado Foot + Ankle Sports Medicine will use gentle movements of your foot or ankle to assess the injury. In many cases, they'll order diagnostic imaging, like X-rays or CT scans.
Colorado Foot + Ankle Sports Medicine believes strongly in providing highly customized treatment plans to help patients experience a full recovery so they can return to their activities as soon as possible. Treatment begins with conservative options like therapeutic exercises, custom orthotics, casting, and splinting, with surgery reserved for injuries that can’t be effectively treated with these approaches.