The Clemson Tiger’s win the NCAA football Championship game against the Alabama Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide took a huge blow in the third quarter when running back Bo Scarborough left the game with a leg injury. It was later reported that he suffered from a broken bone in his right leg.
Football is a high impact sport. Although, greatly known for its head injuries, foot and ankle injuries are not uncommon to these players.
Some of the most common foot and ankle injuries in football are…
- Turf Toe– Turf toe is a sprain of the big toe joint. Turf toe frequently occurs when pushing off forcefully from the ground. The use of artifical turf fields, rather than grass have increased the incidence of this injury. Turf is a harder surface, increasing the impact to this joint during push-off. Depending on the extent of the injury, ligaments surrounding this joint could become strained, inflamed, or even torn. Most people heal from these injuries well with rest, ice, compression, and immobilization
- High Ankle Sprain- A high ankle sprain is a sprain or tear of the ligament that connects your two leg bones, the tibia and fibula. In extreme cases, one of these bones can even be broken. Injury to this ligament results in instability of the two bones and your ankle joint. A high ankle sprain is the result of a rotational force on the ankle, frequently when the foot is planted firmly on the ground. Treatment can be either surgical or with immobilization. Recovery takes anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury.
- 5th Metatarsal Fracture- Have you ever missed a step walking down the stairs and twisted your ankle inwards? If you have, you have probably strained your Peroneus Brevis tendon. This tendon attaches to the base of your 5th metatarsal on the outside of your foot. When you forcefully twist your ankle inwards, this tendon frequently gets strained and a piece of it sometimes breaks off. Depending on whether the bones fragment is displaced and the location of the break, these injuries are treated with either immobilization or surgery.
- Achilles Tendon- The Achilles tendon can be torn or strained from a forceful downward motion at the ankle, with motions such as pushing off or jumping. Frequently, a “popping” sound can be heard when the tendon is torn. If the tendon is torn, surgical management is necessary. If it is inflamed, it can be treated with rest, ice, and immobilization. This is also a common injury of “weekend warriors,” or a person who forgoes extreme physical activity when their body is not used to it.
If you are an athlete and have a foot or ankle injury, call Hollowbrook Foot Specialists today at (845) 294-9078 for your appointment. We are serving the Hudson Valley area from Wappingers Falls.
By: Samantha DelRegno D.P.M.
