Sports Medicine Specialist

What is sports medicine?

Sports medicine physicians have special training to restore muscle and joint function to athletes who have suffered debilitating injuries. Their goal is to get you back to playing the sports you love as soon as possible with full function of your injured muscles or tissues.

Which types of sports injuries affect the foot and ankle?

The most common sports injuries that affect the foot and ankle include:

Stress fractures

A stress fracture in the foot is typically a small crack or severe bruising of one or more of the bones in your feet. Most stress fractures are caused by overuse and repetitive activity. They often occur during a sudden increase in training, such as running longer distances.

Achilles tendinitis

The Achilles tendon is the longest tendon in your body, stemming from your heel bone to the back of the lower leg. When this long band of tissue is damaged, overstretched, or ruptured, it can result in Achilles tendinitis — a painful condition caused by overuse. 

Sprained ankles

Twisting your ankle or landing on it in an unnatural way can put stress on the outside of the ankle and cause damage to your ligaments.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a condition characterized by heel pain. Overuse and repetitive movements can put pressure on your plantar fascia — a band of tissue that stretches from the heel to the toes.

How are foot and ankle sports injuries treated?

The foot and ankle specialists at Dan Preece, DPM & Darren Groberg, DPM, use a variety of diagnostic tools to diagnose and monitor sports injuries. Before treatment, they may recommend digital X-rays or ultrasound imaging to confirm your diagnosis.

Sports injury treatment is unique to every patient and may include one or more of the following therapies:

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is crucial for regaining full function of your damaged muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bones. Your plan may include personalized stretches and exercises, heat and ice therapy, massage therapy, and more.

Custom orthotics

If structural problems with your feet are putting you at risk of stress fractures, Achilles tendinitis, or plantar fasciitis, the team creates in-house custom orthotics — shoe inserts that realign your foot and ankle to correct imbalances — which can help relieve pain and prevent re-injury.

Laser therapy

Your podiatrist and foot and ankle surgeon may recommend MLS® Laser Therapy to repair damage to soft tissues. MLS Laser Therapy generates specific wavelengths of light to reduce inflammation and swelling, so your injured tendons, muscles, and ligaments can heal faster.

If you’re looking to return to action after a sports injury, call the experts at Dan Preece, DPM & Darren Groberg, DPM, or book an appointment online.