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Common Injuries in Athletics
Anatomy of the Foot:
The foot consists of 26 bones. The bones in the foot connect via ligaments, which is a type of connective tissue that act as stabilizers in joints. When a joint is sprained, these ligaments are damaged.
There are also muscles that run through the foot and connect the bones allowing for movement. The point where the muscle attaches to the bone is called origin or insertion. The part of the muscle that attaches to the bone is the tendon. When a foot is strained, these muscles and tendons are the structures that get damaged.
Common Injuries:
-
- Contusion (bruise)
- Heel bruise and instep bruise. - Common in basketball and long jumping.
Caused by a sudden abnormal force directed to the area
.
- Symptoms - Painful in the heel and unable to put weight
through the foot.
- Strain - Arch strain and plantar fascia strain.
- Common in tennis, basketball, and running sports.
Caused by forceful contact with hard playing surfaces. - Symptoms - Pain with running accompanied by swelling
and tenderness.
- Sprain - Midfoot sprain and forefoot sprain.
- Occurs in sports with frequent planting and cutting motions.
Caused by excessive dorsiflexion or plantarflexion of the toes or forefoot.
Symptoms - Pain with running, planting, cutting, and jumping.
- Fracture - Fractures of the phalanges, metatarsals, and talus.
- Common in many sports, most often those with consistent foot trauma such
as running and cutting, i.e. football and basketball.
Caused by extreme twisting, severe contusion, or any direct trauma.
Symptoms - Immediate pain, swelling, possible bruising, and inability to perform in sport.
- Stress Fracture - In metatarsals and tarsals.
- Common in running sports and basketball.
Caused by repetitive foot pounding on hard running surface whether indoor or outdoor.
Symptoms - Pain during and after exercise. Pain when standing after sitting for a long period. Night pain.
