How A Sports Podiatrist Can Help You Treat And Prevent Overuse Injuries

If you regularly participate in sports or if you run every day, your feet are at risk of an overuse injury. These injuries happen if you do a lot of jumping, kicking balls, or running. Your risk of injury is even higher if your feet tend to roll to the inside or outside. If you lead an active lifestyle and you have problems with foot or ankle pain, you should consider seeing a sports podiatrist. Here's why.

A Sports Podiatrist Helps You Stay Active

A podiatrist that specializes in sports medicine understands why you need to keep up a training schedule and he or she works to help you heal from injury as quickly as possible. Tendon pain and plantar fasciitis are caused by micro tears in the tissues. These injuries actually make your foot weaker and at an increased risk of further injury. That's why your podiatrist will probably recommend you switch your training routine so your feet can rest.

You may need to stop running and start swimming so your foot injury can heal. A podiatrist can offer treatments that allow you to stay active. He or she knows how to protect you from further injury so you can return to playing sports as soon as possible. A sports medicine clinic has the latest equipment available for treating overuse injuries to the feet so you don't have to stay sidelined for longer than necessary whether you're a professional or amateur athlete.

A Sports Podiatrist Can Help You Prevent Injuries

Preventing injuries is almost as important as treating them when it comes to athletes. If you have frequent foot pain, then a podiatrist can help you figure out why by examining your gait. Sophisticated equipment analyzes the way you walk and bear weight on your feet. This information is important because the podiatrist can use it to make custom shoe inserts that correct for abnormalities you may have.

Your feet absorb a lot of shock when you jump, walk, or run. If you don't land on your feet evenly, you can injure your foot or ankle. Your ligaments and tendons could tear. You might even develop painful stress fractures. Gait abnormalities are fairly common and they can be a big source of foot and ankle pain unless they are corrected with proper shoes and orthotics.

A Sports Medicine Clinic Offers Rehabilitation

Podiatric sports medicine includes treating injuries, preventing injuries, and rehabilitating from them. You'll recover faster and suffer fewer complications if you stay active while your foot heals from an injury. However, you need to do the right kind of activity so your injury isn't strained. You can learn various stretching exercises that keep your foot flexible. You may also be taught exercises that increase the strength in select muscles so your foot and ankle have as much support as possible. An intensive rehabilitation program restores your foot to healthy function, which is important if it has become weak due to an injury and non-use.

If you play a lot of sports, then you know how important it is to care for your feet so they don't cause you pain and distract you. Don't ignore foot pain or your condition could get worse. Instead, see a sports podiatrist who understands your situation as an athlete who can't stay off your feet for very long. For more information, visit websites like http://www.elmhurstpodiatry.com.