Ankle Sprains

Sprains happen when ligaments, strong, flexible fibers that connect one bone to another, get stretched too far or tears.  After a sprain, it’s typical for there to be swelling, pain, and sometimes bruising in the area if it’s bad enough.  They can occur on or off the field.  Anytime someone’s lower leg keeps moving but their foot remains planted or rolls the opposite way, the result is typically an ankle sprain.

Symptoms may include:

  • Pain
  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • Weak or unstable-feeling ankle
  • Inability to push with your foot
  • Pain when wiggling your toes

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disorder, is a result of the wearing away of cartilage between bone joints. As the condition progresses, the cartilage dissolves causing bones to grind together and resulting in pain and stiffness. OA most commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and the weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees. There are two types of OA: primary and secondary. While OA is most commonly caused by metabolic conditions (i.e., acromegaly), problems in anatomy (i.e., being “bow-legged”), injury, and/or inflammatory disorders (i.e., septic arthritis), it also can occur without previous injury or medical condition.

Symptoms may include:

  • Grating of the joint when in motion
  • Joint pain in wet weather
  • Swollen joints
  • Limited movement of joints
  • Morning stiffness

Plantar Fasciitis

The tissue along the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes is called the plantar fascia. “Fascia” is the term given to tough, fibrous connective tissue that typically surrounds groups of muscles. However, the plantar fascia is just a sheet of dense connective tissue. It acts as the foot’s shock-absorber. Over time, if the stress on the plantar fascia becomes too much, it can cause a lot of irritation, which causes inflammation, swelling, redness, and pain. This is one of the most common foot-related complaints.

Symptoms may include:

  • Sharp, stabbing pain in the inside part of the bottom of your heel
  • Pain in your heel in the mornings that tends to go away throughout the day
  • Pain after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position
  • Pain increase when tip-toed or climbing stairs
  • Pain after exercise
  • Mild heel swelling