3 Important Ways to Prevent Foot and Ankle Injuries

Some foot and ankle injuries happen under freak circumstances.

Here are a few stories about foot and ankle injuries:

1. A short burst of anger drove Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic to kick a water cooler; he broke his foot, putting him out of the game for 4-6 weeks.
2. A Minnesota woman sustained significant foot injuries at Yellowstone National Park when she was gored by a bison (apparently, it’s mating season, and the bison felt aggressive).
3. A college student surfing the waves on a Florida beach was suddenly grabbed by the foot and pulled into the water by a shark. He’s undergone surgery to repair several torn tendons in his foot.

Okay, lessons learned: take several deep breaths before kicking something when you’re raging mad. Definitely avoid proximity to bison in heat. And, whenever possible, watch out for large predatory fish while surfing.

Fortunately, most foot and ankle injuries happen outside such weird, extraordinary conditions. The lessons for injury prevention that board-certified podiatrist Kenneth R. Wilhelm, DPM, can offer are far more straightforward and well within your control:

1. Warm up.
   Stretching your muscles warms them up, preparing them for the challenging activity you are about to do. Stretching out your calves will help prevent heel injuries. Performing ankle circles will strengthen the muscles that support the ankle joint and keep them flexible.
   
2. Wear the right shoes.
   Dr. Wilhelm says it often: You can prevent foot and ankle injuries by wearing the appropriate shoes for your activity. That means, for example, no flip-flops while mowing the lawn and no tennis shoes while running. It also means shoes that fit well don’t chafe, and provide adequate arch support.
3. Know when to change it up.
   Training too long or hard puts you at risk for overuse injuries such as stress fractures and plantar fasciitis. Take rest days. In addition, consider mixing up your chosen sport with other activities, such as cross-training, which helps prevent injuries associated with repetition and overtraining.

Even when we strive to avoid foot and ankle injuries, they can still happen. Prompt treatment will hasten healing. Get back on your feet with help from Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Fairfax County, Virginia. Contact us online or call (703) 996-3000 for an appointment with Dr. Wilhelm at our Centreville podiatry office.