Your foot is a detailed structure that bears your entire weight every day. In addition, the ankle connects the foot and the leg to help manage a huge range of movements.
Therefore, different types of injuries to that area might be vital for movement and the overall quality of life. One doctor at Cutting Edge Foot and Ankle claims that understanding these types of injuries might be of great importance for the recovery and prevention.
Anatomy of the Foot
The human foot anatomy includes many bodily parts that adhere to the goal of bearing and moving body mass. There are three major parts to every foot- the forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot.
In the front of the foot are the toes, which consist of small bones five metatarsals interact with. A big toe is made of two phalanges while the other four have three. Bones leading from the arch to the toes are also considered the forefoot.
The middle anatomy portion is a middle foot consisting of five tarsal bones shaped to create a bowed foot for shock absorption while walking or running. In the hind part or hindfoot you find talus bone communicating with the tibia and fibula as the hind portion more closely, which is made up of tarsal bones. The second major hindfoot portion is the heel called calcaneus (heel bone) that starts from the hindfoot’s lower portion.
Human feet are composed of numerous parts that combine to make feet functional but also prone to a wide array of injuries.
Anatomy of the Ankle
If you imagine an ankle as a bridge between your leg and foot, then it allows movement while providing a bit of stability. This place offers you three essential bones: tibia, fibula, the ones that attach from the leg, and talus.
Tibia, also recognized as the shinbone, the second-largest of the body’s bones, extends downwards and leaves the medial malleolus, which you call the ankle’s inside. This bone’s companion, the thinner and longer fibula bone, lays exactly beside the tibia and runs down the leg’s side to the ankle, where it creates the lateral malleolus.
Under the tibia, and fibula elsewhere is the talus, lying on the heel bone, calcaneus. The talus is known as the only bone in the human body which does not directly touch any other, but it is the one that attaches your ankle and the rest of the foot.
Supplemented with ligaments for stability and tendons for mobility, the ankle can move in four ways: dorsiflexion running upwards, plantarflexion running downwards, inversion, running inside, and eversion, running outside. Nevertheless, this flexibility makes it very easy to damage this part of the body.
Common Foot Injuries
May it be ligament sprains from an awkward step or stress fractures from continuous pressure. Running injuries often involve feet for instance. Amongst these, Plantar Fasciitis is one that plagues many of us. Characterized by heel pain symbolizing inflammation in plantar fascia(a thick band running across foot’s bottom connecting heel bone to toes), it’s most noticeable during the first steps after waking up.
Another common injury is bunions formed due to bones at the big toe’s base pushing outwards towards the foot’s edge forming a bony bump on the inside of the foot. This deformity often results from wearing tight or high-heeled shoes.
Morton’s Neuroma or “pinched nerve” happens when tissue thickens around a nerve leading to toes causing painful sensations akin to standing on a pebble. Determined understanding of these prevalent issues can help craft effective treatment pathways.
Common Ankle Injuries
Common ankle injuries, ankle sprains are usually a day-to-day injury making nearly 85% of all ankle injuries. This occurs when ligaments supporting the ankle stretch beyond their limit or tear. This can be triggered by numerous factors such as gait’s imbalance, environmental inconveniences or inadequate shoes.
Achilles tendon rupture is another severe injury of the ankle that affects the large tendon at the back of your ankle and heel. Trauma is the significant cause of this damage and may be as a result of sudden increase in stress that is mainly common in runners increasing their speed or severity hastily.
Lastly, ankle impingement is the swelling and inflammation from recurring or excess joint movement, squeezes bony or soft tissue structures on joint movement. Footwear, body mechanics, as well as knowledge of these common injuries, provides a good guideline on how adverse effects may be prevented.
Diagnostics for Injuries
If you are dealing with symptoms like persistent pain, inflammation, lack of mobility; your doctor will likely order specific diagnoses. Professionals predominantly use X-rays to analyze bone fractures or dislocations.
For softer tissues like ligament/tendon injuries or strains, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a more detailed insight. Another commonly utilized diagnosis tool is computerized tomography (CT) scan which combines X-ray images from various angles generating cross-sectional views of the foot/ankle bones.
In some cases, ultrasounds can be used to visualize soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments better- helping determine the type and severity of injury one might have incurred. Timely diagnosis assists in guiding relevant treatment protocols.
Rehabilitation Techniques
Rehabilitation is the crucial phase after the treatment, precisely tailored to overcome your weaknesses and enhance the strength and flexibility. In case of the foot or ankle injury, your physiotherapist may prescribe exercises for increasing the range of motion. Your program for rehabilitation may also include stretching and balance exercises, as well as the gait retraining to stay adherent to safe movement protocols.
Aquatic therapy is another technique where water’s buoyant properties are used to help make exercise less painful and more efficient. The resistance provided by water promotes muscle strength without putting undue stress on the injured area.
Certain rehabilitation techniques may involve using equipment like resistance bands for strengthening exercises.t If pain persists during this phase despite these interventions, a consultation with your healthcare provider might be warranted for further management.
Preventing Future Injuries
Prevention of future injuries is heavily connected to maintaining proper foot and ankle health, and podiatry’s role in wellbeing is vital. For one, stretching exercises incorporated into a daily routine help reduce the likelihood of sprains through improved flexibility of the ligaments. General strength training exercises also help keep the joints stable and reduce the chance of sprains or even fractures.
Wearing appropriate footwear is perhaps the most effective method of keeping the feet safe. These should fit properly and provide good cushioning and balance support coupled with adequate arch and longitudinal protection to help properly distribute the weight of the body.
Consulting with a podiatrist will help select the best choice of the shoe for the needs of each individual. Finally, under no circumstances should pain or discomfort in the foot or ankle be ignored. The signals sent by the body should always be listened to, as early diagnosis often results in minor treatments and faster recovery time.
Visiting a podiatrist at the first sign of trouble will prevent any minor issues from escalating into serious injury.
8 of the Most Common Running Injuries & How You Can Prevent Them(Opens in a new browser tab)
Closing Thoughts
In this rapidly mobile world, people should be aware of the anatomy of the foot, frequent injuries and their treatment. The earliest signs of these diseases should be easily recognizable for all individuals to get help needed before these conditions become permanent and chronic. Modern advancements in all fields of research and technology provide a better chance with every passing day.