The foot and ankle are very important for mobility and playing sports. Even mild injuries to the foot and ankle should be evaluated by a medical professional, especially if the symptoms persist. A poorly treated or rehabilitated foot and ankle can lead to chronic issues and may require surgery to fix.
If you want to maintain an active lifestyle and keep exercising and playing sports that make you feel alive, make sure to entrust your care to a foot and ankle specialist, or a podiatrist.
Sports injuries in the foot do not always require surgery, but there are some that require surgical intervention. Let’s talk about sports injuries in the foot that may need surgery.
Ankle Fracture
One of the most common foot injuries is a fracture. Simple fractures do not require surgery, but complex ones, where the bone separates into two or breaks into several pieces will need to be repaired surgically. The bone pieces will need to be realigned and held in place using plates and screws to encourage proper healing.
Chronic Ankle Instability
Frequent ankle sprains can lead to chronic ankle instability. Ankle injuries that are poorly rehabilitated, meaning if the person returned to playing sports without completing rehabilitation, also increase the risk of chronic ankle instability development. If the torn or stretched tissue was not able to fully heal, the ankle becomes unstable and may give out. Surgery to fix chronic ankle instability is a lateral ankle ligament reconstruction, during which the surgeon tightens or firms up the ligament.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis rarely needs surgery to treat, however, if it becomes a chronic problem and you still have heel pain after six months of conservative treatment, it may be necessary. The goal of plantar fasciitis surgery is to relieve pain and restore mobility by releasing part of the plantar fascia to ease tension and relieve swelling of the ligament.
Achilles Tendon Rupture
The Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscles to the heel bone, may become ruptured as a result of stress placed on it, usually due to running or jumping sports. Surgery is often performed to stitch the torn tendon together and restore normal function to the foot.
Surgeries to treat sports injuries in the foot are outpatient procedures. Meaning, the patient goes home on the same day as the procedure. Critical to recovery is a comprehensive rehabilitation program that includes exercises guided by a physical therapist.
Foot and Ankle Specialist in Cincinnati, OH
If you play sports and have suffered a sports injury in the foot, trust only an experienced specialist with your care. Our talented foot and ankle surgeons at Cincinnati Foot & Ankle Care can evaluate your foot injury and let you know your treatment options.
We like our patients empowered to choose the treatment options they are most comfortable with. If your foot injury requires surgery, trust our highly skilled podiatry surgeons to give you the best outcomes from foot surgery and get you back to your sport soon.
To schedule an appointment with one of our foot and ankle surgeons, call our podiatry clinic nearest you or use our convenient online request form.
