Whether your child is playing little league or one is a professional athlete, football is a game that can cause many injuries. Over one million high school students alone play football! This sport can lead to inflammation or worse to ligaments, tendons, muscles, and joints, particularly in the heel and ankle. Though sprains and other injuries are common, heel pain, or plantar fasciitis, is a complaint podiatrists hear extremely often from football players, no matter the level of experience.
Why Does This Happen?
Because football requires everything from sprinting to long runs, jumping and sudden stops, the foot and ankle experience a lot of stress. Football is a high impact sport, especially in positions such as linebacker or running back. This means that your entire body will experience hits, but your feet will take a beating. When football players suffer from heel pain, there is a strong likelihood that it is plantar fasciitis, though that is not guaranteed.
Plantar Fasciitis
The most common type of heel pain, plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is a thick band of tissue across the bottom of the foot, and when it becomes tight or inflamed, extreme pain occurs. Though the pain often subsides during the day, it can occur during activity, such as football. Plantar fasciitis can be caused by everything from flat feet to unsupportive shoes, so it is important to see a podiatrist when you are experiencing heel pain.
Treatment
Clearly, your treatment will be entirely dependent on your diagnosis. However, if the diagnosis is plantar fasciitis, there is a range of treatment plans that can work. Depending on the seriousness of the condition, patients typically improve with custom orthotics, rest and icing, MLS Laser therapy, etc.
For football players, injuries are common, particularly foot and ankle conditions, such as plantar fasciitis. From heel pain to ankle sprains, football players can experience pretty much every type of condition. If you or your child are playing football and suffer from foot or ankle pain, schedule an appointment with Alpine Foot Specialists today.
Courtesy of: Podiatry Today