When you suffer an injury, you hope that once it has healed that it’s the last time you have to think about that specific injury. Unfortunately, for a small number of people, their same foot or ankle injury keeps coming back time and time again. What causes a foot or ankle injury to become recurrent, and how can you put an end to them once and for all? We take a closer look at some of the common causes and treatment options for recurrent foot injuries in today’s blog.
What Causes An Injury To Become Recurrent?
There are a number of different specific reasons why a foot injury can become chronic, but they can generally be grouped into two larger categories, which are:
Failing To Fully Treat The Underlying Condition – If you don’t fully address the issue the first time it develops, don’t be surprised if it rears its ugly head in the not so distant future. One example of this type of cause that we help treat on a regular basis is ankle instability. If someone sprains their ankle, they may rest for a few days until it’s comfortable enough to walk on their foot again. However, there is likely some ligament damage that is lingering, and if you don’t partake in physical therapy or strengthening exercises to really help these ligaments become more stable, they will remain loose and less supportive of your ankle, putting you at a heightened risk for another sprain. It’s very important that to treat the underlying problem in order to reduce the risk of a similar injury in the future.
Failing To Change Habits That Led To Injury In The First Place – As Albert Einstein once said, insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. If a bunion or ingrown toenail formed in response to regularly wearing tight or ill-fitting shoes, and then you put your feet right back in those shoes after treating the problem don’t be surprised if it returns. Similarly, if your shin splints or tendonitis flares up when you over-train, and you don’t give your body enough time off between activity, it has a higher likelihood of returning. Consider how your habits contributed to the condition and make some changes to prevent their recurrence.
If you’re dealing with recurrent foot or ankle injuries, one of the best things you can do is to connect with a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman. He’ll provide you with an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis before explaining any contributing factors and walking you through some treatment options. Either he’ll target the underlying problem with specific treatments, or he’ll help you make some lifestyle modifications that can both help resolve the issue and prevent its return.