Many envision that it’s admirable to push through some physical and mental challenges and get on with our day, but the fact of the matter is that it’s oftentimes much better to confront these issues head on instead of pushing ahead and ignoring them. That’s especially true when it comes to some foot and ankle issues. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to spotlight five foot injuries that you shouldn’t try to push through.
Don’t Push Through These Five Foot Injuries
If you know or suspect that you are dealing with one of these five foot or ankle injuries, it’s in your best interest to slow down and work to treat the problem proactively. You don’t necessary need to go to an orthopaedic surgeon, but you will want to at least begin pursuing some proactive conservative treatments. Conditions to watch for include:
1. Ankle Sprains – Even mild ankle sprains shouldn’t be ignored, because if you try to push through the discomfort, there’s a good chance your injury will get worse. An ankle sprain occurs when the supportive ankle ligaments on either side of your ankle are overstretched and damaged. You need to restrengthen these ligaments, otherwise it will take less trauma for the ankle to roll again since the ligaments are less stable. Always be proactive in your management of a sprained ankle.
2. Plantar Fasciitis – Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong connective tissue on the underside of your foot becomes damaged or inflamed. This inflammation will likely persist unless you attack them with proactive treatment. Prolonged inflammation puts you at an increased risk for larger tears in the fascia, which only leads to more involved treatment. Stop the problem in its infancy by treating it at the first sign of heel and arch discomfort.
3. Achilles Tendonitis – Tendonitis occurs when a tendon is overstressed and becomes inflamed. Due to this inflammation, the tendon may not be able to handle stress as effectively, so if you try to push through the discomfort, you could be putting the Achilles at risk of a complete rupture. Tendonitis typically responds well to rest, physical therapy and a gradual reintroduction to activity, which is a pretty simple course of care for most to follow.
4. Athlete’s Foot – Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection that has the ability to spread to other parts of your body and rarely goes away on its own. Recognize the symptoms of athlete’s foot and connect with a doctor who can prescribe a medication to clear the infection so that you and others around you are less likely to see the problem spread.
5. Bunions – Finally, one condition that we’ve talked about a lot on our blog that requires proactive intervention is a bunion. A bunion involves dysfunction at the big toe joint, and once this joint shifting occurs, the joint isn’t going to shift back into a natural position on its own. Keeping the bunion from progressing and managing symptoms will require proactive effort on your end, but it can be accomplished by making sure your feet are in comfortable and supportive shoes and being mindful of the stress you put on your feet.
For more information, reach out to Dr. Silverman by filling out this contact form.