Sports Injuries

Sports injuries are common, particularly among athletes.  Dr. Joseph Hall, DPM (Foot and Ankle Specialist) at Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic in Mill Creek, WA and the experienced team diagnose and treat common sports injuries to the feet and ankles to get you back on the court, field, or rink as quickly as possible. Schedule an evaluation by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.

What are sports injuries?

Sports injuries are those sustained while training for or playing sports. They can affect your bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, or other soft tissues. While some sports injuries heal properly on their own with rest and home remedies, complex or severe sports injuries may need medical intervention to fully restore musculoskeletal structure or function. 

Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic treats lower extremity sports injuries involving the feet, toes, and ankles. 

What are examples of common foot and ankle sports injuries?

Foot or ankle injuries commonly sustained while playing sports include:

• Sprains
• Strains
• Fractures
• Achilles tendon injuries
• Achilles tendonitis
• Pulled muscles
• Shin splints
• Plantar plate rupture of the second toe
• Dislocations 
• Foot or ankle pain
• Wounds

The experienced Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic team pinpoints the type of injury you have and its severity to establish the most effective treatment plan.

What are the risk factors for sports injuries?

Foot and ankle sports injuries are sometimes inevitable, even in the most well-trained athletes. Injury risk factors include:

• Weakness
• Improper training
• Overtraining
• Undertraining
• Ill-fitted footwear
• Playing contact sports
• Training on uneven or hard surfaces
• Not properly warming up
• Intense physical training

You might injure your foot or ankle by colliding with another player, twisting or rolling your ankle, or overextending one of your joints.

How are foot and ankle sports injuries diagnosed?

The Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic experts diagnose specific sports injuries by discussing your medical history, how the injury occurred, your symptoms, and your lifestyle. They also ask if you’re taking any medications. 

Dr. Hall examines your feet and ankles and might suggest X-rays, an MRI, an ultrasound, or another imaging procedure to confirm a diagnosis and determine how to best treat your injury. 

Ankle and foot injuries are classified by the type of tissue that becomes damaged (bone, ligaments, tendons, muscles, etc.). They occur when such tissues move out of their ideal alignment. Signs of an injury include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Redness
• Warmth
• Bruising
• Decreased range of motion
• Inability to bear weight on the injured limb

How are sports injuries treated?

Treating sports injuries depends on the type of injury you have and its complexity. Dr. Hall might suggest one or more of the following solutions:

• Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE)
• Medications
• Injections
• Fracture care
• Wound care
• Casting
• Bracing
• Physical therapy
• Walking boot
• Crutches 
• Ultrasound therapy 
• Orthotics
• Surgery

Dr. Hall will customize a plan that is best suited to your needs, lifestyle, and goals. Mill Creek Foot & Ankle Clinic will follow up throughout treatment to ensure an effective, long-lasting outcome.

Schedule a sports injury evaluation by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.