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Print ArticleToe,Foot,and Ankle Injuries
Topic Overview
At one
time or another, everyone has had a minor toe, foot, or ankle injury that
caused pain or swelling. Most of the time our body movements do not cause
problems, but it's not surprising that symptoms develop from everyday wear and
tear, overuse, or an injury.
Toe, foot, or ankle injuries most commonly occur during:
- Sports or recreational activities.
- Work-related tasks.
- Work or projects around the home.
In children, most toe, foot, or ankle injuries occur during sports or play or accidental falls. The risk for injury is higher in sports with jumping, such as basketball, or sports with quick direction change, such as soccer or football. Any bone injury near a joint may injure the growth plate (physis) in a child and needs to be evaluated.
Certain athletes, such as dancers, gymnasts, or soccer or basketball players, have an increased risk of toe, foot, or ankle injuries.
Older adults are at higher risk for injuries and fractures because they lose muscle mass and bone strength (osteopenia) as they age. They also have more problems with vision and balance, which increases their risk for accidental injury.
Most minor injuries will heal on their own, and home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve your symptoms and promote healing.
Sudden (acute) injury
An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a penetrating injury, a fall, or from twisting, jerking, jamming, or bending a limb abnormally. Your pain may be sudden and severe. Bruising and swelling may develop soon after your injury. Acute injuries include:
-
Bruises. After an ankle injury,
bruising may extend to your toes from the effects of gravity. See a picture of
a bruise (contusion)
. - Injuries to
ligaments that support your joints. See a picture of a
ligament tear.
- Injuries to
tendons, such as ruptured tendons in your heel (Achilles tendon). Young boys between 8 and 14 years
old may have a condition known as Sever's disease, which causes injury to the
growing bone where the Achilles tendon is attached. This usually occurs during
activity and is relieved with home treatment. See a picture of the
Achilles tendon.
- Injuries to your joints (sprains). If a
sprain does not appear to be healing, a condition known as
osteochondritis dissecans may be present, causing
persistent symptoms. See a picture of a
sprained ankle.
- Pulled muscles (strains). Muscles of the foot and ankle can be strained and can also rupture.
- Broken bones (fractures), such as a broken toe.
- A bone moving out of place (dislocation).
- A crushing injury, which can lead to compartment syndrome.
Overuse injuries
Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on your joint or other tissue, often by "overdoing" an activity or repeating the same activity over and over. Overuse injuries include:
-
Retrocalcaneal bursitis, which is
inflammation of the bursa. This condition causes swelling and tenderness of the
heel. Pain usually gets worse while wearing shoes and during activity and
improves during rest. See a picture of the
back of the heel and ankle.
- Achilles tendinitis or tendinosis (tendinopathy), which is the breakdown of soft tissues in and around the Achilles tendon that connects the calf muscles to the heel bone.
-
Stress fracture, which is a hairline crack in a bone. See a picture of
stress fractures of the foot.
-
Plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the plantar fascia, a broad, flat
ligament on the bottom of the foot that extends from the front of the heel to
the base of the toes and helps maintain the arch of the foot. See a picture of
the plantar fascia.
-
Metatarsalgia, which is pain in the front (ball) of
the foot. See a picture of
metatarsalgia.
Treatment
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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