That moment when your foot hits the corner of the door, and you utter all sorts of pretty words no matter who’s around, isn’t it? 

Our legs and ankles are the areas most prone to injuries. Sometimes you hit the door, sometimes the wall, and sometimes you just roll your ankles as if you’ve never known how to walk. These are accidental and can be avoided with a little consideration. 

Ankle injuries are not time or age bound, they just happen without giving you a second thought, and the next moment, you might have to pay a visit to a podiatrist. Podiatrists, also known as foot doctors, are individuals that are specialized in the treatment of foot and ankle, basically your lower body segments  

Speaking of podiatrists, there are foot clinic in Nashville with multiple locations that are known to serve the best foot and ankle care services. 

Kinds of foot and ankle injuries and their treatment

Foot and ankle injuries can be of various types; having a little knowledge of these can be of great help and may even save you or people around you in times of need. 

Mentioned below are some of the foot and ankle injuries and their treatment. 

Achilles tendon rupture

The largest tendon in the body, the Achilles tendon, connects your calf muscles and heel bone. It is known to withstand great stress but is quite vulnerable to injury. 

Achilles tendon ruptures are often caused when there is an increase in the amount of stress the tendon is used to handle. It may be caused by improper stretching habits, sudden forceful movements, or engaging in activities that put repetitive stress on the tendon. 

Treatment – It is recommended to have an immediate doctor’s analysis and proper check-up as this might not seem serious by the look of it, but it can be pretty severe. The treatment of ruptured Achilles treatment depends on a lot of factors, for instance, your age, your medical history, the intensity of the injury, and your physical activity level, and can either be surgical or non-surgical. 

Sprained ankle

These are the most common ankle injuries, in fact you might have had a sprained ankle some time ago. 

When an ankle is sprained, it is usually because you kept your foot unevenly on a surface or might have rolled your ankle while hitting the ball, or might have just slipped which led to your ankle getting twisted. 

Treatment – These kinds of injuries can be severe or minor. In case of a minor injury, you can follow the RICE rule, that is, Rest your ankle, ice your ankle three to four times a day for a sufficient amount of time, utilize compression such as ace wraps ro bandages and then elevate your ankle above the level of your heart within the first 48 hours of the injury. 

For a severe injury, if you’re not a doctor, go to one. 

Bunion

Bunion is a bony bump that gets formed at the base of the toe, which is rather painful. It is a foot irregularity that affects the adjacent toe as well, which leads to a joint protruding outward. 

It is the women that are mostly found with this since it happens because of tightly fitted footwears. It can also happen because it has been running in the family or because of an inflammatory condition, such as rheumatoid arthritis. 

Treatment – It is recommended to wear properly fitted shoes. However, in most cases, surgery isn’t needed; proper analysis and medications will help relieve the pain, but bringing the toe back to its original position is only possible via surgery. 

Hammertoe

Hammertoe, again, is a foot deformity but that happens in the second, third, or fourth toes. It is a condition in which the main toe joint is bent upward, resembling a claw. This, too, is painful and can be uncomfortable while walking. 

Treatment – Hammertoes, if identified earlier, are flexible and can also be treated depending on the severity of it. Proper medications and a change in your footwear habits might help in fixing this. 

Beautiful, you haven’t been able to recognize it in the earlier stages, it can be difficult and may require surgery. 

Stress Fracture

Tibia, femur, and metatarsals are some of the weight-bearing bones that are likely to be affected by a stress fracture. 

These occur when the weight-bearing bones are fatigued and are unable to absorb added shock and hence transfer the stress to the bones. The transfer in bones creates a fracture-like crack, or it can be called a fracture. 

Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary supplements for the body, and stress fractures can also happen because of the deficiency of any of these. 

Treatment – Most of the cases do not involve surgery if proper care and medication have been taken. However, it typically takes around six to eight weeks to regain your balance. 

Proper rest is strongly recommended, especially from the activity that caused the stress fracture, as the injury can get severe with time and may even require surgery. 

Broken ankle

A broken ankle, as it suggests, happens when one of the bones forming the ankles has been fractured. It is also known as the talus fracture. 

Talus is the bone that forms the lower part of the ankle joint. Talus and the heel bone together are what helps you walk. Talus connects the leg and foot and aids in transferring weight and pressure across the ankle joints, giving proper ankle movement. Hence when you have got a talus fracture, you won’t be able to walk or sometimes even limp, depending on the seriousness of the injury. 

Treatment – If it’s a minor one, the basic casting of your foot to keep the bones together, elevating the foot above the level of your heart as it minimizes swelling and pain, and also physical therapy. These can be done if the fracture is a minor one and has been taken care of immediately. 

A major one will definitely be required, but it depends on the injury’s severity and the doctor’s recommendation. 

Preventing injuries

There is no hard and fast rule to walk or run. It only requires the movement of your legs and the attentiveness of your mind. Nonetheless, accidents can occur at any time, any place, irrespective of the fact that you weren’t expecting or prepared for it. 

Be mindful of your steps and know where you are walking or jogging to. This is the only way you can avoid injuries. 

Conclusion 

Taking rest for any foot or ankle injury should be your first priority. Keeping your mind and eyes open should be your second if you do not want to come across the different kinds of fractures or treatments above. 

Well, if you do injure yourself, there are Podiatry clinics in Nashville area with multiple locations that have excellent podiatrists that may help you avoid surgery if you reach out on time, just in case.