Dallas Cowboys’ cornerback Orlando Scandrick is out for the next 3-4 weeks with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday's season-opening loss to the New York Jets. While it is not always easy to determine if it is a sprain or a fracture – the only way to be sure is through an x-ray –ankle sprains are a common injury that we see all the time at Houston Foot Specialists.  If you have ever had one (or have chronic ankle injuries), you know that they tend to be very painful, thus keeping you on the sidelines for extended periods of time.  If you have experienced an ankle sprain recently, it’s very important to have it checked out to see whether there has been extensive damage. 

     The way to treat a sprained ankle is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate.  Make sure you rest by keeping off your injured ankle as much as possible.  Also, ice the ankle a couple times a day, as it will reduce swelling.  Make sure you don’t put the ice directly on your skin, but rather it’s best to put the ice in a zip lock bag and then wrap it in a small hand towel.  That way, the ice won’t burn your skin.  Always keep your ankle wrapped in compression bandages, which will help stabilize your ankle so that the tendons and ligaments can heal.  If your doctor tells you that the sprain is more severe than a common sprain, your doctor might have you keep a splint or small cast on the ankle.  This will keep your ankle in one position, allowing the tendons and ligaments to heal. Additionally, your doctor might order an MRI.  Lastly, while you rest and ice, keep your ankle elevated above your heart.  This helps reduce swelling.  

     Ankle sprains might be common, but they are preventable.  If you are prone to ankle sprains, wear ankle braces when participating in sport activities.  Check out your shoes.  Make sure that your shoes keep your feet parallel to the ground, not rotating one way or the other.  If your feet tend to rotate in when you walk, get shoes that have a thicker sole under your arch.  If you tend to rotate out, get shoes that have a thicker sole on the outside of the foot.  This, plus the addition of custom orthotics insider your shoes,  will help stabilize the ankle and prevent ankle sprains.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at Houston Foot Specialists.

Have you ever had a foot or ankle injury?  If you have, you know just how truly painful it can be.  Yao Ming – the professional Chinese Basketball player has recently retired as a result of the many injuries he sustained while on the court.  Alex Trebek, has sustained an Achilles injury as a result of his limited jump into crime fighting.  These celebrities are in the news because it is obvious that these injuries have a negative effect on their professions.  What about the rest of us? Every day, we are on our feet for hours on end,  from the moment we get out of bed to the time we climb into the bed at the end of the day and our feet take the brunt of our daily activity.  The health of your feet is very important to enjoying everyday activities as well as getting you through your career. For those who have foot and ankle injuries, you realize how much you’ve taken for granted just walking around (and sometimes just sitting) without pain.

“What types of foot and ankle injuries are there?  Well, the obvious injury for our celebrity basketball player is stress fractures and Alex Trebeck is dealing with the Achilles rupture.  Then there are the ones that most people have heard of before, like ankle sprains, bunions, and corns but there are those that cause foot pain that not everyone knows about, like hammertoes, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis.  If you want to know more about these types of foot and ankle injuries, you should check out our website at http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com for more information on all different types of foot and ankle problems that can arise.

How do you prevent foot and ankle injuries?  While each injury or problem that arises can have specific prevention techniques, here are a couple basic instructions you can follow to prevent many foot and ankle injuries.  One would be to take a good look at your shoes.  Are you wearing the right shoes for the activity your involved in?  Are the shoes supportive and well built?  Can you fold them in half? (that’s not a good thing).   If shoes aren’t good, throw them out!  Your feet will thank you.  If your ankles are prone to sprain, make sure you wear ankle braces, especially when playing sports or engaged in highly active events.  If you want to know any other prevention instructions for certain foot or ankle problems, check out http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/services.html and click on the “Educational Videos” and scroll down to read up on some foot and ankle problems.  We are happy to talk with you and answer any questions you may have on this blog, please call 713-467-8886