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Ankle / Foot Injuries |
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Guide to injury treatment |
Green - Can be self managed. |
Yellow - should be assessed by a chartered physiotherapist. |
Red - Should be seen in accident and emergency. |
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1. Lateral ligament sprain (Most commonly anterior talofibular ligament, however calcaneofibular and calcaneocuboid ligaments can be involved).
Where is the pain:
- Outer aspect of the ankle.
Caused by:
- ‘going over’ on the ankle, forcing the ankle into inversion.
Signs and symptoms:
- Pain, swelling and bruising (depending on the severity of the injury) over the outer aspect of the ankle into the foot and often the lower 1/3 of the leg.
- Often find weight bearing difficult (if can not weight bear due to pain visit A and E to rule out a fracture)
What you should do:
- PRICE regime for 48-72 hours.
- Crutches, partial weight bearing for 5-7 days.
- Consult your local physiotherapist.
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2. Metatarsal fracture.
Where is the pain:
- Usually in the front of the foot.
Caused by:
- Direct trauma to the forefoot; Kicking the bottom of a boot or the foot being stood on.
- In rare cases can be caused by ‘going over’ on the ankle.
Signs and Symptoms:
- Pain, swelling and bruising of the forefoot.
- Difficulty in weight bearing.
What you should do:
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3. Achilles tendinopathy.
Where is the pain:
- At the back of the foot, between the calf and the heel.
Caused by:
- Increasing activity quickly (eg. Going from running 1 mile a week to 10 miles 3 times weekly).
- Poor footwear.
- Poor running style.
Signs and symptoms:
- Gradual onset of pain over weeks.
- Worsening pain on activity
- Stiffness with rest.
What you should do:
- Eccentric exercise regime (Visit your local physiotherapist/podiatrist to assess your footwear and running style).
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4. Achilles Rupture.
Where is the pain:
- At the back of the foot, between the calf and the heel.
Caused by:
- A sudden stretching of the Achilles tendon
- A hard contraction of calf muscle, for example when jumping or sprinting.
Signs and symptoms:
- Instant pain at the back of the heel.
- Unable to continue activity.
- Swelling and bruising at the lower end of the leg.
- Weakness when trying to point toes against resistance.
What you should do:
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5. Plantar Fascitis.
Where is the pain:
- The bottom of the foot, at the front of the heel.
Caused by:
- Poor footwear or change of footwear
- Poor foot biomechanics
- Weakness of the intrinsic muscles of the foot
- Increasing activity (Frequency, time, surface)
Signs and symptoms:
- Pain gradually increases over time.
- Pain on standing first thing on a morning or after prolonged sitting
- Often eases with activity but will throb following activity.
What you should do:
- Stretch the calf
- Roll a cold bottle of water on the bottom of the foot
- Strengthen tibialis anterior/posterior
- Have your foot biomechanics assessed by a podiatrist/physiotherapist
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