It is important to not neglect your feet and ankles as the weather is warming up and many of us are transitioning to summer sports and activities.
Spring in Colorado offers warmer days and with social distancing, people are choosing to social distance outside due to the COVID-19. With more people enjoying outdoor activities, we are seeing an increase of patients with foot and ankle injuries.
Some of the types of injuries we are seeing an increase of are:
Many of the injuries can be avoided if appropriate shoe gear and ankle braces are used. If you have chronically weak ankles or ankle instability, using an ankle brace with plastic struts on each side and a figure 8 type strapping system can help to decrease the risk of ankle sprains or fractures when hiking or doing other activities on uneven ground. Proprioceptive balance exercises can help with strengthening and stabilizing as well and if need be, our doctors can surgically tighten the ligament to stabilize the ankle.
We recommend replacing your shoes every 6 months, to ensure they provide enough support for your feet to help reduce the risk of stress fractures, tendinitis, and other overuse type injuries. Shoes with a rocker bottom, such as Hoka, can help reduce forefoot pressure and are supportive for conditions such as turf toe, metatarsalgia, pre-dislocation syndrome, and may help with neuromas.
For most athletic activity we recommend using some form of arch support in your shoe such as custom orthotics which is made from molds of your feet or a supportive over-the-counter orthotic. Be cautious of inserts that just provide gel or cushion, for most foot and ankle problems that we see, people generally need more support and not just cushion.
If you have a foot or ankle injury or any other problems/concerns, we are here to help. Call our Colorado Springs office to schedule an appointment with our Podiatrists, Dr. Hinderland and Dr. Cameron at 719-488-4664, so we can help keep you active and on your feet!
At Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado, we are having all our patients check in from their car, to keep everyone out of the waiting room. We will bring you straight into a fully sanitized room if you need a face-to-face office visit, to try and minimize your risk and keep you as safe as possible during this trying time.
