Ankle and foot injuries are some of the most common in football. The fact is that football by its very nature puts extra strain on the ankle, well above what is required in our everyday lives. The things we routinely rely on our ankle for, such as walking, going up and down stairs, are very different from quickly changing direction on the football field or jumping for a high ball and landing it in the best way. Let's not forget that soccer is a contact sport where rough entries by the opposing player are common, and thus put the ankles under a great amount of stress.
Lateral ankle joint luxation is one of the most common injuries not only in football, but also in basketball players, tennis players, rugby players and all sports where there is an abrupt change of direction.
The most common mechanism is excessive inversion and plantar flexion. The injured ligaments are located on the lateral aspect of the ankle, with the anterior talofibular, posterior talofibular, and calcaneofibular ligaments most commonly affected. There are 3 grades determining the severity of the injury.
This is a term used for pain in the heel area.The plantar fascia is a thick band of connective tissue that connects the heel to the front of the foot. It acts as a shock absorber and helps maintain the stability of the foot. At rest in the normal foot position, the plantar fascia is under minimal stress, but when weight is shifted from the heel to the toes, it is stretched and placed under tension. Frequent injury to the fascia, such as running with poor technique or uncomfortable shoes can lead to inflammation and pain occurring initially in the heel area, usually where the fascia attaches to the calcaneus. Pain is especially noticeable during the first few steps in the morning or after sitting for long periods. Often after moving around the pain decreases or disappears completely, but after physical exertion it may reappear.
Tendinitis is an inflammatory process involving the tendon of a muscle. Achilles tendinitis, depending on which part it affects, is divided into insertional and non-insertional. The former (insertional) is localized in the catching area on the patella bone. In the non-insertional, the tendon fibers in the middle part tear (microtear), swell and thicken. In both types of tendinitis, the damaged tendon fibers may calcify (harden). Also in insertional, so-called bone spurs - deposition of a larger amount of bone tissue - can form.
The Achilles is under a lot of stress when running and jumping, which is why it is common among athletes - football players, basketball players, tennis players, etc. Common symptoms are pain along the course of the tendon during or after exertion, which can also be felt towards the mid-shin, thickening of the tendon,limited range of motion in the ankles.
This is a condition in which the athlete experiences pain in the front of the ankle due to compression of bony or soft tissue structures during activities that involve maximal dorsiflexion of the ankle. It is also encountered as Anterior ankle syndrome or Footballer's ankle. Repetitive compression in the anterior aspect of the ankle joint leads to stress on the joint capsule and synovium, which is the response to pain in these athletes.
In some cases, the appearance of osteophytes /spikes/ between the tibia and talus can also be observed.
Physiotherapy plays an essential role in the treatment and prevention of ankle and foot injuries.If not treated properly, they can lead to various complications such as chronic inflammation and joint instability.Depending on the type of injury and the phase in which it is (acute, subacute or chronic), an individual plan is prepared that combines drug therapy, apparatus physiotherapy and exercise.
At Okto, we can help you reduce swelling and pain, and return to your normal rhythm of life.
