Avoid Common Overuse Injuries

At Texas Foot Specialists, we know that many of our patients may have put their exercise plan on hold during the stay at home phase of the pandemic. Now that things are re-opening, it’s important to kick start your fitness regimen again. However, doing too much too soon can lead to injuries. Below are some sports-related injuries we commonly see in our Sugar Land (281-242-4448), Pasadena (281-991-0600) and Houston (713-664-6677) offices and how you can prevent them.

Blisters

While blisters certainly don’t fall into the “major injury” category, they can create enough pain to bring your fitness plan to an immediate halt. These fluid-filled bubbles arise on the skin of your feet as a result of friction with your footwear. To prevent blisters, start by making sure the fitness shoes you are wearing fit properly and have no rough spots or loose stitching inside that rub against your foot. It’s also important to wear socks that wick perspiration away from your skin. Sweat makes your feet slippery and increases the risk of blisters by increasing friction. Cotton is not the best choice because it holds the moisture against your skin. Look for synthetic blends and material specifically designed to wick moisture away.

Achilles tendonitis

The Achilles tendon is the long, strong tendon that stretches from your calf to your heel.  It can become inflamed or even ruptured causing severe pain and difficulty walking. This happens most often when you try to go from couch potato to superstar athlete in less than a week. Hills or stair climbing particularly aggravate the Achilles. Choose a fitness plan that starts out slowly. Gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workout.

Heel pain

Pain in the heel is a common problem that can occur when you start any type of exercise that requires repetitive stress to the bottom of your foot. The constant pounding from walking, running or fitness routines with high impact moves can result put your heels at risk. In some instances, the pain is directly related to the heel such as when there is fat pad atrophy (which occurs naturally as you age) or if you end up with a stress fracture in your heel.  In other cases, heel pain is due to inflammation caused by fallen arches and stress to the plantar fascia—a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. To correctly determine the source and treatment of heel pain, make an appointment to see our podiatrists, Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum.

If at any time when beginning an exercise program after a prolonged break you experience foot or ankle pain, stop. If rest does not make the pain go away, contact us for help.