Sports seasons are ramping up for the fall and for young athletes this comes with an increase in foot and ankle injuries. Football, soccer, field hockey, and cheerleading are sports most likely to lead to sprains, broken bones, and other issues. Here are six tips to keep your child in the game this fall:
1. Always treat foot and ankle injuries immediately. What seems like a sprain isn’t always a sprain. Aside from ligament injuries, your athlete might have injured bones or cartilage without knowing it. Make an appointment with our office for proper treatment if you think your child has a foot or ankle injury. Failure to treat injuries properly and promptly can lead to long-term instability or arthritis later in life.
2. Have old sprains checked before the season starts. Our foot and ankle surgeons can tell whether a previous injury might be vulnerable to sprains and when an old injury may benefit from wearing a brace or other support during the season.
3. Each sport requires a different sport-specific type of shoe. Football and baseball cleats are not interchangeable, so be sure you’re getting the right shoes for your child’s chosen sport.
4. Start each sports season with new, properly fitted shoes. Old shoes wear down over time and become uneven on the bottom, especially for athletes during a busy season. When a shoe cannot lie flat, the ankle will tilt, increasing the risk of sprains and strains.
5. Walk the field before any practices or games. Check for dips, divots or holes as most sports-related ankle sprains are caused by running and jumping on uneven surfaces. Our foot and ankle surgeons recommend checking the field for spots that could trip up a player’s foot, especially for nonprofessional settings like parks. If you notice any irregularities, alert coaching officials.
6. Always encourage athletes to stretch and warm up before practice or games. Calf stretches and light jogging help warm up ligaments, muscles, tendons and blood vessels reducing the risk for foot and ankle injuries.
As this sports season starts, contact a Heelex Podiatry to have your child’s feet, ankles and athletic shoes examined.
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