Back in 1977, Jim Fixx’s best-selling book, titled The Complete Book of Running, was a key component in starting a fitness revolution in the U.S. His book popularized running and jogging as ways for people to incorporate one or both of them in their regular fitness regime. Fixx’s suggested activities continue to this day.
Despite the benefits of incorporating running and jogging into one’s physical fitness routine, injuries to the feet and ankles are possible. The repetitive motions can put stresses on the bones, joints and tendons, which can lead to any number of runner-specific injuries.
At the office of Metropolitan Foot Care, our team of skilled professionals is committed to providing our patients with the highest levels of care to ensure optimum foot health.
Here are some possibilities and their treatments.
Stress fractures
A stress fracture is a small crack that develops bit by bit through repetitive stress on a bone. The most common locations typically occur in the long bones of the mid-foot. Recovery usually requires a few weeks of rest; your doctor might even recommend using crutches to keep weight off your foot until the pain subsides.
Shin Splints
A shin splint is an inflammation of the area where muscle attaches to bone. It’s most common in the lower shin, just above the ankle, in front of or on the inside of the leg. Treating shin splints requires frequent stretching and cutting down on time spent running.
Plantar fasciitis
The plantar fascia is a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot from the heel to the toes. If the fascia becomes inflamed, it can result in varying degrees of stabbing heel pain that can sideline a runner for quite a while. Treatment begins with frequent stretching of the Achilles tendon, as well as going barefoot and avoiding flat shoes and. In most cases, that cures the problem. For more serious cases, a doctor may recommend night splints, arch supports or even surgery.
At the office of Metropolitan Foot Care, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality of skilled and compassionate podiatry care. For more information on our services as well as the other services we provide, please don’t hesitate to call us today.
By Metropolitan Foot Care
February 4, 2020