We serve an active community. Almost every day in the Bay Area, you can see community soccer fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, and running trails full of people running, jumping, playing and having fun.
Unfortunately, all that activity can sometimes lead to injuries of the feet and ankles.
They can happen suddenly (as with a sprain or broken bone) or develop slowly over time into chronic pain (as with tendinitis or stress fractures). Either way, sports-related injuries and pain require prompt attention from a dedicated specialist—one who is as committed to getting you back in the game as you are.
When not properly treated, sports injuries tend to linger, or even get worse. So when pain strikes, give us a call.
Common Foot and Ankle Sports Injuries
At Silicon Valley Podiatry Group, we treat virtually all painful injuries of the feet, ankles, and lower legs—whether sports-related or otherwise. The following is not a complete list, but represents some of the conditions we commonly treat:
Acute traumas:
- Ankle Sprains
- Muscle / tendon strains
- Broken bones and toes
- Achilles tendon ruptures
- Turf toe
Chronic pain and injury:
- Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
- Tendinitis
- Ankle instability
- Stress fractures
- Shin splints
- Black toenails
Comprehensive Examination
Comprehensive evaluations are one significant advantage of having SVPG diagnose and treat your painful lower limb condition.
Foot and ankle sports injuries are rarely as simple as they appear. Sometimes, the symptoms of one injury may overlap with, or even “cover,” another—for example, a bad sprain might be hiding an ankle fracture underneath.
On top of that, the root causes of injuries are often complex, especially with chronic overuse injuries. There are many possible contributing factors, including foot structure, gait mechanics, the types of shoes you wear, your training routines, underlying medical conditions … the list goes on.
No matter what injury you come in with, at SVPG you’ll get an extremely comprehensive evaluation from specialists who deal with foot and ankle injuries every single day. Our diagnoses are made through thorough physical examinations, lots of questions, in-office ultrasounds and X-rays, and more.
The goal here is to get the most complete possible understanding of your injury, your circumstances, and your lifestyle goals. Only then can we recommend a treatment plan and prevention recommendations optimized to your needs.
Advanced Care Options
At SVPG, we also provide a variety of the latest evidence-based treatment options to our active patients, in order to help get better quickly—and remain as active as possible during their recovery.
Advanced treatments are not always necessary, of course. Sometimes, a little rest, stretching and a new pair of shoes may be all you need. However, we do work hard to remain on the cutting edge of treatment technology so that we can offer better, faster solutions to those who need them.
This includes, but is definitely not limited to:
- Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. PRP is popular with professional athletes—it’s effective, safe, and helps greatly accelerate the natural healing process. During a single brief appointment, we draw a sample of your blood, spin it in a centrifuge to separate out the components (including platelets), and re-inject a platelet-rich mixture into the injured tissue. The platelets are loaded with growth factors and other proteins essential for tissue regeneration.
- Custom and medical-grade prefabricated orthotics. By supporting arches, absorbing shocks and realigning healthy foot mechanics, the right high-quality shoe insert can not only reduce your chance of injury, but actually help you play better. We can offer our own brand of medical grade prefabricated orthotics, as well as custom orthotics.
- Foot and ankle surgery. Surgery may be necessary or preferred for certain chronic injuries, including unstable fractures or tendon ruptures, and a “last resort” option for chronic injuries that do not respond to conservative treatments. If you do need surgery, the physicians at SVPG are exceptionally qualified, and are trained in advanced techniques (including minimal incision surgery).
Of course, our comprehensive approach to treatment and care means that we will also make sure you have the education and understanding you need to keep the pain away after treatment—training recommendations, shoe recommendations, home care strategies, etc.
If you suffer a foot or ankle sports injury in the Bay Area, please give our team a call today for a thorough evaluation and effective treatment options. You can reach our San Jose office at (408) 358-2666.
