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At the office of Body & Feet, our team of skilled professionals is committed to providing our patients with the highest levels of care to ensure optimum foot health. We offer these tips to help you reduce your risk of foot and ankle injury:
1.Warm up prior to any sports activity
Lightly stretch or better yet, do a slow jog for two to three minutes to warm up the muscles. Don't force the stretch with a "bouncing motion."
2. Condition your muscles for the sport
The amount of time spent on the activity should be increased gradually over a period of weeks to build both muscle strength and mobility. Cross training by participating in different activities can help build the muscles.
3.Use a brace or tape:
This extra support helps prevent a new ankle injury if you’ve had one before.
4. Avoid running or stepping on uneven surfaces: Use care on rocky terrain or grounds with loose gravel.
5. Choose shoes wisely: Flip-flops on the boardwalk can set you up for a fall. A sandal that has a solid grip on your foot, or a real shoe or sneaker, is less likely to catch on uneven boards, potholes on pavement, or unexpected holes in the sand.
6. Be careful running too many hills
Running uphill is a great workout, but make sure you gradually build this up to avoid injuries. Be careful when running downhill too fast, which can often lead to more injuries than running uphill!
7. Listen to your body
If you experience foot and ankle pain during a sport, stop the activity or modify the activity until the pain subsides. Also, if you have been injured, you should go through a period of rehabilitation and training before returning to the sport to prevent recurrent injuries.
At Body & Feet, we are committed to helping you maintain healthy feet. We provide the highest quality care for a wide spectrum of conditions. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, give us a call today.
By Body and Feet
July 12, 2019
