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Foot and Ankle Injuries

Your foot has 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 ligaments and muscles. It’s no wonder that problems can occur in this complex structure—especially if you’re an active adult.

That’s why it’s good to know that you have access to a fellowship-trained foot and ankle specialist at Adventist Health Orthopedic Clinic who is trained to diagnose and treat even the most complex foot and ankle conditions.

Types of foot and ankle injuries

The most common types of injuries that affect the foot and ankle include:

  • Fractures
    • Midfoot fractures involving the group of bones that form the arch between the ankle and toes
    • Heel fractures
    • Broken toes
    • Ankle sprain (stretching or tearing of the ligaments in the ankle)
    • Ankle fracture (one or more of the three bones that make up the ankle are broken)
    • Stress fractures of the foot and ankle (a tiny break in the bone as the result of repeated use of the foot or leg)
  • Achilles tendon injuries (a stretch, tear or irritation to the tendon connecting the calf muscle to the back of the heel)
  • Shin splints (pain along the shinbone as a result of the tearing of the lining of the bone away from the bone)

Other types of foot and ankle conditions

Other problems can affect the foot and ankle, causing pain:

  • Foot and/or ankle arthritis that causes joint pain
  • Plantar fasciitis (heel pain caused by inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot)
  • Bunions (a bump on the inside of the big toe that causes swelling, redness or pain around the big toe joint)
  • Toe disorders such as hammertoe and ingrown toenails
  • Diabetic foot disease including nerve damage, foot ulcers and infections
  • Flat foot/fallen arch
  • Neuroma (a benign tumor of a nerve that becomes inflamed and irritated)
  • Gout (crystals in the joint, usually the big toe)

How are foot and ankle injuries treated?

Treatment, of course, depends on the specific foot or ankle injury and its severity.

Many foot and ankle injuries can be treated conservatively (nonsurgically) with such measures as medications, braces/splints and orthotics (devices that relieve or correct an orthopedic problem), and physical rehabilitation.

If surgery is necessary, today there are many minimally invasive procedures that reduce your hospital stay and speed your recovery time. These procedures include:

Want to learn more about treatments for foot and ankle injuries at Adventist Health Orthopedic Clinic?

Simply call us to schedule an appointment at the location that’s most convenient for you at Portland: (503) 261-6961.