Are You Ready to Get Back in The Game After Your Sports Injury?

It doesn’t matter if you’re an Olympic-level athlete or an occasional weekend player. No matter why, how often, or how seriously you play, a sudden sports injury can put you out of commission as fast as you can blink.

Whether you’ve been recently injured or are looking to get back into your sport after time off from an injury, podiatrists Ryan Golub, DPM, and Zachary Flynn, DPM, AACFAS, from Arizona Foot Health in Phoenix, Arizona, can help. Find out how to get back into the game after a sports injury.

What are the different types of sports injuries?

A sports injury is any type of injury you get when playing sports. Injuries to the foot and ankle can vary, and some of the most common include:

• Ankle sprain
• Ankle fracture
• Stress fractures
• Achilles tendonitis
• Plantar fasciitis
• Morton’s neuroma

A sports injury can vary from a minor strain that requires a few days of rest to a serious tear that puts you out of commission for several months. Either way, most sports injuries initially require some time away from your favorite sport.

Recovering from a sports injury

Every sporting injury recovery is unique. Your ideal recovery plan depends on the type and severity of the injury, the sport you play, and your age, gender, and overall health.

At Arizona Foot Health, our podiatrists are committed to getting you back into the game and playing the sport you love as quickly as possible. The first step, no matter how minor your injury might seem, is to get an evaluation and treatment plan.

A full evaluation ensures a more serious injury isn’t missed and determines the fastest and most effective recovery. This allows you to start playing your sport again as quickly as possible.

Initial recovery period

Most injuries require you to initially rest, often staying off your feet altogether. You may then be able to resume light activity as you build back up to playing your sport.

For acute injuries, such as ankle sprains, you often begin recovery with RICE protocol. RICE requires you to rest, ice the injury, compress the injury with a bandage, and elevate the injury above heart level.

In other cases, you might need to have the injury immobilized by wearing a cast or taking steps to keep the injury from moving freely For more serious conditions, our podiatrists sometimes perform minimally invasive surgery.

Further recovery and rehabilitation

After your initial recovery period, our team works with you to help you redevelop strength and flexibility while minimizing your chance of re-injury. For some injuries, our team develops a program of stretches, strength exercises, and physical therapy.

Other injuries benefit from regenerative medicine like Pulse Wave Therapy. This therapy, which is FDA-cleared, regenerates and heals damaged tissues using sound waves. It’s painless, easy, and convenient.

Get back on the playing field with sports medicine

If you love your sport, our team is here to get you back on the playing field as quickly as possible to play the sport you love again. We ensure you fully recover with effective, safe, and cutting-edge treatment methods.

If you have a confirmed or suspected sports injury, contact us for an initial consultation and recovery plan.