Feet & Ankle Injuries – Why Self Diagnosis is Important?

Feet and ankles are at higher risk for injuries when compared to other parts of the body. They take the stress of our body and bear the pressure of our daily activities. Hence, these parts are subjected to a number of injuries at various stages of life.

Foot and ankle injuries are very common among athletes. Increased competition and zeal to win, pushes professional athletes and dedicated amateur athletes beyond limits resulting in more foot and ankle injuries. According to the studies conducted by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), 25 percent of athletic injuries were related to feet and ankles. Few sports like football, basketball, running, soccer and dancing trigger foot and ankle injuries because the feet are the point of contact.

Importance of Feet & Ankles

Feet and ankles play a vital role in managing your day-to-day activities and help you move around, run, and balance everything in between. Long term issues may severely impact upon an individual’s mobility and therefore quality of life resulting stress & depression disorders. Therefore, it is highly imperative to take care of them, especially if you are a professional athlete. There are 26 bones and 33 joints in the human foot and ankle. Height of arches and shape of the toes may vary from person to person.

Pain in the foot can develop in any part of the foot and abnormalities of the skin, bones, nerves, blood vessels and other soft tissues can result in foot pain. As we expose feet to potential injuries, we all have experienced pains at one time or another.

What are the causes of foot pain?

Accidents and sport injuries are the main causes of foot pain. Painful degenerative problems can affect the joints or tendons of the foot. Occult fractures can occur or the soft tissues can also be torn or stretched. The following are a few foot and ankle conditions:

• Ankle Sprain
• Broken Ankle
• Bunions
• Corns
• Fractures of the Heel
• Hammer Toe
• Heel Pain
• Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle
• Plantar fasciitis
• Hallux valgus
• Collapsed arches in adults
• Osteoarthritis of the small joints

One thing you should bear in mind about foot is that an injury or abnormality in one joint can develop injuries to neighboring joints due to close proximity and relationship between the joints. You need to understand the anatomy and physiology of the foot and the ankle to evaluate the cause of foot pain. Therefore, prompt diagnosis is crucial to prevent worsening the condition.

If you are not sure what might be the problem with your joint, self-diagnosis tool for the feet and ankles can help you to diagnose the condition. Symptom checker for foot and ankle pain helps you to understand the cause behind your symptoms. You can also diagnose the condition of your feet and ankle and can take better decisions faster.