Basketball and Footcare

Basketball is a popular sport around the world. As we get ready for March Madness and NBA play-offs, it is a good time to discuss foot needs in this fast paced, exciting game.

The main foot-related basketball injuries are caused by two factors: either over-use, chronic or stress related issues, or acute trauma. These overuse injuries include: Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial and peroneal tenosynovitis, metatarsalgia, and stress fractures. These are a concern because they can grow into larger problems (like a stress fracture becoming a true fracture, or they can increase your risk of a one-time, acute injury.

The type of movement involved in basketball creates specific pressures on the feet. The game involves lots of starting and stopping, linear running and sprinting, lateral movements and lots of jumping, all of which increase pressure on the forefoot and midfoot. The size of the player, the playing surface, and the amount of time invested in practice and play of the game also can increase the amount of stress on the feet.

Contacting your podiatrist is a great way to prevent and treat foot pain in relation to basketball. Custom made orthotic devises have been shown to not only help treat cases of pain and injury in basketball players, but also to prevent these problems before they occur.

For the complete article visit: http://www.podiatrytoday.com/article/5361