Basketball demands explosive movements that put considerable strain on your foot and ankle. Athletes start, stop, sprint, cut, backpedal, leap and land. You can suffer acute injuries such as foot and ankle ligament sprains after stepping on another player's foot or landing awkwardly. Over time, you might suffer chronic foot injuries including stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, Achilles heel strains, bone spurs. and various forms of bursitis and tendinitis.
Ankle Sprain
Ankle joint sprains are the among the most common basketball injuries. The ankle joint includes the shinbone, the fibula, the talus bone and the ligaments holding them together. The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are small and not as strong as the deltoid ligaments on the inside of the joint. Ankle sprains occur when the foot rolls beyond its normal plane of movement. Multiple sprains lead to chronic ankle instability.
Extensor Tendinitis
The extensor tendons run along the top of the foot and straighten the toes. When these tendons become inflamed, the condition causes pain and swelling. You can also suffer inflammation of flexor tendons of the toes, a less-common injury that can cause disabling pain in the midfoot region.
Plantar Fascia Strain
The plantar fascia is the arch ligament connecting the bottom of the heel bone to the bottom of the toes. A strain of this tissue can cause tenderness and pain under the arch of the foot. Plantar fasciitis is a chronic condition that causes heel pain, which could radiate into the arch. This is irritation of the tissue at its weakest point, where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone.
Recovering From Foot Sprains
After the initial rest and anti-inflammatory treatment, you can use rehabilitation exercises to condition your muscles to help maintain stability and make up for ligament laxity. Ankle braces can be used to support the joint and surgical repairs might be needed in more severe cases. You might find that aggressive stretching programs them you avoid plantar fascia re-injuries.
References
- Hughston Clinic: Basketball and the Foot and Ankle
- American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine: Peach Baskets to Jams
- Sports Injury Clinic: Inflammation of the Extensor Tendons of the Toes
- Sports Injury Clinic: Inflammation of the Flexor Tendons of the Toes
- Sports Injury Clinic: Plantar Fascia Strain
