Foot & Ankle Injuries & Conditions

A broken foot, toe or ankle can result from overuse from repetitive movements in sports like running, tennis or basketball and are known as stress fractures. A direct impact, like a hard kick or other forceful contact, can also cause broken bones in the feet, toes or ankles.

Because broken ankles and sprained ankles have similar symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor for any ankle injury.

Injuries such as ankle sprains, conditions such as plantar fasciitis or overuse due to repetitive movement can cause pain and instability in the foot or ankle.

The plantar fascia is a ligament (tissue that connects bones) along the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the ball of the foot. This ligament supports the foot’s arch, and repetitive stress or stretching can lead to tears that cause inflammation and pain.

Ongoing plantar fasciitis can eventually lead to a heel spur, which is a calcium deposit that forms where the ligament connects to the heel bone.

The ankle joint is where the two lower leg bones and the ankle bone come together, supported by ligaments. Ankle ligaments can overstretch and tear as a result of a sudden, sharp twist or roll of the ankle.

Ankle sprains are a common sports injury and usually heal with rest and ice. But severe sprains can weaken ligaments, increasing instability in the ankle.

A sprain in the main joint of the big toe is commonly called turf toe, because the condition arose when artificial turf became more widely used on playing fields. Turf is firmer than natural surfaces and provides less shock absorption.

Repeated running, jumping and putting excessive force on the feet on turf can cause the big toe to hyperextend (when a joint extends beyond its normal range of motion), causing a sprain.