With all the snow we are having it seems as if winter will never end!

However, for those of us who snowboard, ski, snowshoe, cross-country ski or play outdoor hockey, it has been a great winter! Spring and summer are right around the corner, and with all the warm weather all the people who have been “hibernating” all winter will come out to enjoy their favorite spring and summertime activities.

Those extra pounds gained over the winter will have to come off with your favorite combination of diet and exercise. Whether your choice of outdoor or indoor activities is running, jogging, hiking, treadmill, elliptical or biking, we are all susceptible to overuse injuries. These “overuse injuries” are due to doing too much, too soon, too fast! Some of these injuries may be in part due to faulty or abnormal biomechanics of our lower extremities. The following lower extremity ailments are just a few of the many problems we commonly see in our podiatry practice.

I hope the following education information will help you better understand these common injuries and what suggestions to do for treating these injuries.

Knee pain

Many people do not realize that persistent pain in the knees may be caused by problems with the feet. Such disorders of the feet as excessive pronation (“rolling-in” of the feet and ankles during walking or running), rigid pes cavus (failure of the arch to flatten when bearing weight), or bunions (abnormality in the joint of the big toe) can put unnatural stresses on the muscles and ligaments of the leg, leading to knee pain.

Your podiatrist can diagnose foot problems that might be causing pain in the knee. He or she might prescribe exercises to strengthen muscles in the feet and lead to healthier walking. Another option is a virtually unnoticeable soft orthotic device to be worn in the shoe to correct certain kinds of abnormal and pain causing strides. Regardless of the cause, no foot or leg pain should be allowed to go unexamined.

Plantar fasciitis

Have you ever woken up in the morning or gotten up after a period of rest and those first few steps with ambulation hurt your heel and/or arch? Severe pain in the heel may arise from several very different causes. The underlying problem may not be the heel itself, but a long band of fibrous connective tissue called the plantar fascia, which runs from the heel bone to the forefoot. This band, together with tendons and ligaments, controls movement of the joints of the arch.

Injury or inflammation of the plantar fascia can set off a variety of defects in foot mechanics. One consequence may be intense pain in the heel (plantar fasciitis), with no visible clue to the cause.

The podiatrist draws on specialized training and experience to pinpoint the plantar fascia as the cause of heel pain. Treatment depends on the nature of the fascia problem and the effect on the heel that produces pain. Eighty-five percent of the time arch supports (orthotics) help resolve this pain; however, sometimes surgery is necessary to restore the fascia to proper function and to eliminate the heel pain.

Sprained ankles

Ankle sprains are caused by sudden stresses on ligaments, not bones. Such sprains are among the most common injuries in everyday life, especially in running and other sports. Ligaments control movement of joints, preventing excessive motion. Sudden shifting of one’s position, such as pivoting awkwardly on one’s foot, can cause a sprained ankle by stretching or tearing a ligament.

Treatment of sprained ankles varies according to the severity of the injury. Rest, ice to reduce swelling, the use of tape or elastic bandages to restrict movement and elevation of the ankle usually are part of the initial treatment.

In some cases, the podiatrist may determine further care is needed; the ankle may be placed in a cast to prevent movement, or surgery may be recommended if a ligament is torn. X-rays may be needed to help determine if a ligament is torn. Magnetic resonance imaging may be needed to show the extent and location of bony and/or soft tissue damage in a sprain.

Enjoy a fun, healthy and active spring and summer!

John Enger is a sports medicine podiatrist at the Community Foot Clinic in Albert Lea.