NFL Player Suffers Plantar Fasciitis

San Diego Chargers tight end, Antonio Gates, was put on the injury report on Thursday November 4^th. Gates has plantar fascia as well as turf toe. It was reported that Gates was barely able to walk while rehabbing the injury. Plantar fasciitis is a ligament-like band running from your heel to the ball of your foot. This band pulls on the heel bone, raising the arch of your foot as it pushes off the ground. Plantar fasciitis is often caused by poor foot mechanics. If your foot flattens too much, the fascia may overstretch and swell. If your foot flattens too little, the fascia may ache from being pulled too tight. This injury is common in football and other sports like soccer, basketball, lacrosse, track and field or anything that involves lots of heel movements.

Gates suffered turf toe which is a condition that can sideline the most well-trained football players, and other athletes. Turf toe is a condition of pain at the base of the big toe, located at the ball of the foot. Turf toe is usually caused from either jamming the toe, or pushing off repeatedly when running or jumping. The most common complaint is pain at the base of the toe, but patients may also have symptoms of stiffness and swelling. 

A podiatrist can use X-ray to check for a fracture, apply ultrasound or other electrotherapy treatment, tape the toe to prevent movement, or advise a physical therapy at our practice to help rehab the toe with a strengthening program. If an athlete does not look after this injury then it may develop into Hallux Limitus! This is a decreased range of motion due to arthritis around the joint. This can cause problems in the rest of the foot or lower limb due to changes to your walking cycle. Football is a contact sport and foot injuries happen all time. Remember to seek professional advice if you suffer from plantar fascia or turf toe. A podiatrist will reduce the severe pain and correct what caused the problem. A podiatrist may consider surgery if other types of treatment don’t control your pain. So, remember to take care of your feet if you play sports!