1. Lower Leg and Foot Injuries

2. Recognition and Management of Foot Injuries

3. Heel bruise
Cause: sudden stop and go; sudden horizontal and vertical movements
S&S: severe heel pain; warmth; unable to weight bear
Care: ice; rest; non-weight bearing for 24 hrs; heel cup; doughnut

4. Plantar fascitis
Cause: leg length discrepancy; inflexibility of longitudinal arch; gastroc/soleus tightness; shoes w/o arch support
S&S: pain worse in am or
long periods of sitting; lessens
after first few steps
Care: vigorous heel cord
stretching; orthotics; heel cup;
arch tape; massage

5. Fractures of the metatarsals
Cause: direct force
S&S: swelling; pain; deformity; pt. tenderness
Care: rest; immobilization;

6. Jones Fracture (5th metatarsal)
Cause: inversion and plantar flexion (ankle sprain); direct force; repetitive stress
S&S: immediate swelling; pain over 5th metatarsal
Care: controversial; surgery recommended; rehab

7. Bunions
Cause: painful deformity of head of 1st metatarsal (mt); narrow shoes
S&S: tenderness; swelling; enlargement with calcification of head of 1st mt
Care: Shoes; doughnut; orthotics; possible surgery

8. Blisters
Cause: shearing forces acting on skin
S&S: fluid - clear, bloody, or infected
Care: petroleum jelly; doughnut; second skin; drain; antibiotic ointment; socks; be sure to keep clean and covered to prevent infection

9. Morton’s Neuroma
Cause: mass that occurs above the nerve sheath of the plantar nerve; usually between 3rd and 4th mt; collapsed arch; pronation
S&S: burning parasthesia; severe intermittent pain in the forefoot; pain relieved with non-weight bearing
Care: padding; shoes; surgery

10. Turf toe
Cause: hyperextension of 1st MTP joint; sudden trauma; overuse; turf
S&S: pain; swelling
Care: tape; steel insoles; rest

11. Ingrown toenail
Cause: poor fitting shoes; improper nail trimming; trauma
S&S: pain; swelling
Care: soak in hot water ( F) for 20 min then pry out of skin, lift the nail and insert a piece of cotton to keep the nail out of the skin; trim nail straight across

12. Toenail hematoma
Cause: stepped on; dropping object; kicking object
S&S: extreme pain; bleeding in nail bed
Care: drill nail to drain
fluid needs to be
done immediately
before blood dries