BE WELL
IT’S ALL ABOUT PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD WRITTEN BY DAVID MARKS
You don’t have to be an athlete or even a “weekend warrior” to turn your ankle and hurt it. Something as simple as walking on an uneven surface can cause a painful or even debilitating sprain. The truth is, our feet and ankles are complex structures—much more complicated than we may think. The feet are made up of 26 different bones and more than 33 joints, arranged in columns and arches that vary in both stiffness and flexibility. Keep in mind, they have to support our full body weight and cushion all the impact of walking, running, and jumping. So it isn’t too surprising that foot and ankle injuries happen frequently. In fact, around one in five people will suffer from foot and ankle injuries in their lifetime. “Symptoms of a foot or ankle injury include more significant pain, increasing swelling, or difficulty with bearing weight,” says Nathan J. Kiewiet, MD, orthopedic foot and an-
kle surgeon at AdventHealth. Still, if the cause of the pain isn’t obvious, it may not be easy to know if it’s necessary to see a doctor or specialist. “If someone is experiencing continued pain and/or swelling that doesn’t improve, inability to bear weight and weakness, then they shouldn’t just try treating the problem at home,” explains John Bleazard, DO, orthopedic surgeon at AdventHealth. Left untreated, foot and ankle injuries can have an effect in other parts of the foot. Pain can mean that weight cannot be put through the foot, which can actually change the shape and mechanics of the joint. “Acute injuries can include fractures or breaks of the foot or ankle, foot and
ankle sprains, and tendon injuries such as Achilles ruptures,” says Dr. Kiewiet. “Arthritis is a common chronic condition that can require treatment by foot and ankle specialists, along with bunions, flat feet, and toe deformities,” says Dr. Bleazard. In the United States alone, more than 56 million people have arthritis or suffer from similar conditions that affect the joints. Arthritis in the ankle can lead to pain, swelling, and instability in the ankle joint. Fortunately, there is a lot of advanced medical technology available to help physicians determine the extent of a foot or ankle injury, including: • CT scans, which provide a detailed continued on page 18
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JUNE 2022
