UFAI Ankle Conditions Articles Archive

Every day in the US, 25,000 people sprain their ankle. Over the course of a year, 1 million Americans will visit the emergency room because of an ankle injury, with sprains and fractures being the most common complaint. Half these sprains are the result of athletic activity. Many of these sports-related injuries can be prevented simply by doing a few warm-up exercises before a read more »

An avid athlete works around the clock for perfection on the playing field by spending countless hours training and exercising. Their feet and ankles take a beating as wear and tear increases the risk of injury. Without proper rest and nourishment, the ankle can give way at any moment. One false move and you can cause an ankle sprain. If read more »

Nobody plans to become a podiatric patient. Nevertheless, most readers of this material are likely to achieve that status. That’s because, at some point during their lifetime, 75% of the US population will experience a significant foot health problem. And a podiatric physician is by far the best resource for resolution of significant foot problems. What’s a podiatrist? A podiatrist read more »

Satisfactory treatment has long been available for early-stage ankle arthritis. And effective procedures, including ankle fusion and total ankle replacement, are available for end-stage ankle arthritis. But one of the last great barriers in the treatment of ankle arthritis has been how to handle moderate ankle arthritis. Until recently, some of the greatest podiatric challenges were moderate ankle arthritis cases. read more »

Many troublesome foot and ankle conditions occur in children just as they do in adults. But the bones of growing children haven’t themselves finished growing, so some children’s foot problems require extra attention. What is a child’s growth plate? Sites of active bone growth in children are called growth plates. They exist near the ends of bones in pre-adolescent children. read more »

“Hey, it’s just a sprain. No big deal. Walk it off. You’ll be fine.” This all too common advice is followed all too often. The all too usual result? A lifetime of debilitating ankle pain and instability. A fully functional ankle is an essential requirement for any sort of life that isn’t completely sedentary. But ankle sprains do happen. And read more »

Your ankle is an amazing example of anatomical ingenuity. It performs as a three-dimensional hinge. It twists and bends in multiple directions, often simultaneously. In addition to being flexible, your ankle has to be both strong and stable. It bears 150% of your weight when you walk. That load goes up to 800% of your weight when you run. And read more »

It seems to be that time of year when people are becoming more active and working hard to get in shape for the summer season. We have seen a recent increase in stress and overuse injuries over the last month or so, likely attributed to this increase in exercise and activity. While we applaud the motivation to live a healthy read more »

If your lifestyle is even a little bit active, it’s almost certainly going to happen. You will sprain your ankle. You’ll do it in a physically demanding sport, like soccer or baseball, which requires abrupt applications of powerful force through your lower legs and feet. Or you will do it during a casual stroll over an uneven surface. Or you’ll read more »

What’s an Os Trigonum? An os trigonum is a non-utilitarian piece of bone that usually rests peacefully at the back of some peoples’ feet. Ordinarily, an os trigonum is a harmless anomaly. However, if you punt a football, kick a soccer ball, swim using a butterfly kick, or go en pointe as a ballet dancer, that little hunk of bone read more »