UFAI Sports Medicine Articles Archive

Many sports-related injuries can be prevented simply by doing a few warm-up exercises before a workout. Here are our expert recommendations.

Does your young athlete complain of heel pain? Should they be playing through the pain? What you need to know about youth sports and heel pain in children.

Overuse foot and ankle injuries are very common and unpleasant. Learn how to prevent foot and ankle overuse injuries from LA's expert podiatrists.

Colin, 11, isn’t like the rest of his family. While his sister and brother are happy to read a book or play indoors on the iPad, Colin is always on his feet.  Between flag football, soccer, and field hockey, “there’s no sport he won’t play,” says his Mom. Even the nagging pain in his heels can’t slow him down. “Doctors read more »

Okay, so the holidays are over, or sadly your trip to Italy (yum, Italy!). And the scale tells you that you’ve put way more effort into eating than exercising. What to do? Certainly, many of us try to lose the extra pounds by exercising more or perhaps by trying out new workout regimens. And that is when we learn that 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 »

Sanders isn't the only prominent NFL player whose career was hindered by the injury commonly known as "turf toe". Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders running back), Charles Woodson (Raiders and Green Bay Packers defensive back), and Jack Lambert (Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker) are among turf toe victims

While biking is one of the best low-impact sports, stress injuries, including plantar fasciitis, are rather common. Learn how to ride without heel pain!

A study published in May suggested that players who slide headfirst increased their risk of injury as compared with those who lead with their feet.

Foot odor? No problem. Soak your feet in a solution of 1/2 cup sea salt and 4–6 cups warm water for 15 minutes. Pat your feet dry, and be free of smelly feet.

Imagine yourself trying out a new running trail, and you come to a crossroads. On the left, a paved sidewalk circling a park. On the right, a dirt path patted out around a pond. Which path would be easier on your body? The answer, it turns out, is not as easy as you might think. “Many runners believe that they’re read more »

Golf. Sure, it’s a sport. But you wouldn’t think that a sport in which you can ride around in a cart and drink beer would result in many foot injuries. This low-impact activity is often synonymous with a life of leisure, yet you might be surprised to find out that avid golfers frequently suffer from plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is read more »

Warmer weather of course seems like the perfect time for people to become more active. Engaging in sports and working hard to get in shape for the summer season. In our Southern California foot and ankle clinics, we have seen a recent increase in stress and overuse injuries over the last month or so, likely attributed to this increase in read more »

Treating “Marathon Feet” A groggy good morning to you, Champ! It’s 4am the “morning” after your first marathon, and your feet are screaming bloody murder. You’ve been running long-distances for years and followed all your doctor’s instructions. What gives? Although you earned a good night’s sleep, if you’re suffering from a common post-marathon condition, then your feet may be keeping read more »

Working hard and playing harder are rewarding components all athletes seek at any level of competition. When there is inability to play because of an injury, all that hard work feels like it’s going down the drain. The mental fortitude to carry-on during this time of recovery is difficult for the majority of athletes. Clinical depression often follows a significant read more »

Racquet & court sports prove to be tough on the foot and ankle. The podiatrists at University Foot and Ankle Institute (UFAI) commonly treat foot and ankle injuries from lovers of racquet sports, ranging from weekend warriors to the professional athlete. UFAI has sponsored the Women’s All American Tennis Championships in Los Angeles for multiple years and is the preferred read more »

At UFAI, we know an ankle sprain when we see one. Ankle sprains account for about 3 out of every 4 ankle injuries, and on any given day, about 30,000 Americans will sprain their ankle! What happens when you sprain your ankle, exactly? A sprain is a tear in the ligamentous and/or muscular tissue that you use to keep yourself read more »

If you are suffering from Achilles tendinitis, here's a quick reference of important dos and don’ts to improve recovery and help prevent further damage.

Walking is pretty much universally considered the safest form of exercise, right? Well, yes, but it’s not completely without its risks. If your walking routine is interrupted by aches and pains, you should do what you can to address them early on. What seems like a minor pain could worsen and prevent you from exercising altogether. Here are some tips read more »

Hey tennis star, it’s us, your feet! We love hitting the tennis court with you, and it’s a relatively safe way to stay in shape, whether you’re a young whippersnapper or an old soul. Of course, no physical activity is without its risks. The constant lateral motion and quick stops and starts across the court can put a lot of read more »