Athletes come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. The one thing they all have in common is that an injury can make their daily activities painful and put them on the sidelines. Our podiatry team offers comprehensive sports injury care, including high-tech options for faster recovery.
Our Sports Medicine Treatments for Athletes of All Ages
Whether you’re a runner, parent of a child athlete, or staying active after retirement, our podiatrists can use our state-of-the-art technologies to keep you feeling your best.
Children and Teenagers
Children and teens are constantly at risk of injuries from school-sponsored sports, local after-school teams, or simply playing with friends. In the United States, high-school sports account for roughly two million injuries yearly, while sporting injuries are the most common reason for pediatric visits in primary care clinics.
Common injuries include:
- Turf toe. This is an overextension of the big toe joint
- Ankle sprains. This occurs when there is ligament trauma in the ankle joint
- Broken bones. This includes trauma or stress fractures in ankles, feet, and toes
- Strains. These are muscle and tendon injuries
- Shin splints. This includes pain or inflammation along the shinbone
- Sever’s disease. This is inflammation in the growth plate of the heel bone
Active Seniors
Physical activity is vital for everyone but carries significant benefits for patients over 50. Seniors who get regular exercise suffer fewer falls, recover more quickly from injuries and have lower rates of coronary artery disease and fatal heart attacks. However, a personal exercise regimen (weightlifting, running, swimming, cycling) or team sports like golf or tennis can result in minor injuries.
Senior athletes often suffer:
- Stress fractures—tiny cracks in the metatarsal bones from repetitive stress
- Plantar fasciitis—inflammation of the tissue at the bottom of the heel
- Neuromas—inflamed nerve endings at the front of the foot
- Achilles tendon injuries—tendinopathy or tendon rupture at the back of the heel
- Bursitis—inflammation of the fluid sac on the back of the heel
- Arthritis—joint pain caused by injuries or inflammation
Sports Medicine Options for Patients Who Need Improved Healing
The board-certified physicians at Northwest Extremity Specialists have invested in various advanced therapies for sports injuries, allowing athletes to heal naturally and experience fast pain relief.
- Shockwave Therapy. Extracorporeal pulse activation treatment (EPAT), commonly called shockwave therapy, is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy shockwaves to boost circulation and encourage healing at the injury site. A podiatrist uses a wand to stimulate nerves and blood vessels, bringing nutrients into soft tissues and easing chronic pain.
- Platelet-Rich Plasma. This therapy involves injecting a concentrated dose of a patient’s own blood directly into the injury site. The high concentration of platelets in the injection promotes new tissue growth without the risk of infection from a donor.
- Amniotic Tissue Injection Therapy. We use stem cells and amniotic tissue from healthy live births to stimulate rapid tissue repair after a sports injury. No embryonic or fetal tissues are used, and the process is highly scrutinized to ensure safety.
- Surgery. While we consider surgery a last resort, some sports injuries won’t heal properly without surgical intervention. Your injury might benefit from the realignment of broken bones, repair of soft tissue ruptures, or inserting pins and screws into the bones of the foot to add stability. Surgical methods in our clinic involve high-quality tools and up-to-date surgical procedures that have been proven to benefit patients. Our board-certified podiatrists have the experience and resources to correct complex conditions and put an end to chronic foot pain.
Let Our Podiatrists Advise You on Your Options
At Northwest Extremity Specialists, we take the time to listen to our patients in order to provide the most effective treatment recommendations. Call us today at 503-245-2420 to make an appointment in the Portland-area office closest to you.
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