Protect Your Feet and Ankles

Golfing can take a toll on your feet and ankles, and Dr. Adebola Adeleke, a Middlesex Health foot and ankle surgeon, says there are eight common foot and ankle injuries. They are:

• Metatarsalgia: This is excess and repetitive pressure placed on the ball of the foot.
• Sesamoiditis: This is excessive rotation on the ball of the foot, specifically at the first metatarsophalangeal joint, and it can lead to inflammation of the nearby sesamoid bones.
• Hallux Rigidus/Limitus: This is chronic arthritis in the big toe that can be aggravated from excessive motion.
• Neuroma: This occurs due to the repetitive force placed on the nerve between the metatarsals. The momentum of the golf swing causes the forefoot to invert. This usually occurs in your non-dominant foot. (For example, the left foot in a right-handed swinger.)
• Ankle Pain/Sprain: This is typically due to excessive motion during the follow through of the golf swing.
• Peroneal/Posterior Tibial Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the peroneal tendons, which are major stabilizers of the ankle. Once again, this is usually due to excessive motion during follow through, as well as overuse. This can be made worse in an already weakened ankle, or if someone has a history of ankle sprains.
• Subungual Hematoma: This is usually due to excessive pressure on the big toe during a golf swing, usually on the dominant foot. Shifting weight during a swing can cause your big toe to jam into your shoe, causing irritation of the big toenail. This can lead to fluid and blood accumulation under the nail.
• Heel pain: This is also known as plantar fasciitis, which is caused by excessive pronation and repetitive twisting on the center of the heel.

How do you protect your feet and ankles?

It helps to ensure that your golf swing is reproducible and fluid, says Dr. Adeleke. This will help reduce excessive forces being placed on sensitive parts of the food and ankle.

Dr. Adeleke says you may also want to consider using orthotics, which can improve stability when you are in your golfing stance and help to redistribute weight to reduce excessive forces.

If you chronically suffer from weak ankles, he says you should consider using braces, such as ankle sleeves. It’s also important to make sure your shoes are sized properly with appropriate room in the toe box.

If you do experience any foot or ankle issues that linger for more than 48 hours without showing signs of improvement, you should visit a foot and ankle specialist.

About Middlesex Health

Middlesex Health provides high quality, compassionate, personalized care in a homelike environment. Should you need surgery, its orthopedic surgeons use the latest technology to ensure the best possible outcomes. Surgeries are performed in state-of-the-art operating rooms at Middlesex Hospital that are specifically designed to accommodate orthopedic surgeries. Some surgeries may also be performed at an outpatient surgical facility, also located in Middletown.

Middlesex Health’s diverse team of orthopedic surgeons is comprised of surgeons from two private orthopedic practices. They have offices in Middlesex County and along the Connecticut shoreline.

For more information about orthopedic services at Middlesex Health, click here.

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