Heat Things Up With Winter Sports

Skiing at a resort or gliding across an indoor ice rink make for great winter recreation. Use caution in winter sports though, so you can finish the day with hot cocoa instead of a cast and crutches.

Beginning ice skaters experience a lot of falls. When that happens, tendons can sprain or tear. Even experienced skaters can fracture an ankle.

Downhill skiiers, cross-country skiiers, and snowboarders also risk injuries to their feet and ankles, including sprains, fractures, and dislocations.

If you do get injured, let our office check it out. It may be a sprain or a fracture, and it's important to get medical treatment promptly for both conditions. An ankle sprain could lead to chronic ankle instability if left untreated. If it's a fracture, you don't want the bones to start healing if they aren't aligned properly.

If an x-ray shows you don't have a fracture, you may still have stretched a tendon or injured a joint. These may worsen without proper treatment and could cause arthritis, tissue damage, and problems with foot alignment. We can help you head off these complications.

Follow these tips to help prevent injuries:

• Make sure skates, ski boots, or snowboard boots fit properly. Lace up ice skates tightly enough to give your ankle proper support.
• If you haven't engaged in this sport since last winter, start two weeks ahead of time doing specific exercises to condition the muscles used in that sport. You can find conditioning and warm-up exercises and resources by doing an Internet search.

Dr. Tina A. Boucher, DPM

Central Connecticut Foot Care, LLC
Podiatrist in Meriden CT
http://www.centralctfootcare.com/
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