Sports and athletic activities strengthen your body, boost mental clarity, and enhance your overall well-being. Unfortunately, they can also stress your feet and ankles, increasing injury risks. Don't let sports injuries stand between you and the active lifestyle you love.
Whether you're a weekend warrior dealing with persistent shin splints or a pickleball enthusiast sidelined by an ankle sprain, the Foot, Ankle & Leg Center provides comprehensive care and advanced therapies to help Phoenix-area athletes and active individuals get back in the game.
Our Scottsdale podiatrist and former athlete, Dr. L. David Richer, understands how frustrating it can be when a foot or ankle injury threatens to disrupt your progress. Combining unique insight into podiatric sports medicine with state-of-the-art technologies, Dr. Richer helps athletes resolve painful issues and avoid future sports injuries. Discover how our exceptional care can empower you to achieve your athletic ambitions.
Understanding the Difference Between Acute and Overuse Athletic Injuries
Athletes face two distinct types of foot and ankle injuries. Acute sports injuries like strain, sprains, or broken bones happen suddenly, causing immediate pain and discomfort that requires prompt evaluation and treatment to prevent further damage. On the other hand, overuse injuries, such as plantar fasciitis or stress fractures, develop gradually due to repetitive stress on bones, muscles, or tendons. You might not be able to pinpoint when an overuse injury began. Instead, you notice increasing discomfort that worsens with activity. Sports-related overuse injuries typically respond best to a combination of activity modification and targeted therapy to address underlying biomechanical issues.
Addressing Sports Injuries of All Types at Our Scottsdale Podiatry Practice
Our sports injuries foot and ankle specialist provides complete care for athletic injuries affecting the feet and ankles, including:
- Foot strains. Caused by overstretching muscles or tendons in your foot, strains can result in pain and inflammation that leaves you sitting on the sidelines. We offer step-by-step guidance to ensure a full recovery.
- Ankle sprains. When ligaments stretch or tear from sudden twisting motions, we provide expert care to relieve pain, restore stability, and prevent chronic ankle weakness.
- Stress fractures. These tiny surface cracks on foot or ankle bones often develop from repetitive impact sustained while running or jumping. Early intervention prevents these small fractures from becoming major breaks.
- Broken bones. Complete breaks are acute injuries that often occur as a result of trauma or sudden injuries. These injuries can be complex and require prompt professional care to realign bones and promote proper healing.
- Achilles tendonitis. This painful inflammation of the Achilles tendon—the thick band of tissue connecting the calf muscles and heel bone—is particularly common among runners and tennis players. Professional diagnosis and care are crucial to prevent rupture, which necessitates more aggressive treatment and longer downtime.
- Plantar fasciitis. A sudden increase in training intensity or duration can inflame the plantar fascia, the strong ligament connecting the heel bone and toes. This condition causes a sharp or stabbing pain on the bottom of the foot, near the heel, typically worse in the morning or when resuming activity after rest.
Exploring Our Advanced Treatment Options for Athletic Injuries
Our Scottsdale podiatry practice offers innovative solutions to help athletes recover and return to activity swiftly and safely, including:
- MLS laser treatment. This advanced therapy uses light energy to eliminate pain, reduce inflammation, and accelerate tissue repair and regeneration for healing various soft-tissue sports injuries.
- Custom 3D-printed orthotics. Using state-of-the-art scanning technology, these precision-fitted devices realign the foot and ankle, provide optimal support and cushioning, and help prevent future injuries.
- Radial pulse wave therapy. Also called shockwave therapy, this non-invasive treatment is particularly effective for chronic tendon injuries and heel pain, utilizing specialized acoustic pressure waves to trigger the body’s natural healing process.
- Regenerative medicine. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy harnesses the growth factors found in your own blood platelets, which are concentrated and then injected at the site of injury to stimulate an accelerated repair of damaged tissues.
- Platelet-rich plasma + MLS laser therapy. Turbocharge your healing with this powerful combination of therapies. PRP provides the growth factors necessary for tissue repair, while the MLS laser uses light energy to increase blood flow, decrease pain, reduce swelling, and accelerate tissue regeneration.
Schedule an Appointment With Our Sports Injuries Podiatrist
Don't let foot or ankle pain keep you from enjoying Arizona's active lifestyle. Conveniently schedule an appointment online, complete the contact form, or call (480) 629-5903 to schedule your visit with Dr. Richer.