Your feet and ankles absorb an incredible amount of force every time you run, jump, cut, lift, hike, or compete.
When something starts hurting, simply resting until the pain disappears isn't always the answer.
At Hillside Foot & Ankle in Woodland Hills, we treat sports-related foot and ankle injuries with one goal in mind:
Help you recover — and help you return to the activities you love with confidence.
Whether you're a competitive athlete, runner, pickleball player, weekend hiker, gym regular, dancer, or someone who simply refuses to sit still, Dr. Alfandari provides personalized sports injury treatment based on your diagnosis, biomechanics, activity level, and goals.
DON'T JUST GET BACK. MOVE FORWARD.
Sports injuries aren't limited to competitive athletes. We commonly see active adults who suddenly develop heel pain after increasing their mileage, pickleball players with Achilles pain, gym-goers with forefoot pain, hikers with tendon irritation, and people who simply pushed a little harder than their body was ready for. Sometimes there is a specific injury. Other times, the pain slowly builds. Either way, pain is information.
Finding out what's causing it is the first step toward treating it correctly.
Sharp heel pain can make running, training, and even normal walking uncomfortable. Plantar fasciitis is especially common in runners and active adults and may develop after changes in training intensity, footwear, surfaces, or biomechanics.
Pain or stiffness behind the heel may be related to Achilles tendinopathy or another Achilles injury. Symptoms are common in runners, court-sport athletes, and people participating in activities involving repetitive jumping or acceleration.
Sports can overload the tendons responsible for controlling and stabilizing the foot and ankle. Peroneal, posterior tibial, flexor, extensor, and Achilles tendon problems can all interfere with athletic performance.
Repetitive loading can sometimes cause small cracks within bones of the foot or ankle. Stress fractures are particularly important to recognize because continuing to train through the pain can potentially worsen the injury.
Pain underneath the big-toe joint may involve the small sesamoid bones that absorb force during push-off. These injuries can occur in runners, dancers, and athletes participating in high-impact activities.
Forceful bending of the big toe can injure the joint and surrounding soft tissues, making push-off, sprinting, jumping, and cutting painful.
Some athletic complaints that feel like ankle or foot pain may actually involve mechanics extending higher into the lower leg. Evaluating the entire kinetic relationship can help identify contributing factors.
Repeatedly rolling an ankle can eventually affect confidence, balance, and stability during sports. Chronic instability deserves a more comprehensive evaluation than simply wearing a brace every time you exercise.
Burning, aching, or pressure beneath the forefoot may develop from repetitive loading, footwear, training demands, or biomechanical issues.
Increasing mileage, changing shoes, training for a race, or suddenly adding hills or speed work can expose problems that weren't noticeable at lower activity levels.
If your feet are changing the way you train, it's worth finding out why.
Sports injuries generally fall into two categories.
These happen suddenly.You land awkwardly. Twist your foot. Feel a sharp pull. Get stepped on. Hear a pop. The cause is usually obvious.
These can be harder to recognize.Instead of one dramatic event, repetitive stress gradually exceeds the tissue's ability to recover.It may start as:"It only hurts after I exercise." Then:"It hurts during exercise, but I can push through it." And eventually:"Now it hurts all the time."
That progression is something we want to interrupt. Earlier evaluation can often mean more treatment options and less time away from activity.
Treating sports injuries isn't only about identifying where it hurts.We also want to understand why that area may have become overloaded.
Contributing factors can include:
Two people can have pain in exactly the same location for completely different reasons.
That's why treatment shouldn't be one-size-fits-all.
At Hillside Foot & Ankle, we look at the injury within the context of the person using the foot.
A runner training for a marathon has different demands than a recreational walker.
A teenage soccer player has different needs than a 55-year-old pickleball player.
Your evaluation may consider:
When appropriate, imaging may be recommended to better understand the injury.
From there, we build treatment around your actual diagnosis and recovery goals.
One of the biggest concerns active patients have is: "Are you going to tell me I can't exercise?"
Sometimes rest or temporary immobilization is medically necessary.
But when it is safe to do so, treatment may focus on modifying activity rather than eliminating it completely.
Depending on the injury, your plan may incorporate:
The objective is to protect injured tissue without unnecessarily keeping you away from movement.
The way your foot interacts with the ground can influence forces throughout the foot and ankle. For appropriate patients, custom foot orthotics can help improve support and redistribute pressure during walking, running, and athletic activity. They may be considered for athletes dealing with recurring problems related to:
Custom orthotics aren't automatically necessary for every athlete.When we recommend them, there should be a reason.
You don't have to wait until an injury completely sidelines you.
If foot or ankle pain is interfering with running, sports, exercise, or your active lifestyle, come find out what's causing it.
Hillside Foot & Ankle
6200 Canoga Ave, Suite 410
Woodland Hills, CA 91367
GET BACK TO WHAT MOVES YOU
Dr. Ronny Alfandari, DPM | Podiatrist Encino | Woodland Hills | Calabasas
Calabasas Podiatrist | Foot & Ankle Specialist Near Calabasas, CA
Personalized foot and ankle care for heel pain, plantar fasciitis, sports injuries, ankle pain, custom orthotics, ingrown toenails, toenail fungus, arthritis, neuropathy and more.
Office: (747) 207-4449
Email: office@hillsidefootankle.com
6200 Canoga Ave suite 410, Woodland Hills, CA, USA
Open today | 08:30 am – 05:00 pm |
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