With the amount of work your feet do, it’s easy to understand why more than 5.3 million doctor visits each year involve foot and ankle problems. Among the most common are bunions, bone spurs, ankle sprains and fractures, Achilles tendon injuries, shin splints, and overuse injuries such as stress fractures and muscle/tendon strains. Treatment for foot and ankle problems can involve rest, ice, elevation, anti-inflammatory medicines, immobilization with a cast or splint, and sometimes surgical repair.
Foot and Ankle Surgery
Facts about the foot and ankle
More than 11 million visits were made to physicians' offices in 2003 because of foot, toe and ankle problems, including more than 2 million visits for ankle sprains and strains and more than 800,000 visits for ankle fractures (Source: National Center for Health Statistics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2003 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.)
Consider this:
- Walking puts up to 1.5 times your bodyweight on your foot.
- Your feet log approx. 1,000 miles per year.
- As shock absorbers, feet cushion up to one million pounds of pressure during one hour of strenuous exercise.
How does the foot and ankle work?
Here are some facts from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Each foot has 26 bones. The ankle bone (talus) and the ends of the two lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) form the ankle joint, which is stabilized and supported by three groups of ligaments. Muscles and tendons move the foot and ankle.
The general orthopedic surgeons at Providence Hospital are dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation of patients suffering from foot and ankle injuries or ailments. For more information, please contact your physician or our Program Coordinator at 248-849-8245 or toll-free at 877-830-BONE (2663).
