40 percent of all sports injuries are foot and ankle conditions

Dubai-based Burjeel Hospital for Advanced Surgery (BHAS), whose patients include tennis and cricket superstars as Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and Sania Mirza stated that foot and ankle conditions are extremely common, accounting for 40 percent of all sports injuries and 10 percent of all muscular or skeletal injuries, based on a study published in Podiatry Today. Sports mishaps, work miscues and walking missteps can all lead to foot and ankle injuries.

“Sports involve a lot of side-to-side motion challenge and people tend to go in directions where the joint normally doesn't move, causing strain on the foot and ankle. Most often patients don't get help right away and try to tough it out. But considering the level of pain, it is imperative that sports players get the right treatments at the right time,” said Dr. Krishna Prasad Meda, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon - Specialising in Foot & Ankle Surgery at Burjeel Hospital of Advanced Surgery (BHAS).

In his expansive career spanning 12 years, Dr. Meda has seen and advised over 30,000 patients in clinic, out of which more than 18,000 have been patients for foot and ankle conditions. Recently, Dr. Meda assessed the condition of Mr. Shoaib Malik - the captain of Pakistan cricket team who visited BHAS for his foot pain. He was struggling with heel pain and not able to run. After a thorough examination and investigation, Dr. Meda recommended physiotherapy and local treatment for his heel condition. Timely treatment has not only improved Mr. Malik’s pain, but also served as a source of inspiration for many of his fans who experience chronic pain of their own.

BHAS treat a huge number of patients each year – patients who are suffering from the rarest, most complex and often chronic conditions. They receive the best medical care through state-of-the-art infrastructure including high precision diagnostics, minimal invasive surgeries and faster recovery processes. The hospital boasts of highly experienced surgeons who perform everything from straight forward procedures right through to highly complex surgeries.

“Over the years, BHAS has achieved an outstanding level of orthopaedic care, given its high standards of minimally invasive therapies as well as effective rehabilitation programmes. Of the several patients that visit BHAS, Mr. Shahid Afridi - Pakistani cricketer recently visited us for his knee problem. He sustained an injury while bowling and was having a difficulty after landing heavily on his knee. We assessed his condition, along with necessary scans and recommended physiotherapy and local treatment, which has improved his pain substantially,” continued Dr. Meda.

Feet is termed as the foundation of an entire body, and the way feet look, and feel can reveal secrets about your genes, lifestyle and underlying conditions. But with 26 bones, 33 joints, and a network of more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments, a lot can go wrong with these amazingly complex structures. As such, it is best advised to see a specialist whenever a problem arises with foot or ankle.