Milwaukee Sports Medicine Doctors Drive Foot Pain Out of Golf
The Foot Specialists Milwaukee Trusts for Fast, Effective Treatment of Golf-Related Foot and Ankle Injuries
Our Milwaukee sports medicine doctors know the drill: It’s tee time. There you stand with your driver. All you need to do is hit it straight and walk at least 6,500 yards or so (3-4 miles!). All while chasing a tiny white ball and putting it into 18 tiny round holes. No sweat.
As you tee it up, pain radiates through your foot. Is the pain coming from your toe? Your arch? Your ankle? Is it from your swing? All the walking? The total distance of 6,500 yards taunts you. Then you remember, the last time you hit a ball straight was in 1987, so the total yardage is certainly going to be longer! Then there’s the green to tee distance, times eighteen. There’s also wandering around looking for your ball. The thought dawns maybe you should go see a good foot doctor in Milwaukee.
Our Milwaukee Foot Specialists Take Aim at Golf-Related Foot Injuries
There are a variety of common golf-related foot injuries. Usually, our Milwaukee foot specialists see stress-related foot injuries due to excessive motion. In golf, there’s a lot of time on your feet and a lot of repetitive movements. When these two are combined, the situation can turn into a violent backswing. The most common golf-related foot injuries our Milwaukee sports medicine doctors see are:
- Big toe pain (hallux limitus)
- Capsulitis of the second toe (neuromas)
- Morton’s Neuroma – Nerve inflammation between the bones at the sole of the foot
- Inflammation of the tendon along the arch (Tendonitis)
- Inflammation of the sole of the foot (Plantar Fasciitis)
There are other, less common ailments, but these are the main foot-related golf injuries. Of the five, Plantar Fasciitis is the most frequent. Golfers with Plantar Fasciitis experience heel pain which is caused by the ball of the foot pivoting when following through on a drive. It can also be made worse by too much walking. It happens when the plantar fascia is stretched. The arch flattens slightly to take the impact when your heel hits the ground. Perhaps you’ve over rotated your foot or have hip weakness. Anything which affects your leg rotation can cause this type of heel pain. Plantar Fasciitis can really slow you down, reducing your mobility; It’s almost certain to interfere with your golf game.
Our Milwaukee Ankle Specialist Takes a Swing at Golf Verses Ankles
Our Milwaukee ankle specialists know even a good golf swing is hard on your ankles – the weight, stress, torque. Over eighty percent of all sports injuries involve the ankle. Your ankles are durable and tough, but when a right-handed golfer swings down and through for a drive, there is severe stress on the ankle. The left ankle bends toward the target (the word “target” refers to the place toward which your ball should be flying). Given the lateral and rotational force which hits your ankle, it should snap. Most of the time your ankles are fine, but when they’re not you experience a little thing called “ankle pain”.
Most golfers won’t be surprised to learn a better (proper) golf swing can be of great help to prevent ankle injuries. If you stay in posture, properly rotate around your left leg, properly generate club speed – (all those things you’ve read about, but seldom do) you can avoid most golf-related ankle injuries.
Golfing or otherwise, it’s important to be kind to your ankles. They protect your knees and hips by absorbing impact. If your ankles are in trouble, it won’t be long before your knees and everything else start to fall apart too.
Milwaukee Sports Medicine Doctors Specializing in Foot and Ankle Injuries
Whether you’re suffering from chronic pain, severe pain or both, it’s time to see a qualified Milwaukee sports medicine doctor who specializes in foot and ankle injuries. The Wisconsin orthopedic and podiatry specialists at Great Midwest Foot and Ankle Centers are board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. We uniquely specialize in orthopedic conditions of the foot and ankle. Our clinics are well known for having the very best foot and ankle specialists in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin.
We offer revolutionary surgical and non-surgical treatment options, as well physical therapy and custom orthotics. Our treatments are highly effective and uniquely tailored to your specific orthopedic condition.
Golf is not a contact sport, but it CAN cause sports-related injuries. It is not violent (unless you count burying your putter in the turf or wrapping your iron around a tree), although pain related to the sport CAN feel violent. If you’re experiencing heel pain, toe pain, arch pain, ankle pain or other foot pain, see our experienced Milwaukee foot specialists.
Milwaukee Foot Specialists and Club Pros Help Keep You in the Swing of Things
Many golfers check with a club pro to improve their game, not improve their health. But the two can often work together. Improving your golf swing can do wonders for your health and your score. Swinging a golf club is an integrated process. Doing it right will help protect your body from injury. For a better swing, see your local club pro. For golf-related foot pain or ankle pain, see the best sports medicine doctor in Milwaukee.