Both a sprained or broken ankle can cause severe pain. In addition, the same sorts of injuries could cause both types of injuries. Shared symptoms include swelling, pain and trouble walking. A doctor may even have to order an x-ray to know for sure; however, there are some signs that your ankle is surely broken and not just sprained.

In either case, you will be prudent to consider calling upon one of our foot and ankle surgeons at Southeast Orthopedic Specialists. Our experienced orthopedic doctors want to relieve your pain and help you return to your feet.

Signs of a Broken Ankle

Both ankle fractures or sprains usually occur because of too much pressure gets put on the joint. People typically suffer from these types of accidents during sports or auto accidents. In some cases, ankles can get stressed because a person stumbles or simply overuses the joint. People who suffer from conditions that lower bone density or who take certain medications may be more vulnerable to fractured ankles.

If you notice any sign of a deformation, a bone that has pierced skin or an inability to put any weight on your ankle at all, there is a high chance that you did fracture an ankle bone. Most likely, the fractured bone is the one called the fibula. This is the smaller bone on the outside of the bottom of each leg.

Sometimes, mild fractions don’t produce symptoms that feel much more severe than sprains. People have been known to walk on small fractures without realizing that they broke a bone. If you only suffer from mild symptoms, how can you tell if you have a broken ankle? If your symptoms don’t get better or get worse after ice, compression, rest and a pain reliever, you should still consider the possibility that you have broken an ankle bone. Most foot and ankle orthopedists will advise you that it’s better to get a professional diagnosis than to try to guess.

Our feet and ankles are extremely important to our body. They allow us to walk around and do other things such as dance or play sports. Because of this, it is important to listen to your body. If your feet and ankles are injured, you want to take care of them as soon as possible. Failure to do so could lead to an impact on your quality of life.

Symptoms to Watch For

If you ever experience pain in your feet or ankles, you should take notice. These are just a few of the symptoms that you should be on the lookout for and if you do experience any of these things, you should see an orthopedist to have them checked out:

• Pain that lasts for more than 72 hours in your feet or ankles
• Swelling of one of your legs or feet that lasts for more than 24 hours
• An increase in pain when you are exercising or walking
• Pain while you are resting or when you are elevating your legs
• A new progression of a foot deformity that comes on suddenly
• An infection in your ankles or feet
• The flattening of your arch in one of your feet or both
• A developing blister or ulcer on your foot or feet that you did not feel happening
• An ulcer or blister on your foot or feet that is not healing
• A loss of sensation in your feet or ankles

These are some very serious issues that you want to have checked out as soon as possible. If you are experiencing any of these problems, you should contact one of our orthopedic doctors Orange Park Florida. Contact us today to make an appointment so we can get you back on your feet.

Summer is full of activities for many people. Unfortunately, for some people, that also means a rise in injuries. Many of these injuries are related to the shoulder. It is important to note that if you do injure your shoulder, you should get some help immediately so that it does not become and even bigger issue later. These are some of the most common shoulder injuries we see in the summer.

Shoulder Strains

A shoulder strain happens when a muscle or tendon in your shoulder is stretched. Some of the signs you may have a shoulder strain include pain, swelling, muscle cramps or spasms and a decreased mobility in your muscle. This happens when the muscle has been stretched too far or too fast. It is often a sudden type of event such as falling, heavy lifting or throwing. You can even experience a chronic shoulder strain from repetitive motions over an extended period of time. This could happen from sports such as golf, tennis or rowing.

Rotator Cuff Injury

The rotator cuff helps to rotate your arm and is a system of muscles and tendon in your shoulder socket. A rotator cuff injury could be a stretching of these muscles or tendons, irritation of the tendons, inflammation in the socket or it could be a complete tear of one or more of the tendons. The rotator cuff is a complex system and injuries are common. Injuries are found more often in athletes or people who use their arms overhead a lot. Some examples of this would be swimmers, construction workers, tennis players, baseball players and even painters.

It is important to seek medical attention when you have any shoulder pain because it could lead to something bigger if left untreated. If you need a consultation or are in need of rotator cuff surgery, be sure to contact us today by calling our office.

If you’ve suffered an injury, your doctor may say that physical therapy is optional. However, in most cases, physical therapy is essential. It should never be optional for the following reasons.

Faster Recovery

When you have a physical therapist guiding you through your recovery, they help you retrain your muscles and strengthen your movements. Physical therapy exercises are specifically designed to help you regain muscle memory and function, and that helps you heal faster. Ultimately, that means less lost time at work and the ability to get back to your regular routine sooner.

Mental Health Benefits

Injuries can be emotionally draining and stressful, and for many people, they bring on symptoms of depression and despondency. Physical therapists directly address both of these issues by working alongside of you, keeping you motivated through your recovery. In addition, exercise offers direct mental health benefits such as improving sleep, reducing anxiety and depression, and boosting your mood through natural endorphins.

Expert Guidance

Working with a physical therapist is different than exercising on your own or even than going to the gym and working with a personal trainer. At Southeast Orthopedic Specialists, our physical therapists have the training, credentials and experience to create a plan that directly addresses your unique situation.

Our therapists work alongside of you as vested partners in your recovery. They don’t set arbitrary benchmarks but rather customize the program to meet your needs on your path to recovery. That professional guidance isn’t something you can get somewhere else — to learn more contact us today.

Pain Reduction

Pain often becomes part of your life after an accident, but a targeted physical therapy program helps to reduce that. Through specific exercises and passive physical therapy such as electrical stimulation or the application of heat pads or cold packs, physical therapists create a comprehensive reaction to your injury that helps to alleviate pain. In some cases, people even turn to physical therapy for herniated or degenerative discs due to a one time injury or repeated strain.

However, physical therapy isn’t just essential after an injury. It’s also essential if you’ve recently had a surgery. Explore the blog to learn more.