Bone Cotusions: David Ortiz Injured after Fouling Ball off Foot

During Sunday's Red Sox game, David Ortiz fouled a ball off of his foot and had to leave the game with a bone contusion of the foot. What is a bone contusion? This is an injury that is typically caused by a sudden, often traumatic or abrupt situation, like hitting a baseball off your foot for David Ortiz. A bone contusion means that there is not a fracture or break in the bone, but there is localized internal damage to the bone. These bone changes may not be visible on conventional x-rays but can be seen on other types of tests, like MRI. Rest, ice, strapping/compression, and elevation are essential for these injuries, and it may be necessary to add anti-inflammatory medication, walking shoes or boots, and physical therapy to the treatment plan to achieve a pain free foot or ankle. Bone contusions can resolve rapidly or may take weeks to feel better.

Exciting things are Happening at Dr. Bender's Foot Clinic- Your Oak Park Community Podiatrist

As the summer wraps up and school is about to be back in session, many of us reassess our lives and refocus. What a perfect time to improve your health. Be more active. Try something new. Have more fun. Since I am a foot doctor, I run into people all the time that say their feet are sore or their heel has been bothering them or they have this thick, ugly toenail. The list of questions and foot worries is endless as I meet new people. Now is the perfect time to get that nagging foot problem checked out! We love helping people at our office and making people feel great! Happy feet make for happy people! Give us a call to get happier, healthier feet in a great environment! We ARE your community, Oak Park podiatrist!

Ankle injury for Dee Milliner, Awaiting MRI...But why do they need an MRI?

As the 2014 NFL preseason progresses, players are beginning to get injuries that will affect their ability to play when the official season begins. New York Jets player, Dee Milliner, sustained what is believed to be a high ankle sprain and is awaiting an MRI after his x-rays were negative for a broken bone. Patients always ask me why they need a test like an MRI if their x-rays are negative for a fracture or broken bone. An MRI is a great diagnostic tool (helps us make our diagnosis) for foot and ankle injuries. MRI looks at small pictures or slices of the injured area, so it can pick up things that are hard to see on x-rays (bones that overlap, especially). Sometimes, even a broken bone may be hard to see on regular x-rays because it is overlapping another bone. Additionally, radiologists can look at soft tissues, such as tendons, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, and fascia on MRI, rather than on x-rays (which show bone and the outline only of some soft tissues). Finally, MRI can pick up things, such as stress fractures, earlier than conventional x-rays, which can take up to 21 days to show the bone changes associated with a stress fracture in a bone. In the case of this NFL player and others, an MRI will look at the soft tissues that were damaged in this injury and allow physicians to see the extent of the injury, develop a treatment plan, and also determine a return to play date. In Chicagoland, MRI or magnetic resonance imaging is readily available and typically covered by insurance. Additionally, we have local foot and ankle radiologists that give us the most experienced and accurate readings. This allows for better care and better recoveries! If you have foot pain, give us a call, 708-763-0580 or visit oakparkpodiatry.com! Dr. Bender

How long does it take for a broken bone to heal?

Typically broken bones take 6-8 weeks to heal if properly treated. In the foot, this means immobilization (casting, strapping, walking boots, surgery shoes) or surgery. Additionally, foot and ankle fractures or broken bones require rest and limited weight bearing on the side that was injured. This helps the area to heal. Certain things can slow bone healing: prolonged standing or walking, not following instructions, re-injury, poor nutrition, alcoholism, smoking, poor circulation, certain medications, poor bone density, diabetes, and other health conditions (cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, etc). If you injured your foot or ankle, it is essential to see a foot doctor for x-rays and evaluation. Some fractures are not visible initially on x-rays, so CT scans or MRIs may be needed. Dr. Bender, 708-763-0580