Quarterback Matt Cassel out for the season with multiple foot fractures

Quarterback Matt Cassel, of the Vikings, is out for the 2014 NFL season with multiple foot fractures. A break or fracture in the foot typically takes 6-8 weeks to heal. After the initial healing, physical therapy if often needed to reduce swelling and strengthen the foot. Foot fractures can either be treated with immobilization (walking boots or shoes or casting) or surgery depending on the location of the injury and position of the fracture. If a fracture is out of alignment or in an area of the foot with a weaker blood supply, surgery may be indicated. Additionally, if there is significant damage to surrounding soft tissues (tendons and ligaments), surgery may be needed. The foot is a complicated area of the body, with many ligaments, tendons, and muscles but also 28 bones! Other factors that play a role in the healing of foot fractures include the following: occupation or activity level, smoking, other health conditions (diabetes, peripheral vascular disease), malnutrition, obesity, age, and poor bone density. If you have a foot injury, give us a call-708-763-0580!

What is a dislocated Ankle? Robert Griffin III Injury

Frequently, we watch as pro-athletes are carted off of the field with ankle injuries. A dramatic injury occurred yesterday with Robert Griffin III, of the Washington Redskins. He dislocated his ankle. What does dislocation mean? This means that the bones that make up a joint are shifted out of position. In the case of the ankle, there are three bones that make up the joint: the tibia, fibula, and talus. When the bones are shifted out of position, the joint cannot carry out its normal function or movement. The joint will become immediately painful and difficult to operate or move. In the case of lower extremity injuries, walking will be nearly impossible. Additionally, swelling and bruising often occur. A dislocated joint must be assessed by a physician, so patients typically will go to the ER for immediate care. Dr. Bender, 708-763-0580

NFL and Fifth Metatarsal Fractures: Marvin Jones

The NFL season opens tonight, and fans across the country are excited for a great season of football. There were several injuries during preseason play as players tried to earn spots or maintain their spots on NFL teams. Marvin Jones of the Bengals sustained a fracture of his fifth metatarsal in August. The fifth metatarsal is on the outside of the foot and attaches to the fifth toe. Fractures of the fifth metatarsal can occur anywhere along the bone and may be due to trauma or repeat pressure on the bone. There is a portion of this bone that has a weak blood supply, and this is a common area for fractures, such as the Jones Fracture. Additionally, the very end of the bone may be subject to an avulsion fracture, due to pressure where a major tendon, the peroneus brevis, attaches. When a patient fractures the fifth metatarsal, there is pain, swelling, and difficulty putting pressure on the area. Whether surgery is indicated depends on the severity of the injury, bone density, and the activity level of the patient. Some patient do very well with conservative, nonsurgical care. However, elite athletes, such as Jones, typically have surgery on this injury. If you have foot or ankle pain, visit us! 708-763-0580

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