Spring is ankle sprain season in Chicago

Spring is sports season for many amateur athletes and weekend warriors in the Chicago area. It's also ankle sprain season for one area foot and ankle surgeon.
Thomas Carr, DPM, (FACFAS), a foot and ankle surgeon with offices in Chicago, says ankle sprains are one of the most common sports injuries he treats this time of year.
"As people emerge from their winter hibernation and start to get active again, they can injure their ankles playing sports such as basketball, baseball, tennis and soccer," he says.
Anyone who injures an ankle requires prompt medical treatment, whether it's their first sprain or their fifth. Rest, ice, compression and elevation (R.I.C.E.) can reduce swelling and pain until the ankle can be evaluated and treated by a foot and ankle surgeon. A sprain may not always be a sprain; the ankle could be fractured.
Dr. Carr notes that many athletes develop chronic ankle instability from repeated ankle sprains, causing their ankle to frequently "give way." In some cases these players may require surgery. Proper rehabilitation of an ankle sprain reduces the likelihood of developing chronic ankle instability.
Dr. Carr shares three spring ankle sprain prevention tips from FootHealthFacts.org:
1. Perform warm-up stretches and exercises before playing sports.
2. Wear the right shoes for the sport. For example, don't wear running shoes for sports that involve a lot of side-to-side movement, such as tennis and basketball.
3. Wear an ankle brace if you're recovering from an injury or have repeatedly sprained your ankle.

Power Mowers Pose Danger to Feet

Thousands of Foot Injuries Can be Prevented Each Year

Lawn care season is back and Chicago foot and ankle surgeon, Thomas Carr, DPM, (FACFAS) cautions homeowners to protect their feet and the feet of those around them when using rotary-blade lawnmowers.
Each year, some 25,000 Americans sustain injuries from power mowers, according to reports issued by the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission. “The blades whirl at 3,000 revolutions per minute and produce three times the kinetic energy of a .357 handgun. Yet, each year we continue to see patients who have been hurt while operating a lawnmower barefoot,” said Dr. Carr, a member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.
Dr. Carr said children under the age of 14 and adults over the age of 44 are more likely to be injured from mowers than others. He advises anyone who operates a power mower to take a few simple precautions:

• Don’t mow a wet lawn. Losing control from slipping on rain-soaked grass is the leading cause of foot injuries caused by power mowers.
  
• Wear heavy shoes or work boots when mowing – no sneakers or sandals.
  
• Don’t allow small children to ride on the lap of an adult on a lawn tractor. Children can be severely injured by the blades when getting on or off the machine.
  
• Mow across slopes, never go up or down.
  
• Never pull a running mower backwards.
  
• Keep children away from the lawn when mowing.
  
• Keep the clip bag attached when operating a power mower to prevent projectile injuries.
  
• Use a mower with a release mechanism on the handle that automatically shuts it off when the hands let go.
  

“If a mower accident occurs, immediate treatment is necessary to flush the wound thoroughly and apply antibiotics to prevent infection,” says Dr. Carr. “Superficial wounds can be treated on an outpatient basis, but more serious injuries usually require surgical intervention to repair tendon damage, deep clean the wound and suture it. Tendons severed in lawnmower accidents generally can be surgically reattached unless toes have been amputated,” he adds.