Being a complex structure that bears the weight of the whole of the body’s bones, muscles and organs, feet are prone to undergo wear and tear resulting in certain ailments that cause hindrances in its functions. If complex machinery incurs a major damage, it’s a hard task for a technician to fix it. A physician faces a similar situation when tackling a patient’s major injury in the foot. The common ailments vexing the feet are Sprains, Tendinitis, Bone fractures and Osteoarthritis. An overview of these ailments is as follows:

Sprains: Ligaments are the tough bands of fibrous tissues which connect the bones together in a joint. When these ligaments stretch or stretch enough to cause a tear, then it’s called a sprain. The ankle is the most vulnerable to sprains as this happens mostly when one trips over while running. A sprain is different from a strain, where the injury is related to the damage caused to the muscles. Minor sprains can be treated through rest, massage and medication, while the major ones may require surgery to fix the torn ligaments.

Bone fractures: The breaking of a bone is known as a fracture in medical terms. This happens when the force exerted on the bone is greater than the bone’s strength to withstand it. Accidents are mostly the reason for such a mishap, be it an unexpected fall or a motorcycle accident. Children and young adults can get cured in a month or two, but older adults have a difficult time recovering from bone fractures as their bones become brittle as they age. A serious bone fracture requires immediate medical assistance, as complications can cause damage to blood vessels or the inflammation of bones and the surrounding tissues.