Those suffering from injuries or disorders affecting the ankle often require a doctor specializing in this area of the body for treatment. These doctors are called podiatrists, and they treat everything from sprained or broken ankles to ingrown toenails. If surgery is necessary, they will refer patients to an orthopedic surgeon. Often podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons have further specialties within their field, choosing to focus their attention on one specific area of the foot. Working within this extremely specific field of medicine requires additional studies beyond the four years of medical school and five years of residency, so patients who choose to see dedicated Ankle Specialists in Racine WI are in good hands.
The most common disorders treated by ankle specialists are fractures and sprains. These often occur due to sports injury and are fairly quick and easy to heal. Fractures affect the bones connecting the foot to the leg, whereas sprains are due to injured ligaments. In serious cases, there is often damage to the tendons or the cartilage occurring as part of the same injury.
Their high frequency of occurrence makes many people inclined to ignore a sprained ankle, hoping it will get better by itself. Without any complications, this will likely be the outcome, but without a proper diagnosis there’s no way to be sure there is not something more serious going on. Be on the look out if attempting home remedies for signs of more serious injury. Anyone with severe swelling or intolerable pain will likely head to the doctor without having to be told, but these are not the only signs of trouble. Open wounds or the acute appearance of severe deformity either at the time of injury or soon afterward both need to be treated by a professional. Likewise, signs of infection should be taken seriously and appropriate medical attention sought. The most common of these signs is warmth radiating from the area, tenderness to the touch, and a fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or more.
A final sign that an immediate consultation should be scheduled with Ankle Specialists in Racine WI like Great Lakes Foot & Ankle Centers is an inability to place any weight at all on the injured foot. If substantial damage has been done, surgery may be required to regain normal functioning and treatment will yield best results if sought immediately after the injury occurs.
