Sports Injuries
About the condition
Sport places extraordinary demands on the foot and ankle. Overuse injuries — Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciopathy, tibialis posterior dysfunction, stress reactions and turf toe — account for the majority of consultations, with acute ankle sprains and forefoot injuries making up much of the remainder.
Effective management rests on three pillars: an accurate diagnosis, addressing the underlying training or biomechanical cause, and a structured, progressive return-to-sport plan. Simply resting and waiting rarely produces a durable outcome.
We work with recreational runners, elite athletes and everyone in between, and coordinate with physiotherapists, strength coaches and — where appropriate — orthopaedic surgeons.
What patients notice
- •Pain that predictably comes on at a certain distance or intensity
- •Morning stiffness that eases as the tendon warms up
- •Localised swelling or a palpable thickening of a tendon
- •Acute 'snap' or 'pop' during activity, followed by weakness
- •Recurrent ankle giving way
- •Difficulty pushing off, sprinting or changing direction
Why timely assessment matters
- •Progression of tendinopathy to partial or complete rupture
- •Chronic ankle instability with recurrent sprains and early osteoarthritis
- •Stress reactions progressing to completed stress fractures
- •Long-term loss of performance and enjoyment of the sport
How we treat it
Diagnostic assessment with imaging where required
Clinical examination supplemented by ultrasound or MRI to characterise the tissue and rule out serious injury.
Training-load and technique analysis
The commonest driver of overuse injury is a training error. We identify the pattern and correct it.
Biomechanics and orthoses
Gait analysis and, where indicated, prescription orthoses to correct alignment and reduce tissue overload.
Loading and rehabilitation programmes
Evidence-based tendon loading protocols — including heavy-slow resistance and isometrics — delivered as a written, staged plan.
Injection therapy
Ultrasound-guided injections (including PRP and high-volume) reserved for cases where structured loading has plateaued.
Surgery
For acute tendon ruptures, unstable ankles that have failed rehabilitation, and osteochondral injuries that will not settle.
Structured return-to-sport plan
Graded progressions with clear criteria for advancing, so athletes come back stronger and stay back.
And why
Pushing through sharp or worsening pain
Why: Dull, stable soreness is often fine; sharp or escalating pain usually signals tissue damage that is being made worse.
Complete rest for weeks on end
Why: Prolonged unloading weakens tendons and muscles and delays recovery. Modified loading beats rest for most overuse injuries.
Repeat cortisone injections into a load-bearing tendon
Why: They can mask symptoms while weakening the tissue, increasing the risk of rupture.
Returning to full training the day symptoms settle
Why: Symptom resolution and tissue capacity are not the same thing. Reinjury is common without a progressive return.
This page provides general information about the condition and is not a substitute for personalised clinical advice. Diagnosis and treatment planning should always follow an in-person consultation.
Discuss sports injuries with a consultant.
Book a consultation at Spire Parkway or an online review with Mr Stuart Metcalfe.