The Tribune

There are several factors that contribute to sports injuries among our youth, and one of the most common is improper footwear. For amateurs as well as elite athletes, the shoe is considered the most important piece of equipment, because contact between the foot and the athletic surface is fundamental to accomplishment.

Many of our parents and young athletes pay little or no attention to the shoes they wear during athletic activities. Some even run in sandals or in old sneakers with holes in the soles while at the same time hoping to become world class athletes. This is sad because these athletes are heading for a whole lot of injuries which will prevent them from performing at their optimal levels.

Among some of the common injuries are:

• Achilles Tendinitis – pain and tightness felt in the lower calf muscles.

• Illiotibial Band Syndrome (ITB) – a type of sharp, burning knee or upper leg pain.

• Runner’s Knee – pain felt often below the kneecap which increases while walking up stairs, up hills, or sitting for long periods of time.

• Shin Splints – sharp pain felt around the shin bone.

Shoes as sports equipment

Appropriate footwear can help athletes avoid or mitigate foot injuries. Footwear can also play a major role in rehabilitation and recovery. The proper shoe combined with the right shoe insert (orthotic) can improve your performance in any sport – from golf to running.

We as parents need to pay close attention to how often our young athletes need to replace the shoe and the support in the shoe. A good measure that is often used is for runners to change their shoes every 300 to 500 miles. It is our duty to help our young athletes perform to their full potential by giving them the necessary and correct running shoe, because it makes a difference.

Recently, I saw two young athletes who had been experiencing pains for more than there months and were recommended by their coach for new shoes and the correct orthotics. Within two weeks of getting new shoes and orthotics, the pains went away.

Obstacles

Many athletes are exposed to different conditions and environments when required to perform such as:

• Poor running surfaces (hard unforgiving surfaces)

• Poor conditioning before the season starts

• Lack of fitness for track and field practice

• Lack of conditioning, strength, flexibility, endurance and agility

• Excessively pronated feet – athletes with this condition are at greater risk for injuries. Extreme pronation causes stress to the muscles and tendons that provide support to the arch.

Parents, have your child properly evaluated by a physician, physical therapist, a certified athletic trainer or a foot specialist. The proper running/training shoes and support (orthotic/inserts) will definitely help your athlete to avoid or recover from injury and thus allowing them to perform to their full potential.

For many of our athletes: Athletics is the only way a tertiary education can be achieved. Therefore, athletic success can transform their lives and that of their immediate family members. Do not short-circuit the transformation by not making the necessary investment today.

Bernadette D Gibson, a Board Certified and licensed pedorthist, is the proprietor of Foot Solutions, a health and wellness franchise that focuses on foot care and proper shoe fit, located in the Trinity Plaza, West Bay Street, Nassau. Bahamas www.footsolutions.com/nassau

The views expressed are those of the author and does not necessarily represent those of Foot Solutions Incorporated or any of its subsidiary and/or affiliated companies. Please direct any questions or comments to nassau@footsolutions.com or 322-FOOT.