Choosing the proper shoe is very important in the athletic arena. Shoes are usually chosen based on appearance, comfort, or function. Many people do not choose their shoes based on their foot type. Feet can be normal, flat, or high arched. Shoes have different last shapes, which is the sole of the shoe. A person that has a normal foot should purchase a shoe with a semi-curved last. Flat footed (no arch) consumers should buy a shoe with a straight last shape. And a person with high arches should buy a shoe with a curved last. The picture to the right illustrates the last shapes.

For more information or brochures, call Towson Sports Medicine at 410.337.5310

 


Training with the wrong shoe type can lead to a variety of injuries. Problems such as stress fractures, ankle sprains, iliotibial band syndrome, knee pain, hip pain, and plantar fasciitis, as well as many other injuries can occur by wearing the wrong shoes.

Here are some tips on shopping for shoes:

  • Identify features that match your foot type.
  • Try shoes on late in the day or after a workout.
Fluid Replacement  
Heat Illness 1

Sports Nutrition  
How to Choose a Sports Bra 3
Helmet Fitting and Mouth Guards  

Current Programs at OA 4

  • If there is a size discrepancy in your feet, fit the larger foot.
  • If you wear orthotics, place them in the shoe when trying it on.
  • Athletic shoes should fit well the first time you put them on. They do not require a "break in period."

Knee injuries, ACL injuries in particular, occur at a rate 4 to 8 times greater in women than in men. One out of 100 female high school athletes and 1 out 10 female college athletes will tear their ACL. What puts women at a higher risk than men? There are many contributing factors, here are a few key issues.

Females have a larger Q angle. The Q angle is an angle that is formed between the hip and the knee.

It has been shown that when females land they tend to absorb the force with the quadriceps instead of the hamstrings (males do the opposite).

Many females have a lower level of muscular strength and endurance.
Many of the factors that put females at a higher risk of knee injury cannot be modified. Factors that can be modified are what we need to concentrate on. Plyometric training has been shown to decrease the risk of ACL injuries in women. Plyometric exercise is a technique that includes exercises which encompass a rapid stretch of a muscle, followed immediately be a rapid contraction of that muscle for the purpose of developing forceful explosive movements. Strength and conditioning programs that focus on hamstring strength, balance, and agility are a great way to reduce the risks.

Patellofemoral Pain, also known as patellalgia or anterior knee pain, is also very common amongst female athletes.

With proper conditioning and strength training, the symptoms of this condition can be greatly reduced.

Female sports are getting faster and more advanced. Too many careers are being spoiled by these injuries. Increasing knowledge and proper strength and conditioning programs could be the answer to lowering the rates of female knee injuries.

For more information on knee injury prevention programs, call 410.337.5311

Have you ever had a headache during a practice or game? You just might have had a concussion and not known the danger you were in. A concussion is described as a trauma to the head resulting from a direct or indirect blow. Concussion means an agitation or shaking of the brain. An estimated 20 % of high school football players sustain concussions each season.

There are three types of concussions: Grade I (no loss of consciousness), Grade II (some memory loss), and Grade III (any loss of consciousness).

Normally an athlete who has suffered a concussion will improve rapidly after initial onset. Some of the signs and symptoms are: persistent headache, nausea, memory loss, ringing in ears, irritability, and pupils that are different sizes. However, if the aforementioned signs and symptoms develop or become progressively worse, bleeding within the skull may be occurring and immediate medical attention should be sought. A key to remember is never give aspirin to an athlete suspected of having a concussion. Aspirin causes the blood to thin and could increase bleeding in the brain.

If the athlete has blurred vision or loss of consciousness, no further activity should be allowed that day. The athlete should be under constant surveillance during the initial post concussion period (24 hours). They may appear normal up to an hour or two following the injury and then may lapse into lethargy, unconsciousness, suffer seizures, and rapidly deteriorate.

The athlete should be examined on a daily basis and must not be allowed to return to play until headaches have disappeared at rest and with activity, and the patient has written consent from a physician.


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