Be Smart About Physical Fitness

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One of the many things that our doctors here at Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center have in common is a keen interest in sports and sports medicine. Dr. Samantha Boyd, Dr. Hal Ornstein, Dr. Joseph Saka, and Dr. Katy Statler, the expert podiatrists of Monmouth County, have many years of combined experience treating all kinds of sports injuries of the foot and ankle. 

 

May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month, so it’s a good time to reflect on the myriad benefits of physical activity, the best way to care for your feet and ankles to prevent injury, and what to do if you do get hurt.

 

Why physical activity matters

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for any of the last 30 years or so, you’ve probably heard or read about all the wonderful reasons to remain physically active. Keeping fit helps you:

  • Maintain a healthy weight - which keeps strain and pain away from your feet
  • Improve your cardiovascular health - for a strong heart and circulatory system
  • Prevent falling - which matters more and more as you age
  • Lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects more than 29 million Americans and can have debilitating effects on your feet
  • Keep your bones strong, warding off the effects of osteoporosis
  • Improve your mood and your cognitive functioning

 

How physical fitness prevents injury

Being physically fit means that you have more strength and stamina for all of your activities. Studies show that people who are fit are able to perform an activity longer without getting tired, thereby reducing the risk of fatigue-induced injuries. They also recover faster and have more stamina in general.

 

Physical activity can also cause injury

Alas, at the same time that physical activity can prevent injury, it’s a fact that sports injuries are the complaint of many of our patients. Foot ailments like broken bones, tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and twisted ankles can result from overtraining, doing too much too soon, or just dirty rotten luck.

 

If you do sustain an injury to your feet or ankles, turn to our experienced physicians for prompt and accurate diagnosis that will get you back on track as quickly as possible. Our staff includes an expert physical therapist, Valerie Gregory, MSPT, CKTP right here at our office in Howell, New Jersey, so you don’t have to go to a separate facility if we prescribe physical therapy.

 

Be active. Be physically fit. Be smart if you get injured. Call us at (732) 905-1110 or make an appointment online.