Kris Letang's Broken Toe

I have been enjoying my NHL Center Ice subscription down here in Florida as of late.  It allows me to watch every Pittsburgh Penguins game that I can.  (I am happy as a fan that most of them have been wins).  Along with all the great trades the team has made, there is news that Kris Letang, the Pens all-star defenseman, suffered a "lower body injury."  Hockey does not have to say much about a player's injury but most sources said he is suffering from a broken toe.

It is not just athletes who suffer from broken toes.  Anyone can injure his or her toe to lead to fracture.   The most common way I see it happen is from bumping the toe against a piece of furniture.

Many people don't seek treatment because they believe there is "nothing that can be done."  Often times not much treatment is required but the condition can be painful.  Compensation can occur from trying to walk on a painful foot and this can lead to other problems.  Additionally, if an injury is significant enough to cause a broken toe it is not uncommon for another part of the foot to be injured as well.  Therefore, if you do injure your toe (or foot) a trip to the podiatrist is always a good idea.

Derek Jeter's Fractured Ankle

It can happen to anyone, especially athletes.  I woke up this morning to news that one of the best players in baseball had fractured his ankle last night.  Currently the news stories do not have the extent of the injury to Derek Jeter, but they do relate that he is done for the post-season and then a 3 month recovery.  I am also sure that a CT scan and MRI are pending if not already done to determine the damage and treatment.

Many people are not aware that podiatrists are foot and ANKLE specialists.  Everyday, I treat ankle sprains and we do also see ankle fractures.  It is important to treat ankle fractures promptly because if the joint is disrupted from the fracture it can lead to traumatic arthritis.  This can be a lifelong problem that will need treatment with bracing and even sometimes a surgical ankle fusion to manage the pain.

UPDATE (on 10-16-12): It looks like Derek Jeter will have surgery to repair his fractured ankle.  I have not seen x-rays to know but usually this means the ankle joint is out of alignment and surgical repair is an attempt to allow the ankle to heal in proper alignment and reduce the chance for further problems.