Way to go, Scouts!

I was quite interested in the recent story that Ann Curry was hiking in New York and was "rescued" by a group of boy scouts.  There are two reasons for this interest.  First, as is the topic of this blog, I am a podiatrist treating conditions of the foot and ankle.  The second reason is something not everyone may know about me; I was a boy scout.  In fact, I am an Eagle Scout.

I remember learning how to splint ankles and my first aid training but never had to put it into action like these young men.  I found it even more of a feel good story that most of these guys didn't even know that they were helping a celebrity.  Kudos to these young men!

Big Ben's Ankle Sprain

Many of the patients I have met during my brief time in Florida know that prior to coming to Florida I practiced for a few years in Pittsburgh.  Though not a fan myself, football in the Steel City is a huge deal.  Of course, the city is always on edge when its star QB is injured.

Apparently Big Ben has a sprained ankle.  As a podiatrist I treat sprained ankles on a very regular basis.  Ankle injuries are certainly not unique to athletes.  A person hurts his or her ankle and they often go to the ER and are given crutches and an ace wrap.  They hop around with the foot hanging down.  This leads to poor healing and can lead to ankle instability in the future.  It is imperative that injured ankles first be evaluated for fracture, and even if no fracture is seen, still be carefully treated.  Soft tissue injury can be just as bad as a broken bone.

I, as a podiatrist, have a very beneficial protocol for the treatment of ankle injuries.  I encourage people to not wait with ankle injuries but to be seen as soon as possible for proper treatment.