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Foot and Ankle: Conservative Management, Operative Management, and Return to Sport

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Masterful Care of the Aging Athlete

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Abstract

Foot and ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries within the athletic population. For masters athletes, years of repetitive motions inevitably contribute to degeneration of the most dependent structures of the body, the foot and ankle. As a result, competitive activity results in injuries related to stress and fatigue. Particularly, acute rupture of the Achilles tendon and/or chronic tendinopathy can lead to decreased performance and the need for operative intervention. Similarly, the plantar fascia may become irritated and inflamed and require intensive therapy or surgery for the athlete to continue high-level performance. Overuse and persistent load may cause debilitating stress fractures that are difficult to manage. Many of these conditions are managed through conservative measures and an emphasis on maintenance to control the symptoms of the respective condition. However, the masters athlete represents a unique population that may require surgical intervention once all other measures have been exhausted to allow them to continue high-level activity, even in a mature period of life.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Monique C. Chambers MD, MSL & Dukens LaBaze BS

  2. Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan, AL, USA

    Jesse Raszeswki MBS

  3. Foot and Ankle Division, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    MaCalus V. Hogan MD

Authors
  1. Monique C. Chambers MD, MSL
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  2. Dukens LaBaze BS
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  3. Jesse Raszeswki MBS
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  4. MaCalus V. Hogan MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to MaCalus V. Hogan MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. UPMC Center for Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Vonda J. Wright

  2. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

    Kellie K. Middleton

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Chambers, M.C., LaBaze, D., Raszeswki, J., Hogan, M.V. (2018). Foot and Ankle: Conservative Management, Operative Management, and Return to Sport. In: Wright, V., Middleton, K. (eds) Masterful Care of the Aging Athlete. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16223-2_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16223-2_12

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16223-2

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