A couple days ago we posted about biking knee braces and knee injuries. Another part of the body that can be affected by biking and cycling are the foot and ankle. Foot and ankle injuries are quite prevalent in cycling. Here are some of the most common:

Plantar Fasciitis - Heel and foot pain while biking is generally caused by plantar fasciitis. The band of tissue that connects your heel to the front of your foot is called the plantar fascia. When this area becomes inflamed or irritated, this causes pain. The repeated pressure from pedaling can aggravate the tendons in the foot, causing plantar fasciitis.

Achilles Tendonitis - The Achilles tendon connects the heel bone to your calf muscles and is used as we pedal a bicycle. When the Achilles tendon becomes inflamed, this is known as Achilles tendonitis. This causes heel pain that starts slowly and may gradually get worse over time, especially if the patient ignores the initial pain.

Arch Pain - Large amounts of stress on the arch of the foot can occur when pedaling improperly. It may also be caused by poor or worn out footwear. Arch pain may also be caused by plantar fasciitis and can continue to worsen if the injury is not given enough time to rest.

These are just some of the issues that can affect the ankle from cycling. For those who bike competitively, these conditions may be even more prevalent. Wearing biking and cycling braces and supports may help reduce your chances of these ankle injuries so you can stay healthier, longer. Speak with your doctor today about wearing an ankle brace for your situation, and check out our biking braces today!