Management and Return to Play of the Elite Athlete for Common Sports-Related Injuries About the Foot

Foot injuries are one of the most commonly injured areas of the body in many collegiate and professional sports. The wide range of pathology, pathophysiology, mechanisms of injury, differences in sport demands, evolution of treatment, and variable return-to-play time lines make it difficult, at times, for physicians to treat these injuries. Modern diagnostic tools, surgical treatment devices, and rehabilitation protocols have allowed for more accurate and rapid diagnosis, an improved ability to reestablish normal anatomy, and accelerated return to play for many sports-related foot injuries. This summary will provide the most up-to-date, evidence-based treatment options for common sports-related foot injuries along with the authors' preferred method of treatment and return-to-play algorithms for the elite athletes.