What is a sprained foot?
A sprained foot is a condition characterized by damage or tearing of the connective tissue (such as ligaments, cartilage and joint capsule) of one or more joints of the foot. The rear foot comprises of 7 bones collectively known as the tarsals. The mid foot comprises of 5 long bones known as the metatarsals. The toes each comprise of several small bones known as the phalanges (figure 1). Each bone within the foot attaches to the adjacent bones forming joints. Each of these joints comprises of strong connective tissue wrapping around the bony ends and cartilage which lies between the joint surfaces, cushioning the impact of one bone on another during activity. During certain movements of the foot, stretching or compression forces are placed on the joints of the foot. If these forces are excessive due to too much repetition or high force, injury to the joints may occur. This may involve damage to the cartilage or tearing to the connective tissue surrounding the joint. When this occurs, t
