Chaz Williams Overcomes Foot Injury to Lead UMass in Comeback Over George Mason

Chaz Williams, senior guard for the University of Massachusetts, was able to ignore the foot injury he sustained during the Minutemen’s recent game against St. Bonaventure to lead his team to victory against George Mason. Williams was one of the longest-playing and highest-scoring players in the game, scoring 26 points and eight assists in just 36 minutes.

“Before the game you feel it. During the game you don’t feel it. After the game you really feel it,” he said of his foot pain. Williams skipped two practices before the game and will likely miss two more before the Minutemen play next week’s game against Elon.

If you are an athlete with a foot or ankle injury, it’s unwise to keep playing your sport without the approval of a doctor. For more information, talk to a podiatrist like Dr. Brad Bachmann of Louetta Foot and Ankle Specialists, P.A. Dr. Bachmann can assess the level of damage done to your foot or ankle and advise you whether or not you need more recovery time.

Playing Sports with Foot Injuries

Many types of foot injuries affect athletes over the course of their athletic career. Despite their setbacks, many of these athletes will continue to play with mild foot injuries and attempt to ‘push’ through the pain. In order to be able to prevent injuries, it is important to stretch before any activity, wear proper footwear and replace shoes as needed. Some of the foot injuries athletes are at risk for include:

• Turf toe- upward bending of the big toe outside normal range of motion
• Stress Fractures
• Overpronation- excessive foot movement during gait
• Plantar Fasciitis- swollen ligament in the foot’s base
• Strains

There are many types of treatments that are necessary to keep the injury from becoming more serious. Ice is often used to reduce swelling and inflammation while applying a compression bandage can help reduce pain and stress on the foot. For more serious injuries it is recommended to consult with a podiatrist or orthopedic specialist as fractures and other serious conditions may require surgery.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office in Houston, TX and The Woodlands, TX.  We offer the newest diagnostic and treatment technologies for all your foot ankle injuries.

Read more about Playing Sports with Foot Injuries.