Athletes with broken bones may not know it

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 23 (UPI) -- Athletes often mistake serious foot or ankle injuries for minor problems because they are able to walk, a U.S. foot and ankle surgeon says.

"Serious injuries can exist even when the foot or ankle is able to accept weight or pressure," Robert Duggan, a foot and ankle surgeon from Orlando, Fla., said in a statement.

One such injury involves the Lisfranc joint, on the top of the foot. It's possible to walk with a Lisfranc injury, but this can lead to damage to the soft tissues of the foot or even chronic conditions such as arthritis, Duggan says.

Another injury that may be overlooked is a fracture of the fifth metatarsal -- the bone that runs along the outer side of the foot. This can accompany an ankle sprain, or the athlete may think it's a sprain but it is a difficult injury to heal, and continuing to participate in sports will make it worse.

Duggan spoke at the annual scientific conference of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons in Las Vegas.