When treating athletes, podiatrists may use corticosteroid injections to treat various conditions. However, are such injections overutilized in athletes? Here is what our expert panelists have to say about what factors to consider in using injectable steroids, differences in treating athletes and non-athletes, and the type of steroids to use.

Q: When treating an athlete, which condition are you most likely to treat with corticosteroid injection?
A: Mike Lowe, DPM, and Amol Saxena, DPM, both use corticosteroid injections for neuromas. As Dr. Lowe notes,

Limb length discrepancy (LLD) can cause a variety of symptoms. There are a variety of common clinical techniques clinicians can use to help detect LLD. Radiographic imaging provides the best method for measuring LLD. Treatments vary but can lead to significant improvement of symptoms. Indeed, the detection and treatment of LLD can be a very satisfying aspect of a clinical biomechanics practice.

In cases of LLD, gait evaluation normally shows the dominance of one side or leg. As the patient walks down the hall, there is a tendency to lean to one side. One can see this on every step o

When it comes to being recognized as a true sports medicine physician, Lisa Schoene, DPM, ATC, says in order to “talk the talk, you better walk the walk.” Dr. Schoene says the best sports medicine practitioners are the ones who cover the events and are out there covering races even when it is cold and rainy or starting very early in the morning.

“Hands-on experience is imperative in my mind,” emphasizes Dr. Schoene, who has covered many marathons, triathlons and other races. “I question the physician who says he or she is a ‘sports medicine spe