How to Prevent Achilles Ruptures in Pickleball Players Over 40 By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ Here's the honest truth I tell every pickleball player over 40 in clinic: the Achilles tendon rupture that lands people in my operating room is almost always preventable — and it happens to the person who feels perfectly fine right up until the moment

═══════════════════════════════════════ The Most Common Pickleball Foot and Ankle Injuries: A Foot & Ankle Surgeon's Complete Guide By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, and I'm seeing the injury wave firsthand in my McKinney and Flower Mound offices. Here's the big picture: the most common pick

═══════════════════════════════════════ Syndesmosis Injury With an Ankle Fracture: Screws vs. Suture Button Fixation By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ Here's the short version I give patients in clinic: if your ankle fracture came with a syndesmosis ("high ankle") injury, that ligament connection between your two leg bones has to be stabilized du

═══════════════════════════════════════ Fifth Metatarsal Fracture Recovery Timeline: Week by Week By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ One of the most frustrating things about breaking the fifth metatarsal is the uncertainty. How long until I can walk? When can I drive? When can I exercise? When does life go back to normal? The honest answer: it dep

By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ The fifth metatarsal — the long bone on the outer edge of your foot that connects to your little toe — is the most commonly fractured metatarsal. It accounts for the majority of all foot fractures, and I see these injuries constantly in my practice across McKinney, Flower Mound, and the greater DFW area. Here's t

═══════════════════════════════════════ Lisfranc Injury: Surgery vs Nonsurgical Treatment — Who Actually Needs Surgery? By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ You hurt your midfoot. Maybe you stepped off a curb wrong, landed awkwardly on a teammate's foot, or twisted your foot during a cut on the field. Now someone has mentioned the word "Lisfranc" an

The Pain That Won't Go Away After an Ankle Sprain You sprained your ankle. You did the right things — rest, ice, maybe even physical therapy. The swelling went down. The bruising faded. But months later, something still isn't right. There's a deep ache inside the ankle joint. It's worse after activity. Sometimes the ankle catches or locks. Sometimes it swells after a long run or a hard practice. You've been told it's "just a sprain" — but sprains don't usually hurt like this

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you just hurt the middle of your foot — and you're either confused about what a "Lisfranc injury" is, frustrated that it was missed the first time, or trying to figure out whether you need surgery. You're not alone. Lisfranc injuries are misdiagnosed approximately 20% of the time on initial evaluation. That's one in five. And when they're missed, the consequences can be severe — chronic pain, arch collapse, arthritis, and in athle

The Ankle Pain That Gets Blamed on Everything Else You've been dealing with pain on the outside of your ankle. Maybe it started after a bad ankle sprain. Maybe it came on gradually over months of running, hiking, or playing sports. You've been told it's a sprain that hasn't healed, or tendinitis, or "just inflammation." You've tried rest, ice, braces, maybe even a cortisone shot. But the pain keeps coming back — especially when you push off, change direction, or walk on uneve

The Ankle That Won't Stop Giving Way You sprained your ankle months ago — maybe even years ago. The initial swelling went down. The bruising faded. But something never went back to normal. Your ankle rolls on uneven ground. It gives way when you cut in basketball. You don't trust it on the tennis court anymore. You've started wearing a brace just to walk the dog. And every few months, it happens again — another sprain, more swelling, more time on the couch. If this sounds fam

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you just broke the outside of your foot. Maybe it happened on the basketball court. Maybe you were cutting on the soccer field. Maybe you planted your foot during a football drill and felt a sudden sharp pain on the outer edge of your foot. Or maybe you've been dealing with a nagging ache on the outside of your foot for weeks — and you just found out it's actually a fracture. Either way, you've probably been told you have a "Jones

If you're reading this, there's a good chance you just ruptured your Achilles tendon. Maybe it happened on the basketball court. Maybe you were lunging for a pickleball. Maybe you were just jogging and felt something pop in the back of your ankle. Whatever happened, you probably felt like someone kicked you in the back of the leg — except nobody was there. Now you're sitting at home with a swollen ankle, searching the internet for answers. You want to know what happened, whet

By Dr. Sarang Desai, DO – Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon | Sports Medicine Youth sports are an incredible part of growing up — they build confidence, friendships, and lifelong habits. But as a foot and ankle specialist, I see firsthand how common injuries can sideline even the most active kids. Whether your child plays soccer, basketball, track, or club volleyball, it’s important to know the warning signs of foot and ankle injuries — and when it’s time to get them evaluated.