New York residents who are suffering from foot or ankle injuries may be interested in a recent study that shows the long-term effects of misdiagnoses. In some cases, patients who have had their foot and ankle injuries misdiagnosed can suffer from arthritis or even disability later on.

Making diagnoses isn’t always easy for doctors in New York and across the U.S. For example, 33 percent of patients were misdiagnosed with asthma in a recent study. Other ailments that are commonly misdiagnosed include lupus, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Diagnoses can sometimes be difficult because many conditions cause similar symptoms.