Quick look at the symptoms of a broken foot:
- Deformity of a toe or an area of the foot, usually after the event of an injury.
- Experiencing a snap or grinding sound during an injury, either through hearing or feeling it.
- Experiencing foot pain or difficulty moving it
- Pain or difficulty walking or putting weight on the foot
- Tenderness or pain upon touching the injury
- Swelling, bruising, or discolouration of the affected area
- Change in your walking pattern (gait abnormalities)
- Difficulty walking or bearing weight.
- Poor balance
- Feeling faint, dizzy, or sick after the injury
What is a foot fracture?
Foot fractures are common injuries. Due to their size, the bones in your feet are easily susceptible to damage. A broken foot, or foot fracture, can happen in any of the 26 bones in your foot. This includes the toe bones (phalanges), two small round sesamoid bones at the base of your big toe, the metatarsals in the middle of your foot, and bones at the back of your foot, such as the heel bone (calcaneus).
Fractures can vary from small cracks in the bones to breaks involving multiple bones, including those that break the skin. Severe breaks can tear or pierce the skin, resulting in a wound. These are called open fractures. If there is no visible bone displacement or apparent wound, a person might not notice if a bone has fractured. Additionally, some small cracks or breaks may cause mild or vague pain.
What are the causes of a broken foot?
Causes of a fractured foot include:
- A direct injury or trauma to your foot is the most common cause of a broken foot. These injuries can result from tripping, stumbling, or falling.
- Twisting your foot awkwardly or accidentally kicking something really hard.
- Getting hit by something heavy or dropping heavy material on your foot.
- High-impact activities like jumping or running.
- Motor vehicle accidents may cause breaks that need surgery to be fixed.
- Trauma resulting from blunt force
- Repeated force or overuse over time, like running long distances, can cause stress fractures
What are the significant risk factors for a broken foot?
You could be more likely to injure your foot or ankle if you:
- Playing high-impact sports: The stress and twisting injuries of the foot that occur while playing sports like basketball can significantly increase the risk of a broken foot. Use proper technique and sports equipment to avoid such incidents.
- Using improper technique or sports gear: can heighten the risk of injury. Bad training habits, such as skipping warm-ups, increase the likelihood of foot injuries. Additionally, worn-out or ill-fitting shoes can elevate the risk of stress fractures and falls.
- Increasing your activity level abruptly: can heighten the risk of a stress fracture. Whether you’re an experienced athlete or new to exercising, suddenly pushing yourself to train longer, harder, or more frequently can be dangerous.
- Working in specific jobs or workplaces: such as construction sites, poses risks of falling from heights or being struck by heavy objects on your feet.
- Maintain a cluttered or poorly lit home: Entering a space filled with too much clutter or dim lighting can raise the chance of falls and foot injuries.
- Having conditions: like osteoporosis, which involves decreased bone density, can raise your risk of foot bone injuries.
- Smoking: especially cigarette use, can increase the risk of fractures due to osteoporosis. Research also indicates that individuals who smoke may experience slower bone healing and longer recovery times.
It is advisable to discuss your lifestyle and preventive measures with your doctor to help reduce risk factors.
How could the doctor determine if the foot is broken?
Your doctor will conduct a physical examination, carefully feeling and manipulating your foot. They may ask you to move your foot in specific directions to evaluate your full range of motion. Additionally, they will ask about your symptoms and medical history, including details about how you injured your foot.
To make an accurate diagnosis, your doctor might order an X-ray of your foot. You could also require further imaging tests to identify injuries such as a stress fracture. These tests include:
- CT scan (computed tomography scan).
- MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging).
What is the recommended treatment plan to follow?
After physical exams and tests, your doctor may recommend the RICE method to reduce pain and swelling.
- Rest: Keep your foot still and avoid putting weight on it.
- Ice: Wrap in a thin towel and apply it to your injury for 20 minutes.
- Compression: Gently wrap your toe with a soft, compressive bandage.
- Elevation: Rest with your foot slightly raised above your heart.
Other treatments for a broken foot may include: - Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication: You can use acetaminophen (Tylenol) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Buddy taping: is a method your doctor might use if you have a broken toe. This straightforward technique involves wrapping tape around your affected toe and the neighbouring toe to reduce pain and maintain stability.
- Physical therapy: Your doctor might suggest consulting a physical therapist to strengthen your foot. They can provide specific exercises to help restore flexibility and expand your range of motion.
- Fracture reduction: Closed reduction involves the doctor manually realigning a noticeably displaced foot bone without making an incision. They will numb your foot first and then straighten the bone to bring it back to its correct position.
- Surgery: In severe cases or if a fracture does not heal with non-invasive methods, your doctor might recommend surgery. An orthopaedic surgeon might suggest and perform open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). This involves surgically exposing the broken bones (open reduction), then placing metal screws, pins, rods, or plates into your foot to hold the bones in place (internal fixation) until they heal.
In some cases, the surgeon may suggest external fixation. This involves attaching a stabilising frame outside the body and connecting it to the bone with pins or wires. This method is commonly used for severe fractures, open wounds, or temporary stabilization when internal fixation cannot be performed immediately.
Conclusion
A broken foot can severely impact your mobility and quality of life, but full recovery is possible with early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Identifying early signs, such as pain, swelling, bruising, or difficulty walking, can help avoid complications like improper healing or ongoing pain. Adhering to your doctor’s advice, resting sufficiently, and engaging in physical therapy are key components of recovery. Preventive actions, such as wearing properly fitting shoes, practicing safe sports techniques, and maintaining a healthy diet to support bone health, can also help reduce future risks. If you experience a fracture, seek prompt medical attention to ensure proper healing and restore normal strength and function.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the complications of a broken foot?
If you do not seek medical treatment for a broken foot, your bones may heal improperly, leading to mobility issues and permanent deformities. Additionally, neglecting treatment for an open fracture (where the skin is broken) can result in an infection in the wound.
Is it possible to prevent foot fractures?
Many foot fractures occur due to traumatic injuries and accidents, which makes prevention difficult. However, certain precautions can help keep your feet strong and lower the risk of stress fractures. These include wearing proper footwear during sports and activities, warming up and cooling down with stretches and exercises to maintain muscle strength, replacing shoes regularly based on activity frequency, gradually increasing training duration and intensity, ensuring adequate rest between sessions, consuming enough vitamin D through diet or supplements, and stopping activity and seeking medical attention if foot pain arises.
How long does recovery usually take?
A broken foot or toe typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal fully, though in more complex cases, recovery may take 8 to 12 weeks or longer. Patients should adhere to the RICE method and follow their doctor’s specific guidance. Follow-up X-rays or scans may be necessary to confirm proper healing and alignment. Resuming physical activity too soon can lead to poor healing, re-injury, or a complete fracture. Seek medical attention if pain or swelling reappears.
What are the consequences of not treating a broken foot?
Bones might heal incorrectly if medical treatment is not sought, leading to permanent deformity and mobility problems. Additionally, untreated open fractures can increase the risk of infection in the wound.
Can you walk with a broken foot?
Some complex fractures require you to avoid putting weight on your foot for months to help the bone heal. This period can last anywhere from eight weeks to several months, depending on the severity of the injury. A simple foot fracture may heal quickly and may require partial or protected weight-bearing much earlier.
During recovery, you’ll probably need to wear a cast, splint, or specialized footwear to protect your foot and prevent additional damage. You may also use crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair for mobility. After the initial weeks, your healthcare provider may allow you to gradually put more weight on your foot.
