A fractured or broken foot is a quite common injury for people of all ages. It’s one of the most prominent foot and ankle injuries. After all, just your forefoot alone consists of five metatarsal bones, while you also have 14 toe bones, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
All of these bones work in tandem together to help you walk, climb up and down steps, or run. If you sustain a break or fracture in any of those bones, it can be painful and it can impact the normal functioning of your foot. It can also be painful to walk if you have a foot sprain or ankle sprain.
You can get a fracture in your foot in various ways including:
- • Sustaining a sharp blow to your foot
- • Dropping a heavy object on your foot or toes
- • Kicking an object hard.
- • Overusing the foot.
- • Twisting the foot abnormally.
- • Having repetitive motions using the foot.
Treatment for a Fractured Foot
Your treatment protocol for a fracture in the foot depends on a couple of factors, including the type of fracture and its location. But not all fractures require surgery.
In some cases, if the fracture involves a broken toe, your doctor may suggest “buddy” taping. Here your broken toe is taped to the adjacent toe for healing. Your doctor may need to manipulate or snap the toe in place for healing, and this can usually be done in the doctor’s office.
If you don’t require surgery for your fracture, you’ll be asked to limit weight-bearing activities to allow the fracture to begin healing. This may be the case if you only have one metatarsal fracture.
However, if you have several metatarsal fractures or your foot is unstable or deformed, you may require surgery. The surgical procedure involves your doctor making incisions in the area of your foot where the fracture resides. Then, your surgeon inserts plates or pins, along with screws, that hold the bones in proper placement while they heal.
Your doctor will make an incision in your foot, then insert pins or plates and screws to hold the bones in place while they heal. This is called “internal fixation.” If you’ve just sustained your injury, and your foot is swollen, your physician may decide to delay your surgery for a couple of days until the swelling subsides.
Recovery From a Foot or Toe Fracture
Foot fractures generally take one to two months. A toe fracture might be healed in four to eight weeks, while a metatarsal fracture could take up to eight weeks or longer. To evaluate proper healing and alignment, your doctor may have you get follow-up x-rays during the healing phase.
Contact Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group
If you’ve suffered a broken toe or fractured foot, call us at Alamitos-Seal Beach Podiatry Group at Seal Beach Office: (562) 242-1559 or Los Alamitos Office: (562) 203-6151 for an evaluation and treatment plan.
