Definition
A bone break in the foot or ankle can be caused by a severe trauma like a blow, twisting injury or fall, or a minor repetitive injury.
Here are the different types of foot and ankle fractures that you can get:
1. Complete – Bone is broken all the way through and completely separated.
2. Incomplete – Also known as a greenstick fracture. The fracture does not extend all the way through the bone.
3. Comminuted – More than two bony fragments exist at the fracture site.
4. Impaction fracture – The broken bone ends have been pushed, or telescoped, into each other.
5. Compression fracture – Extreme pressure on a bone causes it to break.
6. Avulsion fracture – A strong force on a tendon or ligament insertion on a bone causes a fragment of the bone to pull away.
7. Stress fracture – Repetitive force or trauma due to overuse or prolonged pressure causes a crack in a bone that is sometimes difficult to see on x-ray. Intense exercise is one factor as well as obesity and repetitious, hard physical labor.
8. Pathologic fracture – Sometimes a fracture occurs under normal, everyday activities due to a problem or disease that has weakened a bone, such as a bone tumor or osteoporosis.
Signs and symptoms of foot or ankle fracture:
- Pain and swelling at fracture site.
- Sometimes a deformity is visible.
- Bruising, possibly bleeding, at fracture site.
- Weakness.
- Inability to bear weight on affected limb.
Treatment
- Keep the area immobilized as much as you can until you are able to get to the Beltsville Foot and Ankle Center
- X-rays and clinical symptoms will help diagnose a fracture.
- To treat a fracture, the bony ends must be realigned and then held in place until healing is complete. Typically the fracture site is immobilized using a splint, fiberglass cast, or a removable cast. Crutches or a wheelchair may be necessary to prevent weight-bearing
- Physical therapy may be necessary as prolonged periods of joint immobility can cause stiffness, weakness, and swelling. Physical therapy will help increase joint flexibility, improve muscle strength and remove excess fluid
- Medication for pain relief and to help relax may be prescribed.
The treatment of your fracture ultimately depends on which type of fracture that you have and the severity of it. We have in-office digital x-rays that are more accurate than traditional x-rays, which help us diagnose some conditions that would not show up on traditional x-rays.
Here’s What To Do Next
If you think that you may have fractured your foot or ankle, give us a call today at 301-937-5666 or fill out our appointment request form, so that you can get it checked out immediately. For your convenience we can perform a digital x-ray of your foot right in our office without having to leave and go somewhere else.
