Foot and Ankle Fractures

Do You Have a Foot or Ankle Fracture?

Stress fractures start as gradual cracks in your bone that may only cause minor pain. As time progresses, the area may expand, causing pain to worsen when you bear weight. An acute fracture causes acute pain and results from serious trauma to your foot. This can come in the form of excess weight dropping on your foot, accidental missteps, or a sports related injury. These types of fractures require treatment from your Podiatrist as well as recovery time to heal completely.

Symptoms of Foot and Ankle Stress Fractures

• Pain that comes and goes based on activity level.
• Swelling and tenderness.
• Bruising in some cases.

Stress fractures can eventually result in limited range of motion and cause issues when walking.

Acute Fractures

An acute fracture usually affects the bones connecting your toes and ankles, and is the result of a sudden blow or twist in your foot.

Unlike a stress fracture, you may:

• Hear the bone break.
• Have immediate pain.
• Develop bruising or swelling.
• Not be able to bear any weight on the foot.

Acute and stress fractures are problems that require a Podiatrist.  Immediate treatment is necessary to ensure the bone heals correctly.

Treatment for Foot Fractures

Depending on the severity of the fracture, your Podiatrist may:

• Refer you to a physical therapist.
• Immobilize your foot with a cast to reduce weight load.
• Suggest surgery for very serious cases.

A visit to your Podiatrist will make sure that you do not aggravate the fracture and that you know when to restart any high-impact activity like sports or standing for long periods of time.

Contact one of Village Podiatry Centers' convenient podiatry clinics to schedule an appointment.