Foot & Ankle Fractures and Sprains

Broken Feet and Toes

A broken bone is never a pleasant experience. But while any potential foot or toe fractures should be brought to the attention of our team as soon as you can, these injuries do vary quite a bit in terms of where and how they are broken, and how severely.

Foot fractures are usually (although not always, especially in the case of stress fractures) the result of a sudden severe trauma, such as twisting, falling, or a direct impact (such as an auto accident, falling off a ladder, dropping a heavy object, etc.). Pain tends to be swift and severe, and may be accompanied by bruising, swelling, and even dislocation or deformity in the shape of the foot if the fracture is unstable.

Common Types of Foot and Ankle Fractures

• Toe and forefoot fractures occur in the front portion of the foot, often involving the long metatarsal bones. Many people mistakenly believe that nothing can be done for these types of fractures, and that there’s no point seeing a doctor unless you’re unable to bear any weight. But nothing could be further from the truth!
• Stress fractures are not “full” breaks, but hairline cracks that form in the surface of bones. Unlike most other sprains and fractures, stress fractures tend to develop slowly over time due to overuse. Stress fractures are common in weight-bearing bones (such as the long metatarsals in the front part of your foot) and can eventually worsen into more severe breaks if you try to keep pushing through the pain.
• Midfoot fractures develop in the area of the arch, where a “clump” of irregularly shaped bones (the tarsals) connect to the long metatarsal bones at the front part of the foot. A severe twist or impact can dislocate or fracture the bones in this region. While this typically makes it too painful to bear weight, some people are able to continue walking on a midfoot fracture—which unfortunately only makes the problem worse.
• Ankle fractures are often sudden and severe, and require immediate medical attention. Unfortunately, many people don’t even realize they have one since the symptoms can overlap with those of a severe sprain. Broken ankles typically need to be casted and often require surgery, so it’s critical to identify and treat them as soon as possible.

Treating Foot and Ankle Fractures and Sprains

Again, it’s important to understand that any potential foot or ankle fracture or sprain should be taken seriously, and at the very least result in a call to our office. If we suspect you only have a mild sprain, we may simply give you some advice for home care and ask you to monitor the situation to see if it improves. If we suspect a more serious injury, we can ask you to come in for a closer look.

In the meantime, immediately discontinue strenuous activities and begin RICE therapy:

• REST—minimize weight bearing.
• ICE—use ice packs (as directed) to limit pain and swelling.
• COMPRESSION—if you know how to properly use a compression wrap, it can help you deal with excess swelling and discomfort.
• ELEVATION—prop your feet up as much as possible.

Further treatment for your sprain or fracture depends greatly on the location and severity of your injury.

Mild-to-moderate sprains, stress fractures, and stable fractures (meaning the bone ends have not shifted position) can often be treated non-surgically. You may need to have your foot or ankle protected or immobilized using a cast, walking boot, or brace to protect and stabilize the area as it heals. There may be a period of total non-weight bearing as well during the early phases of recovery.

More severe injuries may require surgery to repair badly torn ligaments or realign bones that have become unstable, dislocated, or shattered.

While the prospect of working through a few weeks to a few months of recovery isn’t a fun prospect for anyone, ignoring the problem will only make it worse.