Fracture of the foot is a fairly common injury and accounts for up to 20% of all bone fractures. Do not take this lightly, the consequences can be very negative, up to the inability to move without assistance.
Reasons
This injury can occur if the foot is twisted sharply to either side, jumping from a height with an emphasis on the legs, or when hit by a heavy object.
Metatarsal fractures are caused by unexpected force on the leg, overuse and strain.
Signs of a broken foot
Swelling of the injured area and pain are the very first symptoms that indicate that you may have a broken foot. The photo below shows what a sore leg looks like.
Painful sensations can be so strong that a person cannot move. Bruising may also occur in the area of injury. A displaced fracture is characterized by a change in the shape of the foot.
Sometimes a person does not realize that he has a broken foot. Signs may not be pronounced, pain occurs only when the load on the affected leg. Therefore, to clarify the diagnosis, you need to contact a traumatologist.
First aid
If a fracture of the bones of the foot is suspected, the injured limb must be fixed. You can use an impromptu splint made from boards, ski poles or rods, which is attached to the leg with bandages. If nothing is at hand, you can bandage the injured limb to a he althy one using a scarf, shirt or towel.
With an open fracture, you should not try to set the bone yourself, first of all, you need to stop the bleeding. To do this, treat the skin around the wound with iodine or hydrogen peroxide. Then you need to carefully apply a sterile bandage. After first aid has been provided, the victim must be taken to a medical facility.
Diagnosis
First of all, the traumatologist should carefully examine the injured leg. Having found symptoms of a broken foot in the victim, the doctor takes an x-ray to determine the type and location of the damage. Very rarely, a CT or MRI scan is needed.
Once a fracture has been diagnosed, the treatment depends on the type of fracture and what kind of bone is broken.
Fractured talus
This bone has some special features. No muscle is attached to the talus. In addition, it transfers body weight to the entirefoot.
Fracture of the talus is possible as a result of indirect trauma, occurs infrequently and is considered a severe injury to the bones of the foot. Accompanied by other injuries, such as a fracture, dislocation of the ankle or other bones of the foot.
Symptomatics
When injured, there is a sharp pain, there is swelling of the foot and ankle, hemorrhages are noticeable on the skin. If the fragments are displaced, you can see that the foot is deformed.
To confirm the fracture, determine its location, type and degree of displacement of the bones, an X-ray examination is performed in two projections.
How to treat
If a displaced foot fracture is diagnosed, the bone fragments are matched immediately. The fact is that the later you see a doctor, the more difficult it will be to restore their correct position, sometimes even impossible.
Gypsum is applied for a month and a half. Starting from the third week, you need to release the injured limb from the splint and make active movements with the ankle joint.
Somewhat later, physical therapy and massage, physiotherapy are prescribed. It takes two to three months to recover from work.
Scaphoid fracture
Occurs as a result of direct exposure. Often, a fracture of this foot bone is accompanied by injuries to other bones.
Symptoms
A person cannot lean on a limb due to severe pain. There is swelling and hemorrhage. On palpation, attempts to turn the foot in and out, the person feels a sharp pain. To confirmfracture of the navicular bone of the foot, x-ray is recommended.
Treatment
If no displacement is found, the doctor applies a circular cast to the injured area. In case of fractures of the navicular bone with a displacement, bone fragments are compared, in some cases an open reduction may be necessary. The foot is fixed in plaster for a period of four to five weeks.
It is quite difficult to treat such a fracture of the foot in combination with a dislocation. If the dislocated fragment is not put back into place, traumatic flat feet may develop. The displaced fragments are adjusted using a special pulling apparatus. Sometimes it is necessary to resort to an open reposition and fixation of the reduced fragment with a silk suture. After such a procedure, the immobilization of the injured limb should last up to 10-12 weeks. In the future, it is necessary to wear orthopedic shoes.
Fractures of cuboid and sphenoid bones
Most often, the injury occurs when a weight falls on the back of the foot and is accompanied by swelling of the soft tissues in the area of injury, pain on palpation and turning the foot in any direction. An x-ray is required to confirm the fracture. After that, the leg is fixed with a plaster cast for a month and a half. For a year after such a fracture, it is recommended to wear an arch support.
Fracture of the metatarsal bones of the foot
This injury is the most common of all foot fractures. There are two typesmetatarsal fractures: traumatic and stress.
Traumatic fracture
Is the result of external mechanical action. It can be a weight drop on the leg, squeezing the foot, a strong blow.
Signs
A traumatic fracture of the foot is manifested by a characteristic crunch and pain at the time of injury, you can notice a shortening of the toe or its deviation to the side. The pain is very strong at first, but weakens over time, although it does not go away completely. Swelling or bruising occurs at the site of injury.
Stress fracture (fatigue)
Such injuries, which include a fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone of the foot, are usually found in athletes and those who lead an active lifestyle. They appear as a result of excessive and prolonged load on the foot. In fact, such a fracture is a crack in the bone, and it is very difficult to notice it.
If a person suffers from various concomitant diseases, such as osteoporosis or deformity of the feet, his condition can worsen significantly. Metatarsal stress fractures also occur in those who constantly walk in uncomfortable and tight shoes.
Symptoms
The first symptom that should alert you is pain that occurs in the foot after a long intense load and disappears in a calm state. Over time, it intensifies to such an extent that any action becomes impossible. Pain persists even at rest. Swelling appears at the site of the injury.
The danger is thatmost people with such an injury are in no hurry to see a doctor, often a person does not even suspect that he has a foot fracture. The signs in this case are not as pronounced as in other fractures, the patient walks and steps on his foot. Therefore, to avoid complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor immediately.
Fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of the foot is the most common injury.
Tucking the foot inward may cause an avulsion fracture. When this occurs, the separation and displacement of the metatarsal bone. Splicing is very long, so you need to contact a traumatologist as soon as possible. If treatment is delayed, the bone may not grow together properly, in which case surgery will be required.
The base of the 5th metatarsal is an area with poor blood supply. This is where the Jones fracture occurs. It occurs against the background of stress loads and grows together very slowly.
Metatarsal Fracture Diagnosis
The victim is carefully examined by a doctor, studying not only the foot, but also the ankle joint, determines the presence of edema, hemorrhage and characteristic deformity. Then a radiograph is taken in direct, lateral and semi-lateral projections. After determining the fracture and its type, the necessary treatment is prescribed.
Treatment
If a minor foot fracture is found, the treatment is a simple splint. At the same time, the injured limb must be immobile for several weeks in order for the damaged bone tissue to heal completely.
Whenthe bone is severely destroyed, it is necessary to carry out internal fixation. This is done using special screws.
The severity and nature of the damage determines further treatment. Any non-displaced metatarsal fracture needs to be immobilized. The applied gypsum will reliably protect the bone from possible displacement. Due to the fact that the foot is completely immobile, the fusion of bone tissue will occur faster.
If during the injury there was a displacement of fragments, surgical intervention is indispensable. During the operation, the doctor opens the fracture area and compares the resulting fragments, and then fixes them with special knitting needles or screws. Then plaster is applied for up to six weeks. The patient is forbidden to step on the injured leg. You can start walking after six weeks. The needles are removed after three months, the screws after four. The patient is advised to wear orthopedic shoes or insoles.
At a Jones fracture, a plaster bandage is applied from the toes to the middle third of the lower leg for up to two months. Do not step on the injured leg.
To reduce the load on the injured limb while walking, you need to use crutches. The patient must be observed by a doctor who will choose the right rehabilitation course to restore impaired functionality in the injured foot.
The recovery period for a fracture of the metatarsal bone is quite long and includes physical therapy, massage,use of arch supports, physiotherapy.
If such an injury is not treated or treated incorrectly, then complications such as arthrosis, deformity, constant pain and nonunion of the fracture may occur.
Fractures of the phalanges of the toes
This type of foot fracture is possible as a result of direct impact on the fingers (for example, with a strong blow or heavy fall). If the main phalanges do not grow together correctly, the function of the foot may be impaired. In addition, there may be pain when walking and limited mobility of the injured limb. As a result of a fracture of the middle and nail phalanges, such consequences do not occur.
Symptoms
There is a blueness of a broken finger, swelling, pronounced pain during movement. With such injuries, a subungual hematoma is sometimes formed. To confirm the diagnosis, it is recommended to conduct an X-ray examination in two projections.
Treatment
In case of fractures without displacement, a posterior plaster splint is applied to the affected finger. In the presence of displacement, there is a need for a closed reduction. Fragments of bones are fixed with knitting needles.
Fractures of the nail phalanges do not need special treatment, fixation with an adhesive bandage is usually sufficient. The period of immobilization is from 4 to 6 weeks.
If you properly treat a foot fracture and strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, it is possible not only to shorten the recovery period, but also to prevent possible complications.
