Foot & Ankle Injuries
Foot and ankle emergencies happen every day. Broken bones, dislocations, sprains, contusions, infections and other serious injuries can occur at any time. The following are the most common:
Strains & sprains
Sprains involve injury to ligaments, whereas strains involve injury to muscles. Ankle sprains and strains usually occur when the foot turns inward, causing swelling and pain on the outside of the ankle.
Shin splints
Shin splints can result from repetitive over-extension or strain of one of the leg muscles.
Stress fracture
A stress fracture in an incomplete crack in the bone caused by overuse or strain of the foot. A foot that is not structurally sound is prone to developing stress fractures. Even a normal foot can easily develop a stress fracture from repetitive use or a sudden increased activity level. Other causes include medical conditions such as osteoporosis, medications such as steroids. Symptoms may include pain, redness, bruising and swelling.
Break, fracture, and crack
Fracture, break and crack are different ways of describing a broken bone.
Get tips on how to prevent foot and ankle injuries here.
What can you do?
Early attention is vitally important. Whenever you sustain a foot or ankle injury, you should seek immediate treatment from a podiatrist.
If an injury or accident does occur, the steps you can take to help yourself until you can reach your podiatrist are easy to remember if you can recall the word “RICE” which stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation.
- Rest. Cut back on your activity, and get off your feet if you can.
- Ice. Gently place a plastic bag of ice, wrapped in a towel, on the injured area in a 10-minute “on,” 20-minute “off” cycle.
- Compression. Lightly wrap an Ace bandage around the area, taking care not to pull it too tight.
- Elevation. Sit in a position that you can elevate the foot higher than the heart, to reduce swelling and pain.
- Switch to a soft shoe or slipper, preferably one that your podiatrist can cut up in the office if it needs to be altered to accommodate a bulky dressing.
- For bleeding cuts, cleanse well, apply pressure with gauze or a towel, and cover with a clean dressing. It’s best not to use any medication on the cut before you see the doctor.
- Leave blisters unopened if they are not painful or swollen.
- Foreign materials in the skin, such as slivers, splinters, and sand, can be removed carefully with a sterile instrument. A deep foreign object, such as broken glass or a needle, must be removed professionally.
- Treatment for an abrasion is similar to that of a burn, since raw skin is exposed to the air and can easily become infected. Cleansing is important to remove all foreign particles. Sterile bandages should be applied, along with an antibiotic cream or ointment.
Find out more about foot injury myths here.
What can our podiatrists do for you?
- Perform a physical examination.
- Request X-ray, bone scan, CT, MRI or other imaging studies and future exams as needed.
- Immobilize or cast the foot/leg.
- Prescribe medications when indicated.
- Realign bones when indicated.
- Perform surgery if necessary.
- Recommend physiotherapy to aid recovery.
- Prescribe custom orthotics for long-term control and prevention.
For more information, book an appointment with one of our doctors.