One of the most common ways of treating a foot fracture is to immobilise it using a special hard ‘boot’ so that it can heal faster and better. — Filepic
There are 26 bones in a human foot, and yes, you can fracture or break any one of them. They are:
> Seven tarsals
These form your hindfoot and midfoot.
The talus connects your foot to the leg bones as part of your ankle joint.
The calcaneus is your heel bone.
The navicular connects your hindfoot to your midfoot.
The cuboid, which is shaped like a cube, is the bone of the outer side of your foot.
And the three cuneiform bones are shaped like a wedge.
> Five metatarsals
These are five long bones that form your forefoot and connect to your toes.
> Fourteen phalanges
These are your toe bones.
Your big toe (hallux) only has two phalanges, meaning that it can only bend one way.
Your four other toes have three phalanges each.
Therefore, you can “wriggle” them in three directions.
Each phalange in a toe is named proximal (nearer to your midfoot), intermediate and distal (nearer to outside) respectively.
It can be difficult for you to tell because different people have different thresholds of pain.
That’s why it is always good to go straight to a clinic with an X-ray machine the moment you have an injury or a fall.
These are some of the symptoms you may experience with a broken foot:
- Pain
This can come on suddenly or gradually.
It’s worse when you walk or do an activity.
It abates when you rest.
- Swelling
Sometimes, due to the nature of your injury, the swelling may occur at a different site to where your fracture is, or it might involve the entire area.
It is better to go to a doctor who can feel for tenderness – the area that is fractured is usually tender.
- Bruising and discolouration
There may be a haematoma, or collection of blood, at the affected area.
This can be difficult to spot, especially if you are dark-skinned.
- Your foot ‘looks’ different
This is an altered appearance of your foot.
“Something” may jut out, especially if a bone is displaced.
- Trouble standing
- Trouble walking
- Trouble in moving your foot
- Inability to maintain balance.
Plenty of injuries can cause one or more of your foot bones to break.
The commonest cause is a direct trauma to your foot, such as a fall, trip, twist, or if you kick something really hard.
People sometimes drop a heavy item and it accidentally lands on their foot.
My friend was shopping for a Christmas present in a bookstore and accidentally dropped a heavy book on her foot.
Just like that, her Christmas had to be spent with her foot encased in a boot!
Another type of foot fracture comes from repetitive stress and overuse.
If you walk, run or exercise without wearing the proper shoes, this can build up over time and cause a fracture.
People who usually experience this type of fracture are footballers, runners and dancers.
You are also more likely to break your bones when you have an injury if you have a condition like osteoporosis (in older people), vitamin D deficiency or flat feet.
It depends on where you break it.
And this is not something that you should try to heal on your own because your bone may heal out of alignment and you may be stuck with a deformed foot.
The moment you have your injury, you will be asked to to RICE:
- Rest
- Ice your foot – don’t apply ice for more than 20 minutes at a time.
- Compression – you can wrap that area in a dressing.
- Elevate – you should rest with your foot raised slightly above your heart.
You can also take some painkillers.
You will likely have to wear some sort of cast or splint.
Nowadays, the doctor is likely to ask you to wear a special “boot” with a rigid sole so that your bones are immobilised.
A broken toe may be treated by “buddy taping”.
This means that your broken toe is taped to one of the toes next to it so that it is kept stable.
Surgery involving screws, rods or plates may have to be done if your bone is out of place.
Anything from six to 10 weeks, depending on your healing process.
The doctor will take follow-up X-rays to monitor your progress.
And do remember to ask your doctor first before you return to your normal physical activities, especially exercise.
Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.
