Last week, we explored the signs and symptoms of common foot fractures. Today, we’ll explain the treatment options associated with a fracture, and we’ll look at the standard rehabilitation procedure.
Non-surgical treatment
We briefly touched on the non-surgical treatment options in last week’s post. The most common method for patients who opt to forgo surgery is to practice the RICE method, which stands for:
- Rest
- Ice
- Compression
- Elevation
The most important step in the RICE method is rest. Oftentimes people try to compensate for their injury by limping through their day. This is problematic for many reasons. First, since your foot is already in a weakened state, putting any pressure on the area could lead to damage to the surrounding region. If you don’t give your foot ample time to rest, the bruising or swelling may linger for much longer than anticipated. Also, you could end up suffering an injury to another part of your body because other body parts are compensating for the extra weight you can’t place on your foot. Oftentimes patients who try to work through their foot fracture will experience back or hip pain because of the added stress being placed on these areas.
Another common treatment method in non-surgical fractures is casting or splinting. A cast or walking boot can help stabilize your foot while keeping the rest of your body aligned.
Surgical treatment
If your fracture is severe enough to require surgery, your doctor will preform a minimally invasive operation to ensure the bones in your foot heal properly. Your doctor will preform a surgical operation known as an “internal fixation procedure”. Generally, there are two types of internal fixation surgeries:
- Internal fixation with pins – When smaller bones in the foot break, a doctor can use pins to ensure that the bones heal in place. The pins are placed around the fractured area so the bone reconnects properly.
- Internal fixation with plates and screws – Plates are screws may be used if pins won’t sufficiently address the fracture. The plate is screwed in place to stabilize the affected region as it heals.
Recovering from a fractured foot
Because your foot is comprised of so many small bones, the recovery time can differ depending on which bone you break. While the timeline may be slightly different, the process is essentially the same. Your bones heal in a three-step process:
Step 1: Inflammation
The healing process begins immediately after you fracture your foot. Blood cells will clot in the fractured area so that extra oxygen, minerals and calcium can reach the affected area. These will help expedite the healing process. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to injury. The inflammation step usually lasts 7-10 days.
Step 2: Soft Tissue Healing
In step 2 of the recovery process, your body begins to stabilize the fracture by replacing the clotted blood with fibrous tissue and cartilage. The tissue is very weak and susceptible to breakage, so it’s important to minimize the amount of pressure you place on your foot. It usually takes 3-6 weeks for soft tissue to develop around the fracture area.
Step 3: Bone Healing
The final stage in the healing process involves the formation of a hard callus that unifies the broken bone back in its original place. The soft tissue around the fractured area begins to harden, and the progress can be tracked by X-ray imaging. A person can usually return to full sporting activities once the hard callus has formed, which typically occurs 6-12 weeks after the initial injury.
Related source: AAOS, Buzzle.com
