Broken Foot How To Treat

If you’ve ever dropped something heavy on your foot, you know how painful and debilitating a broken foot can be.

With 26 bones in each foot, fracturing or breaking one of those bones is not hard to do.

If you do break a foot, it is important to get medical treatment as soon as you can to alleviate the pain, prevent any further damage, and start the healing process.

What Are The Signs of a Broken Foot?

At JAWS Podiatry, we treat a lot of patients with broken feet.

Sometimes, it can be obvious that a foot is broken, such as with compound fractures or visible dislocations and deformities.

Other times, however, people may not know they’ve actually broken their foot until they see a physician for testing and diagnosis.  

If you see or feel any of the following symptoms, there is a good chance you’ve broken your foot and need medical treatment:

  • Immediate, throbbing pain
  • Pain that gets more intense with activity and decreases with rest
  • Swelling
  • Bruising
  • Tenderness
  • Deformity
  • Difficulty in walking or bearing weight

3 Immediate Treatments For A Broken Foot

If you believe that you may have broken your foot, there are a few things you can do to ease the pain and reduce swelling before you get to the doctor:

  • Elevate your foot, ideally above the level of your heart, to reduce the flow of blood to your feet and reduce swelling. Prop your foot on some pillows while lying down or sit in a reclining chair if possible.
  • Apply an icepack to the area. Put some ice in a plastic bag (or use a bag of frozen peas), wrap in a washcloth or towel, and apply to the injured foot for 15 to 20 minutes every one to two hours for the first one to two days.
  • Stay off of it. Rest and avoid putting any stress, strain, or pressure on the foot.

What Are The Medical Treatments For A Broken Foot?

How we treat a broken foot depends primarily on which bone is broken and how severe the injury is.

To determine the nature and extent of the damage, we will conduct a thorough examination of the foot, likely including imaging tests like x-rays, bone scans, CT scans, or an MRI.

Treatment can range from pain relievers to immobilization with a cast or brace to allow the break to heal.

For displaced fractures, where the two ends of the bones are not aligned, your podiatrist may need to perform a reduction, which involves manipulating the bone pieces back into their proper positions.

For severe breaks, such as a compound fracture, surgery may be necessary to fully repair the injury.

You may need a tetanus shot and antibiotic medication as well if the bone has punctured the skin or there is an open wound.

Most broken feet fully heal if properly treated.

Call JAWS Podiatry Today to Schedule an Appointment

At JAWS Podiatry in Hollywood, Florida, we know how painful and frustrating foot or ankle problems such as a broken foot can be. We also understand that you want to resolve any such issues as quickly and as easily as possible.

That is why we use the most advanced, non-invasive techniques to reduce pain and speed recovery.

Submit an inquiry or call our teams at (954) 922-7333 to schedule an in-person or virtual consultation today!