Having a broken foot is always a challenging injury. After all, in order to simply get around, you must put weight on that injured limb—or navigate the world with crutches or a scooter. But if you think it’s tough to have a fracture during the rest of the year, try figuring out what to do with a broken foot in summer, when all you want to do is hop in a pool and take a swim. Dealing with this injury and hoping for some help making it through the season of sunshine? Keep reading for the top survival tips from Nassau County podiatrists Dr. Novneet Chhabra and Dr. Mark Gasparini. But first, let’s help you determine if your foot injury could be a foot fracture!
Symptoms of a Broken Foot
After a foot injury, it can be hard to tell if you should walk off the pain or go get an X-ray. So, to help you make the right call, here are some signs that you may have broken your foot. Your foot may be fractured if you notice:
• Brusing or swelling
• Pain or tenderness
• Difficult bearing weight on the injured foot
Of course, foot fractures come in degrees of severity. If you have a stress fracture in your foot (an injury that develops over time, due to repeated pressure) you may be able to walk on the injury. With a stable fracture, you may also be able to walk on a broken foot, but it will be extremely painful. And with a displaced or open fracture, your foot may be deformed, or bone fragments may be visible through the surface of your skin. But regardless of the extent of your injury, you’ll need an X-ray to diagnose a foot fracture, and to make sure you get the right treatment and get started on the path to proper healing.
What to Do for a Broken Foot That Needs Diagnosing ![care for a broken foot]()
You might think that the Emergency Room is the best place to get a broken foot diagnosis. But you’d be wrong, according to this study from the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine. With a goal of studying the effective of fracture treatment for children in an Emergency Room setting, the research results were quite surprising. Here’s the story.
Lead study author Dr. Josh Abzu, who is also director of pediatric orthopedics, saw 275 children in his clinic, all of whom had been seen for broken bones in the ER. Unfortunately, he noted, 90% of those kids had incorrectly splinted injuries. How could that be? Well, Dr. Abzug explains, bone care is complex, especially when it comes to the ones in your feet and ankles, since, "with a broken ankle, you want to splint the foot about 90 degrees to the lower leg, so that three or four weeks down the road, when the child is ready to walk, her foot is nice and flat, instead of pointed at the wrong angle." Unfortunately, he continues, that’s not common practice in an ER setting, due to "a lack of education in some cases, or a lack of attention to detail." And, unless the incorrect bone setting is adjusted, the fact that the doctors did not know what to do for a broken foot could lead to long-term complications. In fact, if a broken foot is set improperly, you could extend your recovery period at best, or suffer compromised circulation and limb damage at worst. For that reason, you need to see someone who knows everything about foot bones if you think one may be broken. And that person just happens to be your podiatrist!
Why You Should See a Podiatrist for a Broken Foot
In case you weren’t aware, podiatrists are doctors and surgeons who specialize in caring for the muscles, tendons and bones in your toes, feet and ankles. For that reason, they are uniquely qualified to diagnose—and treat—injuries to these structures. Plus, when you come to our podiatry practice in Massapequa, NY, you can avoid the long waits at the emergency room by taking advantage of our in-office X-ray diagnostics.
Now, if we do detect a broken bone in your foot, we’ll need to treat the injury with some form of rest and immobilization. But, because we have years of experience treating foot fractures, we can choose the treatment plan that will be least disruptive to your daily routine. And that matters a lot, especially when you’re dealing with a broken foot in the summer months.
What to Do for a Broken Foot: Tips for Summer Survival
Whether we immobilize your broken foot in a surgical shoe or a CAM Walker Boot, we’ll suggest propping up your injured leg and taking a rest as often as you can. (This can help prevent swelling and promote a faster recovery.) Now, summer is a great time to sit back and relax. But if you do decide to take that break by the pool or on a beach chair, you’ll have to make sure that dirt and sweat don’t collect on the skin beneath your boot or cast, increasing your risk for rashes or even infections.
How can you stay safe? If you’re in a boot or surgical, carefully remove it and wash and dry the skin beneath once you’re done with the great outdoors. Need more help figuring out what to do for a broken foot this summer? That’s what we’re here for! So, if you suspect you may have fractured your foot, or your injury isn’t healing the way you think it should, give us a call at 516-804-9038 or click here to request an appointment in the office.