Every day, across America, foot and ankle emergencies occur. Broken bones, dislocations, sprains, contusions, infections and other very serious injuries can occur at any time, to anyone involved in a multitude of activities. It is important to seek early attention from a medically trained podiatrist whenever you sustain an injury to your foot or ankle.

There are a number of myths about foot and ankle injuries that may prevent one from running to a doctor right away. We’ll try and dispel a few of them now:

1. “It can’t be broken if I can still move it.” False; this crazy idea has kept many fractures from ever receiving prompt, proper treatment. The truth is, often times you can walk with certain types of fractures. Some common examples include: breaks in the smaller, outer bones of the lower leg, small “chip” fractures of the ankle and foot bones, and the biggest one of all is the broken toe.
2. “If you break a toe, immediate care isn’t needed.” False; a toe fracture can require prompt attention. If x-rays show that the fracture is a simple displacement, where a little toe bone has just been shifted out of place, your podiatric physician can usually provide you rapid relief. In the unfortunate event that the x-rays show a “displaced” or “angulated” break, you need the help of a podiatrist to prevent improper or incomplete healing, which left untreated, can cause years of pain and trouble. There are times when the initial x-rays won’t show a fracture, even though it is there. In this case, it may be necessary to return at a later date to have a second set of x-rays performed. It is not uncommon for untreated toe fractures to develop into “post-fracture deformities”, which can lead to deformed toes that can generate painful corns and calluses in response to new abnormal pressures. In general, a good rule of thumb is: seek prompt treatment for injuries to your foot.
3. “You should soak your foot or ankle injury in hot water immediately.” False; never use hot water or heat on an area you suspect to be fractured, sprained or dislocated. Heat increases blood flow, which causes greater swelling. More swelling in turn means more pressure on the surrounding nerves, which causes more pain! Icing the injury, on the other hand, can have the opposite effect on blood flow, which reduces swelling and it has an added numbing effect, which helps with the pain. Upon examination by a podiatrist, additional recommendations may be given, based on your specific situation.
4. “Elastic bandages are an effective treatment for severe ankle sprains.” False; ankle sprains often involve torn or severely overstretched ligaments, and thus, they should receive immediate care by a physician. X-rays, immobilization with crutches or a boot and physical therapy may be needed to give you the best chance for a full recovery. It is possible that surgery may even be necessary, and you don’t want to delay this if you want to avoid trouble later in life.
5. “The words ‘Fracture’, ‘Break’, and ‘Crack’ are all different.” False; all of those words can be used to describe a broken bone.

Should you sustain an injury to your foot or ankle, there are a few steps you can take to help yourself until you can see your podiatrist. It’s an old saying, and many of you may have even heard it before, but it is often forgotten in times of trouble: “RICE”. “R” stands for Rest, meaning you should stay off your foot/ankle. “I” stands for Ice because applying ice wrapped in a towel over the injury for periods of 20-25min, followed by 45min of no ice can help limit swelling and help with the pain. “C” stands for Compression, as you can gently wrap an ACE bandage around the injury, taking care not to pull it too tight. “E” stands for Elevation, as you should sit in a position to keep your foot/ankle higher than your waist, which can also help reduce swelling. Remember, RICE is NOT a substitution for medical attention, it is just a few things you can employ before seeing the doctor.

Finally, there are a few precautions you can take to limit your risk of injury to your foot and ankle. Make sure you wear appropriate shoes for your chosen activities (in other words, don’t run a 5K in your dress shoes or sandals) and lace them up properly. If you need to wear steel-toed boots, make sure you leave enough room to accommodate your toes comfortably. Always wear closed toe, preferably hard-top shoes when mowing the lawn; and when you’re mowing the lawn, be sure to pay attention to what you’re doing! Don’t go barefoot on paved streets, even sidewalks. Watch out for slippery floors at home or work. Clean up obvious spills immediately. If you awake in the middle of the night, whether nature is calling or you suddenly remember your dog is still outside, you should turn on a light (or use a flash light). Many fractured toes and other foot injuries occur while walking in the dark.

Should you ever find yourself in need of medical attention for your foot or ankle, don’t hesitiate to contact your local Chandler Podiatrist immediately. We feel your feet are VERY important, and so should you!

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