Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSymptomsComplicationsWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderDiagnosisHealing TimeFirst AidTreatmentPreventionFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Symptoms
Complications
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Diagnosis
Healing Time
First Aid
Treatment
Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
A broken foot, or foot fracture, can affect any of the 26 bones in each foot. Depending on your injury, recovery time for a fractured foot can vary from six weeks to six months.
This article will describe common causes, types, symptoms, and treatment of foot fractures.
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What Are the Causes of a Broken Foot?
Additionally,stress fracturesin the bones of the feet can develop from repetitive stress and overuse with prolonged walking, running, and exercising without adequate rest or supportive footwear.
Risk factors that increase the likelihood of a broken foot include:
What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Foot?
A broken foot can cause changes in the physical appearance of your foot as well as problems with your movement. Broken foot symptoms include:
Broken Foot vs. Sprained FootSymptoms of sprainsand breaks are similar, except that a sprain may allow for more range of motion than a break. However, do not attempt to identify the exact nature of a foot injury on your own. If you can’t bear weight on your foot, see a healthcare provider for an exam and X-ray.
Broken Foot vs. Sprained Foot
Symptoms of sprainsand breaks are similar, except that a sprain may allow for more range of motion than a break. However, do not attempt to identify the exact nature of a foot injury on your own. If you can’t bear weight on your foot, see a healthcare provider for an exam and X-ray.
Possible Complications of a Broken Foot
Fortunately, complications as a result of a foot fracture are rare, but may include:
Physical Therapy After Fracture
A broken foot requires immediate medical attention. If you were involved in a car accident, fall, or impact injury and developed foot pain and difficulty bearing weight on your foot immediately after, schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Seek medical attention if you’ve been experiencing prolonged foot pain that has not improved over the course of a month. Your healthcare provider will assess if a stress fracture or other condition such asplantar fasciitismay have developed over time from repetitive strain on your foot.
How is a Broken Foot Diagnosed?
An X-ray is the most common diagnostic test used to diagnose a foot fracture. The Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules are used as a screening measure to determine if an X-ray is needed based on symptoms after injury.
According to these rules, an X-ray of the foot is needed if a patient has pain in the midfoot region and either:
If the above symptoms are not present, X-rays are not needed, since a foot fracture is not likely.
Sometimes anMRIwill be performed to assess for a stress fracture, which can be difficult to detect on a conventional X-ray. MRIs can depict boneedema, which can develop before a full-stress fracture develops.
Foot fractures most often refer to fractures of either the metatarsals ortarsals, two groups of bones in the foot located between the toes and heel.
The most common foot fractures include:
Metatarsal fractures make up 35% of all foot fractures, most often occurring in the fifth metatarsal that connects to the pinky toe. About 80% of metatarsal fractures heal well with conservative treatment.
Other fractures that involves bones of the feet include:
Toe fractures are the most common type of foot fracture.
How Long Does a Broken Foot Take to Heal?
It typically takes six to eight weeks for bones to heal, but this timeline can be longer depending on the severity of your fracture. Some types of foot fractures can take up to six months to recover adequately to support weight-bearing and the physical demands of more active and athletic individuals. During the initial stage of recovery, you will not be allowed to place weight on your foot and will need to use a walker or crutches to enable your foot fracture to heal.
First Aid for a Broken Foot
An over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever like Tylenol (acetaminophen), Advil (ibuprofen), or Aleve (naproxen) is OK to take while you wait for medical attention.
Exercises for Foot and Ankle Injury Recovery
How is a Broken Foot Treated?
Treatment will vary depending on the type of fracture you have but generally involves wearing some type of protective cast, boot, or supportive footwear to protect the foot as the fracture heals.
More serious fractures may need to be treated with surgery. A surgeon may perform “internal fixation,” which is the insertion of metal pins, screws, or plates to hold the bones in place while they heal.
During your recovery, you will progress the amount of weight you can bear on your foot as tolerated. You may also be referred tophysical therapyto improve your foot and ankle mobility, strength, and balance.Vitamin Dsupplementation may also be recommended to help improve the ability of your bones to heal.
Elevating your foot and applying ice can help decrease pain, swelling, and inflammation. Pain medication (either OTC or prescribed) may also be used to help manage your discomfort, especially in the beginning weeks after injury and/or surgery.
Metatarsal fracture
Metatarsal fractures are typically treated with a splint or cast while avoiding weight bearing on the affected foot for at least four to six weeks. When your splint or cast is removed, you will then be provided with a walking boot for four to six weeks to limit pressure on your foot as it continues to heal.
Jones fracture
A Jones fracture typically requires a longer period of time in a cast while avoiding weight bearing for six to eight weeks. Surgery for a Jones fracture may be needed for athletes and active individuals to promote healing and return to sport and physical activity.
Navicular fracture
Toe fracture
Toe fractures generally require the least treatment, starting with taping one toe to another to splint the broken toe while wearing rigid sole shoes for four to six weeks. If your big toe is broken, you may have to wear a walking boot for two to three weeks first before moving on to wearing rigid-soled shoes for three to four more weeks.
How Does It Feel When a Broken Bone is Healing?
How is a Broken Foot Prevented?
While many foot fractures occur from injury, which can be unpredictable, certain measures can be taken to help strengthen your feet. Preventative measures for avoiding foot fractures include:
Summary
Foot fractures typically take six to eight weeks to heal, but can sometimes take up to six months depending on the injury. A foot fracture can include the toes, heel bone, tarsal, or metatarsal bones. They most commonly occur from impact injuries (accidents or falls). They can also develop gradually from a repetitive activity like running and jumping without adequate rest.
Most foot fractures require a non-weight-bearing period when you stay off your injured foot to give it adequate time to heal. During this time you will wear a specialized boot, shoe, or cast and use a walker or crutches. After the initial weeks of recovery, you will be cleared to gradually increase weight bearing and build back your strength and mobility.
Frequently Asked QuestionsFor most foot fractures, you will need to avoid full weight bearing for at least six to eight weeks to allow the fracture to heal. During this time, your foot will be placed in a boot or cast and you will need to use crutches or a walker to get around.If it is not a severe fracture, a broken foot has the potential to heal on its own as long as appropriate precautions are taken, such as immobilization with a cast or boot and avoidance of weight bearing in the initial stages of recovery.
For most foot fractures, you will need to avoid full weight bearing for at least six to eight weeks to allow the fracture to heal. During this time, your foot will be placed in a boot or cast and you will need to use crutches or a walker to get around.
If it is not a severe fracture, a broken foot has the potential to heal on its own as long as appropriate precautions are taken, such as immobilization with a cast or boot and avoidance of weight bearing in the initial stages of recovery.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bica D, Sprouse RA, Armen J.Diagnosis and management of common foot fractures.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(3):183-191.Tsang KW, Morrison WB.Update: Imaging of Lower Extremity Infection.Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2016;20(2):175-191. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1581116University of Michigan Health.Malunion Fractures.American College Health Association.Acute Care Measure: Application of “Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules” for Acute Ankle Injury.Shakked RJ, Walters EE, O’Malley MJ.Tarsal navicular stress fractures.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017;10(1):122-130. doi:10.1007/s12178-017-9392-9American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Bica D, Sprouse RA, Armen J.Diagnosis and management of common foot fractures.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(3):183-191.Tsang KW, Morrison WB.Update: Imaging of Lower Extremity Infection.Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2016;20(2):175-191. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1581116University of Michigan Health.Malunion Fractures.American College Health Association.Acute Care Measure: Application of “Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules” for Acute Ankle Injury.Shakked RJ, Walters EE, O’Malley MJ.Tarsal navicular stress fractures.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017;10(1):122-130. doi:10.1007/s12178-017-9392-9American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bica D, Sprouse RA, Armen J.Diagnosis and management of common foot fractures.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(3):183-191.Tsang KW, Morrison WB.Update: Imaging of Lower Extremity Infection.Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2016;20(2):175-191. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1581116University of Michigan Health.Malunion Fractures.American College Health Association.Acute Care Measure: Application of “Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules” for Acute Ankle Injury.Shakked RJ, Walters EE, O’Malley MJ.Tarsal navicular stress fractures.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017;10(1):122-130. doi:10.1007/s12178-017-9392-9American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries.
Bica D, Sprouse RA, Armen J.Diagnosis and management of common foot fractures.Am Fam Physician. 2016;93(3):183-191.
Tsang KW, Morrison WB.Update: Imaging of Lower Extremity Infection.Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2016;20(2):175-191. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1581116
University of Michigan Health.Malunion Fractures.
American College Health Association.Acute Care Measure: Application of “Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules” for Acute Ankle Injury.
Shakked RJ, Walters EE, O’Malley MJ.Tarsal navicular stress fractures.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2017;10(1):122-130. doi:10.1007/s12178-017-9392-9
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Sprains, strains and other soft-tissue injuries.
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