Each foot is comprised of 26 bones, and while they are all very strong, they can fracture if they become overloaded with chronic stress or acute trauma. Depending on the type of trauma you endured, you may be dealing with a few different types of foot fractures. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at four of the most common types of foot fractures in adults.
Types Of Foot Fractures
Here’s a look at a few of the different types of fractures that can occur in your foot.
Metatarsal Fractures – Metatarsals are the longer bones that are located at the base of each of your toes. A fracture to the metatarsal on your big toe is known as a first metatarsal fracture, while a fracture to the metatarsal on your little toe is known as a fifth metatarsal fracture, and the other three toes are classified similarly. Which metatarsal you break will dictate your treatment, as first metatarsal fractures often require surgery, whereas third or fifth metatarsal fractures may heal with conservative methods.
Toe Fracture – A toe fracture occurs when trauma to the foremost bones in the toe are compromised. These are known as your phalanges, and they can fracture when you stub your toe on a heavy object like a desk or a chair, or if you drop something hard onto your toe. Most toe fractures are painful but do not require surgery in order to correctly heal.
Heel Fracture – Another type of fracture that we see frequently and help patients treat is a heel fracture. A heel fracture happens when the area is overloaded with force, and the two most common culprits of heel fractures are falls where the person’s feet are the first thing to strike the ground and car accidents where the vehicle comes to an abrupt stop. Heel fractures don’t always heal correctly on their own, so oftentimes surgical intervention is required.
Stress Fracture – A stress fracture can occur in different areas of your foot, including some of the bones already described above like the metatarsals, but these injuries develop out of chronic stress instead of an acute moment of stress. Chronic stress or regular pressure can gradually wear down the integrity of the bone until a microfractures develop. The bones can repair these cracks so long as the individual gives their body enough time to heal from the stress fracture. Stepping away from activity and limiting strain on your feet typically yields great results for stress fractures.
For more information on any type of fracture, or for help with your foot pain, reach out to Dr. Silverman’s office today.