The Lisfranc is a pretty protected joint, but it’s not immune from injury, and because of the pivotal role it plays in your foot, a Lisfranc injury can be particularly bothersome. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some common Lisfranc injuries, and we discuss some treatment options.

Common Lisfranc Injuries

As we mentioned in the introduction, Lisfranc injuries are pretty rare. Only about 0.2% of all reported broken bones are Lisfranc fractures, and only 1 in every 55,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with a Lisfranc fracture each year. The location in the midfoot means it has plenty of natural protection, but high-energy trauma from athletic competition, car accidents or falls from a great height can all result in a Lisfranc injury.

Some of the most common Lisfranc injuries:

Lisfranc sprain: When any of the three Lisfranc ligaments stretch or partially tear

Lisfranc fracture: When any of the bones in the Lisfranc joint break

Lisfranc dislocation: When a bone is moved out of place in the joint

Symptom of a Lisfranc injury are similar regardless of what type of injury you suffered, although symptoms may be more severe if you suffer a more significant injury. Some common symptoms of Lisfranc injuries include:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Bruising
• Tenderness

All of these symptoms are most common on the top of the foot, near the midfoot area. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, reach out to your primary care physician or a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman.

Treating Lisfranc Injuries

It’s important to ensure correct healing following a Lisfranc injury, otherwise symptoms may linger for an extended period. Mild or moderate Lisfranc sprains may be able to fully heal without surgery, although you can expect to be in a walking boot for a upwards of eight weeks to protect the area as it heals. Once the boot is removed, patients will pursue weeks of physical therapy to strengthen the joint and its supportive structures to ensure it can handle a normal amount of stress.

If you suffered a dislocation, a fracture or a complete ligament tear, surgery will likely be your recommended course of action. Surgery is focused on securing proper alignment for the bones that make up the joint. Oftentimes surgical hardware is used to hold the joint in place as healing runs its course. Patients can expect to be in a cast or boot for 8-12 weeks after their operation, and full recovery can take up to a year. Giving full effort during physical therapy sessions can help to speed up your recovery timeline.

The post The Different Types Of Lisfranc Injuries appeared first on Lance Silverman, MD - Orthopedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon.

Over the course of the season, some big names have been sidelined because of Lisfranc injuries.  Santonio Holmes, Cedric Benson, and Ryan Kalil have all been lost for the season after suffering the joint injury.  Lisfranc injuries can be treated in surgical and non-surgical ways, but all three players opted to go under the knife.

What is a Lisfranc injury?

Lisfranc injuries occur when the midfoot is twisted when the foot is plantar-flexed, meaning that weight is being placed on the front of the foot, like a ballerina on point.  Lisfranc injuries are not very common outside of sports because of the nature of the injury.

What is the recovery time for a Lisfranc injury?

The recovery time for a Lisfranc injury varies depending on the severity of the injury.  If the injury does not require surgery, a cast is issued and the patient is required to forego weight bearing on the leg for 6-8 weeks.  After eight weeks a patients can begin to return to normal activates as they see fit.  With that said, a large portion of Lisfranc injuries do require surgery.  Following the operation the foot is placed in a cast and patients are told not to bear weight for 6-8 weeks.  After 8 weeks patients can begin rehabilitation and can usually return to sporting activities 3-5 months after the initial operation.

Why are they more common in the NFL?

Lisfranc injuries occur more frequently in the NFL because football is a high impact sport.  Lisfranc injuries usually happen when weight forces the foot to twist when the heel is elevated.  This can happen when a defensive player makes a diving tackle at a player’s foot or in the middle of a pile-up.  These injuries are different than ankle sprains, which are common in basketball, because sprains occur when the flat foot is twisted, while Lisfranc injuries occur when the foot is in a plantar-flexed state.

Lisfranc is a weird name.  How did the injury get its name?

The naming of the Lisfranc joint dates back nearly 200 years to Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, a surgeon in Napoleon’s army.  Lisfranc was renowned for his successful amputations of the foot, often saving the lives of soldiers suffering from gangrene.  Lisfranc first documented the injury in 1813 after seeing the condition in soldiers who would fall off their horse with their foot caught in the stirrup.  These falls created a high-impact twist, similar to what football players suffer in the NFL.

Related source:  SportsMD.com

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