A foot fracture is a fairly common injury that can happen suddenly due to a fall or accident, or it can happen gradually as a result of stress due to jogging or wearing the wrong kind of shoes. Fractures can be mild and require little care, especially if a toe is involved, or they can be severe enough to require surgery. No matter what kind of fracture you have, one of the best things you can do to help it heal is to keep weight off your foot. Here is a look at some of the treatments your doctor may recommend when you have a foot fracture.
Foot Elevation And Ice
When you fracture your foot, you'll probably have a lot of swelling in the area. Swelling can intensify pain, so you'll be more comfortable when you get the swelling under control. Ice is useful for this. Wrap some ice in a t-shirt or towel and apply it to your foot for several minutes at a time. This treatment is especially helpful as soon as the injury happens. Ice reduces blood flow, so it helps stop bleeding which causes bruising and swelling from the accumulation of blood. Ice is also a natural pain reliever, although you want to be careful not to leave the ice on so long it numbs your skin or you could burn or irritate it.
Elevating your foot higher than the rest of your body also helps reduce …show more content…
To keep you from being immobile and sedentary, your doctor may fit you with crutches or a knee walker. Both of these allow you to walk around while keeping your broken foot off the ground. If you get crutches, be sure your doctor fits you for the right length and teaches you how to use them so you don't damage the nerves in your arms. A knee walker may be the most convenient choice since you can use it while keeping your hands free. You can rent a knee walker if you don't want to buy one, and it may even be covered by your