5 Types of Foot & Ankle Fractures
Professional athletes and dance practitioners are very susceptible to foot and ankle fractures. In fact, hairline toe fractures are quite common in ballet dancers. But a foot or ankle fracture can happen to anyone and can occur just from tripping over the curb while crossing the street and staring at your phone!
The type of fracture you have will depend upon the degree and location of force that occurred during the incident. See your foot doctor for expert treatment. A rigid boot is often required to immobilize the foot while the fracture heels.
The five types of fractures that can affect your feet and ankles include the following:
Compound fracture—A compound fracture is the most severe type of fracture and involves serious breaks and protruding bones. Surgical repair and setting of the bones with a cast are required for proper healing.
Stabilized break—The ends of the bones are only slightly apart and easily placed and held back together.
Comminuted break—This is another severe type of fracture in which the bones break into multiple pieces, often requiring surgery.
Oblique break—A diagonal displacement characterizes this type of fracture.
Hairline (or stress fractures)— These are tiny, fine line fractures that may only show up on imaging scans. They often occur from repetitive stress and can be challenging to trace and treat without your foot doctor's help.
If you have suffered a fracture to your foot or ankle, see your foot care professional for the proper diagnosis and treatment. James C. Ricketti, DPM of Hamilton Square, NJ (in Mercer County), is a board-certified podiatrist providing state of the art diagnostic and treatment options for all types of foot and ankle injuries, diseases, and deformities. From hammertoes and bunions to diabetic foot problems and sports injuries, you can rest assured that Dr. Ricketti and his staff will get you back on your feet as fast as possible. Please contact our office with any questions or to schedule an appointment. Call 609-587-1674.