![]() ![]() The swelling, pain, and stiffness typically improve over time but it may always look and/or feel different from your other side. Some patients have lingering pain with walking, especially on uneven ground. The heel can also remain swollen compared to the uninjured side. Long-term issues after calcaneus fractures (with or without surgery) commonly include a limp and/or stiffness in the foot or ankle. For best results, it is important to follow instructions from your surgeon regarding your care. This may occur whether you had surgery or not. ![]() It can take 3 months or longer of healing before you are able to put your full weight on your injured foot. When you start putting weight on it, it may only be part of your weight. Typically, you will not be able to put any weight on your broken foot for 4 to 12 weeks. Your ability to move your foot and ankle and put more weight on your leg will improve as your bone heals. Sometimes physical therapy is prescribed to help with motion and weight bearing once the bone heals. You will likely be immobilized in a well-padded splint. While your broken calcaneus is healing, you will not be able to put weight on your foot. The bone fragments are put back into the right place, and metal plates and screws are used to fit and hold the bone pieces back together until your bone heals.įigure 7: A tension type calcaneus fracture that has been realigned and fixed with screws. If surgery is needed, an incision, or "cut," is generally made along the outside part of your foot over the heel bone. Surgery is almost always required if the bone came through your skin or is close to breaking through the skin. non-surgical treatment with an orthopaedic surgeon. You should discuss your specific injury and the advantages of surgery vs. Surgery may be also be needed to address changes in the shape of your bone: typically flattening, widening, or the bone has shifted into a bad position. The subtalar joint lets your foot move from side to side, as compared to the ankle joint, which moves your ankle up and down. Calcaneus fractures that benefit from surgery often involve breaks within the subtalar joint (the joint just below your ankle joint). If surgery is not needed, there will still be a time where movement and weight bearing is limited. The broken bone will take 3-4 months to heal with or without surgery. Some, but not all, calcaneus fractures require surgery. In this case you may be admitted to the hospital immediately for surgery. This may mean more urgent surgery is required. Sometimes the break is so displaced that the broken bone is pressing from the inside on the skin around the heel. This is because surgery is often delayed until the swelling goes down, which can take up to several weeks. People typically do not need to be admitted to the hospital for an isolated calcaneus fracture. You should make an appointment with an orthopaedist or your primary care doctor for follow-up. Usually you will be placed into a very well-padded splint, boot, or partial cast to help protect the broken bone from further injury. Often, they will obtain a CT scan of the heel bone as well, to get a better look at the broken bone. Your doctor will examine your heel and foot, and get an x-ray to see if it is broken or not. The broken bone and swelling may cause you to feel throbbing where the bone is broken. Initial TreatmentĬalcaneus fractures usually hurt and get very swollen right after the injury. Video Library: Annual Meeting & Conferencesįigure 4: Fracture of the calcaneus due to the pull of the calf muscles with threatened skin at the back of the heel from the displaced bone fragment.OTA Orthopaedic Trauma References & Resources.Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness.OTA Support of Federal Grant Applications. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |