Cracked bone in the foot

Legs are the organ of support and movement, and feet are their anatomical part with important functions: to give stability to the figure, to be shock absorbers, to bear a large physical load. They consist of various bones (there are 26 in each), which, unfortunately, are subject to injury. One of the injuries is a crack in the foot bone, in other words - a partial violation of the integrity of the bone. In medical terminology, this is called an incomplete fracture.

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Epidemiology

According to statistics, fractures and cracks of the foot account for 10% of all bone injuries. Most often, adults are subject to this type of injury.

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Causes cracks in the bone of the foot

What can cause a crack in the foot? The most common causes are:

• kick;
• jump from a height;
• falling of a heavy object;
• tripping on an uneven surface;
• hitting your foot on a stone or other hard object.

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Risk factors

Elderly people are most susceptible to cracks and fractures, as their metabolic processes are slowed down, bone density is reduced (osteoporosis), the ability to quickly regenerate damage is lost, and those suffering from arthrosis.

Other risk factors include playing sports, certain types of professions involving physical labor, excessive alcohol consumption, illnesses that lead to impaired coordination of movement, and dizziness.

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Symptoms cracks in the bone of the foot

The first signs of a crack in the foot are pain. It can be either sharp or dull, tingling. It intensifies when walking, is felt during palpation, and can be insignificant at rest. There may be swelling of the foot, redness, and the presence of a hematoma.

Forms

The foot is a complex musculoskeletal system and a crack can occur anywhere. There are the following types of bone cracks:

• on the toe - the toes help maintain balance. They consist of tubular bones. All, except the big one, are formed by three phalanges, which ensures their mobility. Having received a bruise, the patient feels pain in the foot, especially when walking, swelling increases, and the skin turns blue. The damaged toe may take an unusual position relative to the foot;
• little toe bones - the little toe is often injured, when walking barefoot it becomes most vulnerable when hitting hard objects or a soccer ball. Injury manifests itself as pain, an increase in its size, and blueness;
• in the heel bone - makes itself known by pain in the heel, significant limitation of movement. Bruises are observed in the heel part and on the sole of the foot;
• metatarsal bone - the middle part of the foot, which is 5 short tubular bones. Their crack manifests itself as difficulty in stepping on the foot, swelling can spread to its back side. The pain resembles the sensation of a sprain;
• 5th metatarsal bone - localized under the little toe, so the pain is concentrated in the outer part of the foot, increases with load. Causes lameness, walking turns it into acute, aches at night. Edema and discoloration of the skin appear;
• talus - the main bone of the foot skeleton, consists of a body and a neck. Most often, the neck is damaged due to a fall from a height. It manifests itself as pain, swelling, and difficulty in motor movements;
• navicular bone - it is the smallest of all the bones of the foot, but plays an important role, because the tendon that holds its arch is attached to it. When cracks occur, pain occurs, especially under load, swelling, spreading to the ankle joint;
• cuboid bone - refers to the bones of the tarsus of the foot, connected to two metatarsal bones (4th and 5th) and the calcaneus. Sharp pain, extensive swelling, inability to step on the foot without pain are manifestations of fractures and bruises;
• Cracks in the bones of the foot in figure skaters are a disadvantage of this sport. The most common fractures are those of the midfoot, and the reason for this is due to heavy loads, jumping on an unstable support - the blade of the skate.

Complications and consequences

Fractures and cracks in the bones of the feet can lead to dangerous consequences and complications in the absence of timely qualified medical care. This is fraught with immobility of the joints, their deformation, post-traumatic arthrosis, secondary infection. The most dangerous is blood poisoning.

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Diagnostics cracks in the bone of the foot

To receive first aid, you need to contact a traumatologist or surgeon. Diagnostic measures to determine the nature of the injury include collecting anamnesis, examination, palpation. The ability of the foot to perform motor function, sensitivity of the limb are checked, the presence of external injuries is determined.

The most accurate diagnosis can be determined by instrumental examinations: X-ray in several projections, computed tomography.

A crack in the bones of the foot is differentiated from a fracture, bruise, and tendon damage.

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Treatment cracks in the bone of the foot

Unlike fractures, plaster casts may not be applied with cracks, and the foot is simply fixed with a bandage. Crutches are used to reduce the load on the lower limb.

Anti-inflammatory drugs will help to avoid infections when the nail plate or soft tissue is damaged.

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Medicines

Since cracks and fractures are accompanied by pain, painkillers can be taken to relieve it: analgin, pentalgin, ketanov, solpadeine, sedalgin.

Ketanov is a non-narcotic painkiller. Take one tablet (10 mg) during or after meals every 4-6 hours, but not more than 40 mg per day. Not used for children under 16 years of age or pregnant women. Contraindicated in bronchial asthma, open ulcers, severe cardiac, renal or hepatic insufficiency, and blood clotting disorders. The maximum course of use is 5 days.

To relieve inflammation and reduce swelling, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used: nurofen, ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin, orthofen.

Ortofen is a drug with a pronounced anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effect. It is used in effective doses (100-150 mg) for a short period of time. For children starting from 1 year, the dose is calculated as follows: 0.5-0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight, divided into 3 doses. The drug is not prescribed for pathologies of the stomach and intestines, angina pectoris, past heart attacks, liver and kidney dysfunction, pregnancy, breastfeeding.

Edema can be relieved with diuretics: diacarb, furosemide, mannitol.

Diacarb is a diuretic, take one tablet in the morning once a day. It is advisable to take the next one in a day or two. Contraindicated in liver cirrhosis, urolithiasis, diabetes.

Calcium preparations can accelerate bone fusion: calcium D3 nicomed, calcium gluconate, calcemin.

Calcemin — calcium in the preparation increases bone density, vitamin D3 improves bone quality, zinc eliminates its defects, copper prevents demineralization, manganese normalizes the production of components that improve the formation of bone and cartilage tissue. I take tablets before or during meals, 1 piece twice a day, for children under 12 years old — one once a day. Do not use under 5 years old, pregnant women — only as prescribed by a doctor. Side effects may very rarely include allergies.

Applying cooling ointments and gels will help relieve pain (menthol ointment), warming ointments will increase blood flow to the injured area, and therefore have an anti-inflammatory effect (fastum gel). You can also use ointments containing bee or snake venom (cobratoxan).

Fastum gel is a colorless, almost transparent mucous gel. It is applied in a thin layer to the skin surface up to 3 times a day, lightly rubbed in. It slowly enters the general bloodstream, so side effects from internal organs are extremely rare. Sometimes rare local reactions are possible.

There is no data on the effect on children, so it is better not to use the gel on them. Pregnancy and breastfeeding also do not allow its use.

Cobratoxan is an ointment that contains cobra venom, menthol, and methyl salicylate. A small amount of it, equivalent to a match head, is rubbed into the skin with gentle movements. It is not used for children under 5 years of age, in case of allergy to venom, abrasions, scratches, during pregnancy and lactation. The drug can cause a burning sensation, redness. In this case, it is better to remove it from the skin surface with a cotton pad.

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Vitamins

The following vitamins will speed up bone healing: B6, B9 (promote the formation of collagen in them), D, K2 (prevents calcium from being washed out of the body), ascorbic acid. Of the minerals, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus will strengthen them, and copper will help their absorption.

They must enter the body both through foods containing them and through vitamin and mineral complexes.

Physiotherapy treatment

Physiotherapeutic methods allow you to deal with the problem more quickly, relieve unpleasant symptoms, reduce the time it takes for the bone to heal, restore limb function, and prevent complications.

UHF, interference currents and low-frequency magnetic therapy will reduce swelling and pain. Ultraviolet erythemal irradiation will improve blood circulation and mineral metabolism. After 3 days after the injury, therapeutic exercise can be used under the supervision of a specialist.

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Folk remedies

People know that eggshells contain a lot of calcium, which is necessary for strengthening bones, so various recipes containing them have long been used for fractures:

• the shell (the film is removed beforehand) is dried, thoroughly ground into powder and poured with a small amount of lemon juice, taken one spoonful daily;
• The shell powder is mixed with lemon juice, after 2-3 days fresh eggs (5 pcs.), 2 spoons of honey, 50 g of Cahors wine, lemons (3 fruits) are added. After thorough mixing, you can take 30 g every day.

To speed up bone fusion, highly concentrated aspic, cooked from animal bones and tendons, is also used. Its therapeutic effect is based on the presence of collagen in them, synthesizing connective tissue that replaces the crack space.

A mumiyo solution (10 g per half liter of boiled water) promotes healing. Drink it regularly on an empty stomach in the morning and evening, a teaspoon, washed down with warm tea with honey.

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Herbal treatment

In case of fractures and cracks in bones, they resort to lotions, compresses, baths from decoctions and infusions of herbs that have a beneficial effect on regenerative processes in tissues, relieving pain and inflammation, and also take them internally.

For external treatment, use ground ivy, blood-red geranium, goldenrod, for internal treatment - calendula, sea buckthorn, rose hips, marsh cudweed.

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Homeopathy

For those who believe in the power of homeopathic remedies, the following medications can be recommended for cracked feet:

• arnica - taken a quarter of an hour before meals or an hour after, 3 drops dissolved in 10 ml of water, three times a day, the first time after an injury it is possible and more often until the pain decreases. Do not use for children and during pregnancy;
• symphytum - applied to the damaged area several times a day every day, this accelerates healing;
• eupatorium - produced on the basis of the medicinal plant purple hemp arum, has a similar effect to arnica. Refers to alkaloids, therefore it is not recommended for children and expectant mothers, as well as for long-term use by people with liver disease;
• calcium phosphoricum is a calcium phosphate in low dilutions, a mineral salt that forms hard bone tissue and accelerates fusion. The dosage is different for different age groups. Thus, small children can take 1 tablet 2 times a day, in the period from 1 to 5 years - twice, 4 to 11 years - four times, older - 6 times.

All homeopathic preparations cannot seriously harm health. Increased sensitivity to individual components will manifest itself as an allergy, which serves as a signal to stop treatment.

Surgical treatment

Typically, an incomplete fracture does not require surgery.

Prevention

Comfortable footwear can reduce the risk of injury, especially when playing sports. Each sport has its own specific type. It is not advisable to play football barefoot, which children sometimes do. Before heavy physical exertion, bandages or fixing bandages should be used on the joints.

Forecast

Properly organized rehabilitation increases the favorable prognosis for recovery without unwanted complications. In most cases, it is possible to achieve complete recovery.