The Different Types of Foot Fractures

You often hear about professional athletes with fractures of the foot or ankle, but the truth is, an accident causing a break can happen to anyone and it is one of the main injuries treated by our foot doctors at Andrew Shapiro, DPM and Michael Barkin, DPM.

Types of foot and ankle fractures include the following:

●      Stress fractures—These hairline cracks in the bone usually happen gradually and are the result of the continuous, repetitive pounding involved in sports like basketball and tennis. Stress fractures are also often a result of switching workout surfaces. Bone diseases like osteoporosis can increase the severity of a stress fracture.

●      Acute fractures—are breaks that happen suddenly and with a total or partial separation of the bones. You won’t be able to walk on the affected foot from pain, and there will be significant swelling and bruising.

Acute fractures occur in the following types:

Stable— the parts of the bones are only slightly out of place

Compound— a severe fracture with broken skin from a bone sticking out. An infection may occur, leading to other complications so it is important to seek prompt treatment from your foot doctor

Oblique— a diagonal break across the bone

Transverse — a horizontal break

Comminuted — a complex break in which the bones are shattered into many pieces, requiring extensive reconstructive surgery.

If you have suffered a foot fracture, we highly recommend that you consult our board-certified podiatrists Andrew Shapiro, DPM and Michael Barkin, DPM. Our dedicated podiatrists can assist you with heel pain, ankle sprains, diabetic foot care, toe deformities, nail fungus, and skin problems, among many other conditions. Our practice is conveniently located on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream, Long Island to accommodate all of your foot care needs. Call (516) 825-3860 or book an appointment online today!