What is a Crush Injury?

Have a foot crush injury? A crush injury occurs when pressure or force is put on a body part. A foot crush injury may cause pain, swelling, and sometimes bruising. A foot crush injury may take from a few days to a few weeks to heal. If you have a foot crush injury, you should see a podiatrist. Podiatrists diagnose and treat foot and ankle conditions and injuries. Read on to learn more about foot crush injuries.

Overview- A crush injury is an injury that occurs when a body part sustains intense pressure. Minor crush injuries can be caused by dropping a heavy object on a foot. However, major crush injuries, such as those sustained in vehicle accidents, can cause serious problems. Such an injury can cause a number of issues, including pain, swelling, bruising, bleeding, laceration, fracture, and nerve injury. A crush injury can also cause compartment syndrome, which is a dangerous condition caused by pressure buildup from swelling of tissues or internal bleeding.

Causes- The primary causes of foot crush injuries include heavy falling objects, vehicles rolling over the foot, and injuries from industrial manufacturing equipment. Crush injuries are common on farms. The most serious cases occur in agriculture where heavy machinery is used and people become trapped in them or under them. This form of injury is common after some form of trauma from a deliberate attack or following a natural disaster.

Diagnosis- A proper diagnosis is key to treating a foot crush injury. Your podiatrist can accurately assess your situation and help you make the right treatment decisions for the best possible outcome. Your doctor will start with a physical exam, with attention given to the areas of complaint. Your podiatrist may take X-rays and other forms of imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT).

Treatment- Firstly, any wounds that are present will need to be cleaned and bandaged to prevent infection. Treatments for a foot crush injury may also include medication, casting, kinesiology taping, ice and heat, physical therapy, or surgery. Often more than one of these treatments are used. Crush injuries of the foot are very serious. Potentially devastating complications can occur if these injuries are underestimated or mismanaged.

A foot crush injury can affect your day-to-day activities and make your life miserable. Whether your goal is getting back to the work, the gym, hobbies, or just enjoying life, a podiatrist can help. If you want to feel better and live well, find a podiatrist near you and schedule an appointment.

Chronic ankle instability is a condition characterized by a recurring "giving way" of the outer side of the ankle. It most often develops following an ankle sprain. When the stretched or torn ligaments do not heal properly or completely, ankle instability is often the result.

If you have chronic ankle instability, you may find it difficult to walk on uneven surfaces. Other symptoms include a repeated turning of the ankle during physical activity, tenderness and persistent discomfort and swelling.

How Can I Treat My Ankle Instability?

Treatment for an unstable ankle will depend on the degree of instability. Bracing, medication and physical therapy are all conservative treatment options that may help strengthen your weakened ankle. Often patients with ankle instability can be treated without surgery by strengthening the muscles that control the ankle joint, avoiding or limiting high impact activities and using a supportive brace to decrease the risk of recurrent ankle sprains.

In severe cases, or when conservative treatments aren’t successful, your podiatrist may recommend surgery, which involves repair or reconstruction of the damaged ligaments.

If your ankle feels unstable or if you have had recurring ankle sprains, visit your podiatrist for an evaluation. Left untreated, chronic ankle instability leads to activity restrictions, tendon complications, arthritis and continued instability. Your podiatrist can provide a recommended treatment plan based on the severity of your instability, so that you can get back to the activities you enjoy!

Stress fractures are notoriously misdiagnosed and undertreated. In many cases, symptoms may persist for an extended period of time before the diagnosis of a stress fracture is even made. That’s because stress fractures don’t typically occur from an unforeseen trauma, as with a sprain, but rather from repetitive stress.

What Are Stress Fractures?

Stress fractures are tiny, hairline breaks in the bones. They can occur in any bone, but most often afflict the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot. Athletes are especially susceptible to stress fractures, as this common injury is often a problem of overuse.  It frequently results from overtraining and high impact sports, such as running, basketball and tennis.  People with an abnormal foot structure or insufficient bone may also be more vulnerable to suffer a stress fracture.

What Are the Symptoms of Stress Fractures?

Pain is the primary symptom of a stress fracture. In the early stages, the pain may begin toward the end of an activity and resolve with rest. Untreated, the pain will eventually persistent with minimal activity.

The most common symptoms of stress fractures include:

• Pain with or following normal activity

• Pain at the site of the fracture

• Tenderness and swelling at a point on the bone

• Pain intensified with weight bearing

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation are recommended as an initial treatment plan for stress fractures. You should also minimize all weight-bearing activities until you have fully recovered. Other treatments may include immobilization of the foot, footwear modifications, orthotic devices and in some severe cases, surgery. Rest is the key to a full recovery, and returning too quickly to normal activity may result in more serious damage.

Overuse injuries and stress fractures aren’t completely unavoidable, but you can take extra care to help prevent stress fractures from occurring. Remember to increase any activity or training program slowly and gradually. Wear supportive footwear with good cushioning to help manage the forces placed on your feet and legs during high impact activities. If pain or swelling returns, stop the activity and rest for a few days.

Stress fractures come on gradually and may not present obvious symptoms at first, so it’s important to recognize the early warning signs to prevent further damage. If you suspect a stress fracture, contact our office right away for an evaluation. Proper diagnosis is essential to prevent further damage and improve recovery time, as stress fractures tend to get worse and may even lead to a complete break if not treated right away. A podiatrist will examine your foot or ankle, take an x-ray to determine if there is a break or crack in the bone, and recommend an appropriate treatment plan for optimal recovery.

The Achilles tendon is the strong band of tissue that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. This lower leg tendon enables you to walk, jump, stand on your toes and climb stairs. You rely on it virtually every time you move your foot.

When the tendon is stretched beyond its normal capacity, a complete or partial tear may occur. Most Achilles tendon ruptures occur as a result of sport-related injuries when forceful jumping or sudden accelerations of running overstretch the tendon and cause a tear. Individuals with Achilles tendinitis -- weak and inflamed tendons -- are also more susceptible to tendon tears.

Signs of a torn Achilles tendon include:

• Sudden, sharp pain in the back of the ankle and lower leg
• Snapping or popping sensation at the time of the injury
• Swelling down the back side of the leg or near the heel
• Difficulty walking or rising up on the toes

The best treatment for a torn Achilles tendon is prevention. Avoiding this injury could save yourself months of rehab and extended time away from your game. Help prevent injury to your Achilles tendon by:

• stretching your calf muscles regularly
• limiting hill running and jumping activities that place excess stress on the Achilles tendons
• resting during exercise when you experience pain
• maintaining a healthy weight
• alternating high impact sports, such as running with low-impact sports, such as walking or biking
• wearing appropriate, supportive shoes with proper heel cushioning

If you suspect a ruptured Achilles tendon, visit our practice as soon as possible. Until you can seek professional care, avoid walking on the injured tendon and keep it elevated. Ice the affected area to reduce pain and swelling and, if possible, wrap the injured foot and ankle. For partial tears, swelling and pain may be less severe, but prompt treatment should still be administered.

Treatment for an Achilles tendon rupture can be surgical or non-surgical. Surgery to reattach the tendon is generally recommended, followed by rehabilitation, especially for individuals who want to return to recreational sports. Our pracitce can evaluate the severity of your tear and suggest the best treatment plan. With proper care, most people return to their former level of performance within six months.