A foot bruise is usually due to a minor injury from bumps, scrapes, falls or trips. In most cases, the feet and legs easily bruise than other body parts. The reason for this is that these areas are susceptible to injury and to the effects of gravity on the flow of blood.
Usual causes of a foot bruise
Injuries and trauma
A foot bruise can be brought about by injuries or serious trauma such as the following:
- Blunt force or crushing injury such as a direct strike to the foot or dropping a heavy object on the foot.
- Trips or falls
- Ankle or foot fractures
The complications linked with a foot bruise are usually progressive in nature and tends to vary depending on the underlying cause. - Sports injuries
- Walking, running or jumping on hard surfaces
- Sprains
Lifestyle, age and gender causes
- Alcohol abuse
- Aging skin
- Overweight
- Females are likely to bruise than men
- Wearing shoes in the wrong size
Serious underlying conditions
Various diseases can cause a foot bruise. Some of the serious underlying causes of unexplained bruising include the following:
- Leukemia
- Aplastic anemia
- Autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus
- Organ failure
- Cushing’s disease
- Certain infectious diseases such as measles, meningitis and mononucleosis
- Hemophilia
- Thrombocytopenic purpura diseases
- Vitamin C deficiency
- Vasculitis
Possible complications
The complications linked with a foot bruise are usually progressive in nature and tends to vary depending on the underlying cause. Since easy or unexplained bruising of the foot or any body part might be due to a serious ailment, inability to seek treatment can lead to complications and lasting damage.
It is vital to consult a doctor if an individual suffers from any persistent or recurrent foot bruising. When the underlying cause is determined, the treatment plan should be outlined by the doctor to reduce the risk for potential complications including:
- Compartment syndrome involves significant swelling that leads to lasting muscle damage, disability, death of the tissues and eventually gangrene.
- Myositis ossificans which is a condition where a bruised muscle becomes calcified by the growth of bone cells instead of muscle cells as it heals.
Disclaimer / More Information
The information posted on this page on a foot bruise is for learning and educational purposes only. To learn to manage a foot bruise, register for first aid training at one of our training centers located throughout Canada. The training centers are in Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Kelowna, Surrey, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.