A broken foot involves injury to the foot bones. The injury is common since the feet are prone to twisting and slippage.
What are the signs?
- Foot pain and swelling
- Inability or difficulty walking
- Redness or bruising of the foot
- Difficulty bearing weight on the foot
- Evident deformity of the toes
What are the possible causes of a broken foot?
- Falls or jumps from a height
- Accidental kicking of hard surfaces or objects
Most of the foot bones are damaged during accidents, trauma or immediate injury. - Excessive twisting of the foot
Most of the foot bones are damaged during accidents, trauma or immediate injury. In some cases, miniature cracks form in the bones over an extended time due to the repeated stress on the bones.
First aid care for a broken foot
If an individual is suspected with a broken foot, the first aid care is aimed on providing stabilization and elevation of the damaged foot.
- A splint is used to prevent the damaged foot from moving. In some cases, a pillow wrapped around the injured foot and secured with tape or bandage also works.
- Avoid wrapping the foot too tight since it might disrupt with the blood supply to the foot.
- Raise the injured foot to lessen the pain and swelling. The individual should lie flat with the foot elevated on several pillows.
- An ice pack or cold compress can be placed on the injured foot to lessen the pain and swelling during the initial hours after the injury. The application must be done 20 minutes at a time every hour.
- The individual should rest and avoid using the damaged foot if pain is triggered.
Medical care
The treatment for a broken foot is based on the bone that is damaged and its severity. Some cases can be treated with crutches and flat shoes while other cases require splinting, casts or boots. In severe injuries, surgical repair is needed.
More Information / Disclaimer
The information posted on this page on a broken foot is for learning purposes only. Learn to recognize the indications of the injury and how it is managed by taking a standard first aid course with Toronto First Aid.