Broken Foot (Fractured Foot)

What is a broken foot?

A broken foot, or foot fracture, can occur in any of the 26 bones in your foot. This includes your:

• Toe bones (phalanges).
• Two small round bones at the base of your big toe (sesamoids).
• Middle bones of your foot (metatarsals).
• Bones at the back of your foot, including your heel bone (calcaneus).

Foot fractures are common injuries. You can easily damage the bones in your feet because they’re small. Sports injuries, accidents and falls can all lead to a broken foot. You can also break a bone through overuse or repetitive stress on your foot (stress fracture). A broken foot usually requires medical attention for proper diagnosis and treatment.

What are the signs of a broken foot?

If you have a broken foot, you may experience throbbing pain that comes on suddenly or develops gradually. The pain may get worse with activity and better when you rest. Other broken foot symptoms may include:

• Bruising and discoloration.
• Swelling.
• Tenderness.
• Altered appearance of your foot.
• Change in the way you walk (gait abnormalities).
• Trouble walking or bearing weight.
• Difficulty moving your foot.
• Poor balance.

What causes a broken foot?

A direct injury or trauma to your foot is the most common cause of a broken foot. These injuries can result from tripping, stumbling or falling. You may twist your foot awkwardly or accidentally kick something really hard. Other causes include:

• Being hit with or dropping something heavy on your foot.
• High-impact activities involving jumping or running.
• Motor vehicle accidents.
• Blunt force trauma.

In addition, repetitive stress and overuse can cause stress fractures. These are tiny cracks in your foot bones that get bigger over time. They can occur when you walk, run or exercise without resting enough and wearing proper shoes. Stress fractures are especially common in athletes that participate in high-impact sports like:

• Football.
• Basketball.
• Running.
• Dancing.

What are the risk factors?

Risk factors that increase your chances of breaking your foot include:

• Participating in high-impact sports and other activities.
• Wearing unsupportive shoes.
• Having a vitamin D deficiency.
• Having a foot condition like flat feet or high arches.
• Osteopenia or osteoporosis, most commonly found in postmenopausal people assigned female at birth (AFAB).

What are the complications of this condition?

If you don’t seek medical treatment for a broken foot, your bones may heal out of their natural alignment. This can lead to mobility issues and permanent bone deformity. In addition, if you don’t seek treatment for an open fracture (a fracture that’s broken your skin), you could develop an infection in the wound.

How is a broken foot diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will perform a physical examination, where they’ll carefully feel and manipulate your foot. They may ask you to move your foot in certain directions or try to walk on it to see your full range of motion. They’ll also ask you about your symptoms and medical history. They’ll want to know how you injured your foot.

To make a proper diagnosis, your provider may request a foot X-ray. Rarely, you’ll need additional imaging tests to diagnose an injury like a stress fracture. These tests include:

• CT scan (computed tomography scan).
• MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging).

What do you do for a broken foot?

If you suspect you have a broken bone in your foot, you should seek medical attention. But while you’re waiting to be seen, you could try using the RICE method.

The RICE method includes Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation:

• R – Rest: Keep your foot immobile and limit how much weight you put on it.
• I – Ice: Wrapped in a thin towel, apply ice to your injury for 20 minutes at a time.
• C – Compression: Lightly wrap your toe in a soft, compressive dressing.
• E – Elevation: Rest with your foot elevated slightly above your heart.

You may also want to take over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication. You can use acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen.

In-office treatment

Treatment for a foot fracture depends on several factors, including:

• Which bone(s) are fractured.
• The type of fracture.
• The severity of your fracture.

You’ll most likely have to wear some type of cast, splint or a specially designed boot or shoe to protect your foot from further injury as the broken bone heals. This shoe or boot may have a rigid sole, Velcro® fasteners and/or open toes. Depending on your situation, you may also need to use crutches, a walker or a wheelchair for mobility.

Other broken foot treatment options may include:

• Buddy taping: If you have a broken toe, your provider may use “buddy taping.” This simple procedure involves wrapping a piece of tape around your broken toe and the one next to it to help relieve pain and keep your toe stable.
• Physical therapy: Your provider may recommend you see a physical therapist to help you build up the strength in your foot. A physical therapist can provide specific exercises that’ll help you regain flexibility and increase your range of motion.
• Fracture reduction: If you have a foot bone that’s noticeably out of place, your provider may need to physically manipulate, or physically place, the bone back into alignment. Your provider will numb your foot and then straighten your bone so they can put it back into place.
• Surgery: In severe cases or when a fracture doesn’t heal with noninvasive measures, your provider may recommend surgery. Foot surgery, called internal fixation, involves a surgeon inserting metal screws, pins, rods or plates into your foot to hold your bones in place until they heal.

Can foot fractures be prevented?

Many foot fractures are due to traumatic injuries and accidents, so they’re difficult to prevent. But there are some steps you can take to help keep your feet strong to prevent stress fractures. These steps include:

• Wearing appropriate footwear during sports and other activities.
• Warming up and cooling down with stretches and exercises to keep your muscles strong.
• Replacing your shoes frequently, depending on how often you participate in your sport or activity.
• Gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your training or exercise program.
• Making sure to get plenty of rest between sports and training sessions.
• Getting plenty of vitamin D in the foods you eat or taking a vitamin D supplement.
• Stopping any activity and seeking medical treatment if you develop any pain in your feet.

How long does a broken foot take to heal?

A broken foot can take four to six weeks to fully heal. But in some cases, healing time can take up to 10 to 12 weeks. It depends on which bone is broken and the severity of your fracture. Ask your healthcare provider about your specific case.

During this stage of your recovery, you won’t be able to put any weight on your foot. You’ll need to use crutches, a walker or a wheelchair to let the broken bone heal. It can take up to six months for some fractures to heal enough to support the weight-bearing demands of more active people and athletes.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

If you’ve injured your foot and think you may have a broken bone, you should seek medical treatment right away. But don’t try to drive with a broken foot. Have someone give you a ride to your provider’s office or an urgent care center.

If you’ve been experiencing pain in your foot over the past few weeks that hasn’t gone away, you should also seek treatment. You may have a stress fracture or another foot condition.

What questions should I ask my healthcare provider?

Questions about your broken foot you may want to ask your provider include:

• What kind of foot fracture do I have?
• What treatment do you recommend for a broken foot?
• What can I do at home to help with the pain?
• When can I start walking on my foot again?
• How can I prevent future foot fractures?

Can you walk on a broken foot?

For most fractures, you’ll need to stay off your foot for a certain amount of time to allow the broken bone to heal. Depending on your injury, this could be for up to eight weeks or more. During this time, you’ll need to wear a cast, splint, or specialized shoe or boot to help protect your foot and prevent further injury. You may also need to use crutches, a walker or a wheelchair to get around. After your first few weeks of recovery, your healthcare provider may clear you to slowly increase bearing weight on your foot.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Foot fractures can occur due to traumatic injuries like falls and accidents, and they can also happen due to overuse and repetitive stress. No matter how you’ve broken your foot, it’s important to stay off it to let it heal. If you try to stand or walk on a broken foot, you can delay and even prevent your foot from healing properly. Listen to your healthcare provider and avoid placing any weight on your foot until you get the all-clear. You should be able to gradually increase weight-bearing and be on your way to a healed foot in no time.