Fractures Specialist

What are fractures?

Fractures are bone breaks — the average American experiences two bone fractures during their life. Your feet and ankles have a high proportion of bones, and those bones support your body weight as you move — both of which help explain why foot and ankle fractures are quite common. 

There are many varieties of bone fractures, with some of the most common being:

• Open fracture - bone breaks skin
• Closed fracture - bone doesn't pierce skin
• Partial fracture - incomplete break in the bone
• Complete fracture - break through the bone
• Stress fracture - bone crack

In some cases, you may have damage to other nearby tissue. For example, an avulsion fracture occurs when a tendon or ligament pulls a section of your bone away.  

What causes bone fractures?

The most common causes of fractures include trauma, repetitive stress from sports, accidents, and long-term skeletal pressure as the body ages. Like osteoporosis and arthritis, some diseases can affect your bones and make them more vulnerable to fractures. 

What are the signs of fractures?

Bone fractures can be very painful, and additional symptoms commonly include: 

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Red skin
• Instability
• Appearance change - a bump, odd rotation, or bend 

With stress fractures, you're much less likely to experience these symptoms. Stress fractures cause significant bone weakening, so they can quickly turn into full-blown fractures with severe symptoms. 

How do you diagnose bone fractures?

Your doctor at South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers gently examines your foot and ankle and discusses your symptoms with you. They typically use imaging tests such as an X-ray, bone scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the type and severity of your fracture. 

How are bone fractures treated?

Fracture care varies from entirely nonsurgical to complex surgical repairs. For stress fractures, you often need only rest and precautionary measures to prevent fracture progression. For more complicated fractures, your doctor may apply a cast, brace, or splint to immobilize the bone and encourage healing. 

You might need surgery for complex fractures. In some cases, your doctor might recommend MLS laser therapy, as it can speed up fracture healing considerably. 

For serious bone fractures that require a long period of casting, you might need physical therapy to rehab the muscles that support and protect your bones.

Do you have the symptoms of a fracture? Call South Florida Foot & Ankle Centers or use the online booking tool.