At one point in your life, you may injure your foot, running, hiking, or even riding your bike. The first thing that you will ask yourself is if you need to see a doctor. Fortunately, if the pain experienced after the accident is mild, you don’t need to see a doctor, and it will probably go away after a few weeks of rest.
When it comes to a foot injury, a broken foot could be severe and would need medical attention. The fractures can vary from tiny cracks in the bone to more significant breaks that protrude from the skin. Depending on the injury, you might require surgery for plate implants, screws, or rods into your broken bone to help maintain proper posture during the healing process.
After a foot accident, it is essential to access the symptoms; if you experience pain, that doesn’t go away and or have diabetes, you need to see a doctor immediately.
When Should I Make a Doctor’s Appointment for My Foot Injury?
Foot injuries vary in seriousness, depending on the impact of the accident, you might only need a few days to rest to heal. However, if you have the following symptoms, you need to consult a physician.
- Swelling that doesn’t subside after five days of your injury.
- The foot has turned to a bluish color, is cold or numb.
- There’s a lot of pain in your foot weeks after the injury
- If pointing the wrong direction, or deformed
- You think your foot is infected
- You are experiencing numbness, tingling, or a burning sensation at the bottom of your foot.
- Tingling, numbness, and burning might mean an injured nerve, and depending on the condition, some patients will feel pins and needle sensation in their feet.
- For most individuals, an injured foot will cause severe pain that they won’t be able to walk normally. If the injury is on the toes, it will cause less, and you might still be able to walk.
How to Assess and Injured Foot
After an accident, you might not be sure if you have an injured foot, especially if you can still walk and experience minimal pain. The following are ways to examine an injured foot for broken bones.
- Remove your shoes and socks from both feet and make a side by side comparison to find out if there is swelling on the injured foot.
- Look for wounds and massive cuts. In case you can stop a large wound that exposes a broken bone, the foot injury could be severe.
Diabetes Patients
According to experts at orthopedic care in Holmdel NJ, individuals with diabetes need to see a doctor regardless of the level of pain they feel after a foot accident. Diabetes slows down normal blood flow and patients may not feel sores or cuts on their feet.Such patients have a higher chance of nerve damage due to the injury, which makes it challenging to feel foot sensations.
How Can I Prevent Foot Injury?
Fortunately for you, foot injuries are easily preventable following a few essential personal safety tips.
- Invest in proper shoes. Regardless of what activity you are doing that involves exposing your feet to danger such as sports, ensure you have appropriate protective shoes.
- Consume foods rich in calcium, such as cheese and milk, to build bone strength.
- Make sure your home is well lit to avoid hitting your foot on stiff objects
- Tidy your home, cluttering your spaces will increase the risk of trips and falls.
- If you are into sports, alternate between sports activities to help prevent stress fractures. For instance, you could rotate biking with swimming or running.
