When many people think of car accident injuries, whiplash is one of the first examples to come to mind. Head, neck, and back injuries are very common in car crashes. But what happens if your foot hurts after getting in an accident? Foot and ankle trauma and injuries are very common after a car accident. With over 6 million passenger car accidents yearly in the U.S. alone, people are getting hurt—and not everyone is seeking or getting the care they need.
If you feel any pain in your feet or ankles following a car crash, contact Fixing Feet Institute. Injuries can take weeks or months to heal. Left untreated, the condition can get much worse—it can affect mobility, increase pain, and the bones may heal incorrectly—leading to lifelong challenges. It’s important to seek a diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.
Types of Foot Injuries That Could Occur
Each foot contains 26 bones, many of which are quite small. Ligaments, tendons, muscles, and other tissue can also be injured in a car crash. The foot and ankle region is complex and fragile. The sharp impact and trauma from a crash can cause various possible injuries. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Lisfranc fracture. Located in the mid-foot, the Lisfranc joint is often damaged in car crashes. The bones in the mid-foot can be crushed or compacted and can break, fracture, or separate.
- Jammed ankle. While you may not rupture your Achilles tendon in a car crash, your ankle can get jammed with the sudden impact. This can cause a variety of related injuries. Broken or fractured ankle or foot bones are common.
- Compartment syndrome. Severe trauma to the many small compartments in your foot can lead to injuries. The compartments contain muscles, nerves, and tendons that when punctured, crushed, or fractured create pressure and cause bleeding.
- Calcaneus. Another term for heel bone fractures, calcaneus, can be very debilitating. Surgery is often needed to fuse the bones back together correctly. If left untreated, calcaneus can lead to permanent deformity and chronic pain.
Auto accidents can cause many acute foot and ankle injuries. You may also experience puncture wounds, torn ligaments, ruptured tendons, and muscle sprains. It is critically important to seek the care of an experienced podiatrist to treat these injuries.
What to Expect From a Podiatrist Visit
Seeing an Arizona podiatrist for the first time doesn’t need to be an intimidating experience. At Fixing Feet Institute, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive, compassionate care for all our patients. Using modern medicine and advanced technologies, we can help diagnose the injury, relieve pain, and put you back on the path to healthy healing.
The first step is the initial consultation. Whether you have sprained your ankle or broken a bone, we’ll get to the heart of the issue with a thorough examination. Expect a comfortable atmosphere with warm and caring staff. We can put together a treatment plan to help you recover from your injury.
Car accidents can be stressful and meeting with a compassionate podiatrist should be stress-free. Initial treatments may include cold compresses, stabilization with wraps and taping, and pain medication. Depending on the injury, physical therapy or surgery may be needed. At Fixing Feet Institute we’re with you every step of the way.
