Even celebrities can end up with a broken foot and a walking boot...often for the stupidest reasons! And guess what? Regardless of how or where you break your foot, you'll need to care for it properly, often with immobilization in the form of a cast or a walking boot. Want to hear some of the craziest ways the stars ended up off their feet? Enjoy these silly tales, then stick around to find out our best tips for healing a broken foot after an injury.
Stars, They're Just Like Us...The Broken Foot Edition
Recently, Grey's Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo showed up at the Tribeca Film Festival rocking a walking boot. During an interview with Katie Couric, she was asked for the story behind her injury. And here's what she had to say: "I wish it was, like, a cool, sexy or exciting story, like I was doing some cool stunts or something.” Instead, she revealed the far less glamorous truth: “I just, you know, was half asleep and jumped out of bed too quick and landed on my foot the wrong way. Somewhat clumsy of me.”
Even worse? Pompeo readily admitted that she's a repeat offender: “This is almost like my party trick… his is my second time doing it that way, being asleep and jumping out too fast." Luckily, she at least knows the drill for recovering from a broken foot. And we'll tell you what to expect in a minute, right after we share Kelly Ripa's tale of woe.
A few years back, when Kelly Ripa walked onto the ABC set of Live! sporting a walking boot and crutches last, you just KNEW she’d have a great story to share explaining her new accessories. And boy did she NOT disappoint.
Apparently, Ripa was taking part in a dance class when it all went down. As she tells it, “I did a jump and in my mind, I am an incredible dancer, graceful as can be, and I landed on (a stray weight left on the floor) and my foot went over and under the weight.”
The accident resulted in Ripa breaking four bones in her foot and, as she tells it, the moment of impact, “sounded like bubble wrap.”
Fortunately for Ripa, she won’t need surgery; she just has to stay in her boot for the next six weeks (Although, in an aside this Houston podiatrist can’t condone, she’s jokingly remarked that she doesn’t “plan on being in this thing that long.”
Here’s hoping all that talk is just bluster, and that Kelly follows doctors orders, rests up and enjoys a full and quick recovery! Want a better idea of what recovery from a broken foot looks like outside of Hollywood? We've got you covered!
Broken Foot Recovery: How Long Will I Be in a Walking Boot?
After breaking your foot, you can expect to keep the injured limb immobilized for six to eight weeks, depending on the location and severity of the fracture. For some people, that will mean wearing a walking boot that allows you to still maintain your mobility with ease. However, if you have an unstable or displaced fracture, you may need foot surgery prior to that immobilization. In such cases, you may need a cast, and you may have to keep all weight off the affected foot. Plus, your recovery period may extend beyond that six-week mark.
Who Should Treat My Broken Foot?
Your podiatrist in Houston is the perfect provider to diagnose and treat a broken foot. First of all, you'll need an x-ray in order to diagnose a foot fracture. If you come to our podiatry practice in Houston, we can provide in-house x-rays with minimal wait time. If you go to the ER, on the other hand, you may be left waiting for hours, only to have your imaging performed by someone who's unfamiliar with the complexities of the foot structure.
Next, we'll determine your treatment plan based on the location and severity of your injury. If the broken bone has maintained it's position, we'll probably put you straight into a cast boot, allowing your injury to heal while helping minimize the disruption to your daily life. (You can even remove this boot when you're sleeping or in the bath.)
But if the bone fragments have moved out of alignment (this is called a displaced fracture) you may need surgery prior to casting. Otherwise, the injury won't heal properly. Then, after your surgery, we'll need you to take all weight off the injury as you recover. Whether you're in a boot or a cast, we'll keep you off the foot entirely with the use of a knee scooter for a broken foot or, less frequently, with crutches. Now, of course that will be more disruptive to your lifestyle. But it's important that you follow all recovery instructions closely while your broken foot heals. Otherwise, your injury could fail to heal, or even worsen. And that would keep you off your feet for much longer than necessary.
When to See a Doctor
Remember, even if you can walk on your foot, it could still be broken. Also, remember that even something as silly as getting out of bed in the wrong position could leave you with a foot fracture. So, if you make a wrong move, and your foot just isn't feeling right, don't wait to see if things start feeling better without intervention...they won't!
What should you do instead? Whether you're at the breakfast table or fresh out of dance class; whether you're Ellen Pompeo or just a person in pain, call us as soon as you experience foot pain. When you come into the office, we can screen you for a broken foot and get you started on your path to recovery.
