A very common question that I hear in the office is when people come in with a concern that they broke their foot. They often state, however, that "I don't really think it's broken because I still can walk on it." That is a myth I've heard since I was a kid...that if something was broken, you can't walk on it.
Here's the thing, every day I see people coming through the office with a bone that is either fractured or broken and they are walking on their foot. They may be limping, but they are bearing full weight on it. In many cases, they're bearing weight on it for days or even weeks before they come to have it checked.
The body is an amazing thing and bones are supported by tendons and ligament, helping to provide the stability of the foot. Because of that, the bones are not the only things that are relied on to bear weight. So often you will have an injury that that can lead to a fracture or broken bone and you still will be able to walk on it. So don't use this as a litmus test.
Use pain as your litmus test. Your foot and ankle should not be in pain. If you are having pain, come into the office and let us take an x-ray, sometimes we check with an ultrasound, and we will be able to get to the bottom of the situation. Very often when you think the pain you are feeling is a fracture, it is often not a fracture at all and ends up being a very simple solution to get you feeling better.
In cases where the bone is fractured or broken, it is better to come in sooner than later so the break doesn't displace and require surgery to correct it. If you have any concern that your foot pain is due to a broken foot, contact us for an immediate appointment.
