You may not realize how much you rely on your feet being in healthy condition until you break a bone in your foot. A broken foot can occur due to a fall, something heavy being dropped onto it, or a sports injury. If your foot is swollen, painful, and it's hard or impossible to put weight on it, it's definitely possible that it's broken. Here are three tips for coping with this painful situation:
Go to Urgent Care Right Away
Urgent care is ideal for this type of medical emergency because you don't typically need an appointment, they have the expertise to diagnose and begin treating your foot, and most urgent care facilities offer affordable and flexible payment options. Once you are checked in at the urgent care facility, a tech, nurse, or doctor will manually inspect your foot, most likely take x-rays, and confirm if the foot is indeed broken.
They will then give you a prescription for pain medication to make sure you are comfortable, and most likely set you up with a walking boot or crutches so that you can get around without further harming your foot. Finally, they will refer you to an orthopedic specialist so you can complete your treatment with someone who has expertise in your particular injury.
Be Prepared to Rest
You may or not need surgery for your broken foot, depending on the type, location, and severity of the fracture. Either way, however, you will be instructed to rest your foot as much as possible for weeks while you are recovering. It is very important that you follow doctor instructions and allow your foot to fully heal. In most cases, you will be instructed to elevate and ice your foot at various times throughout the day in order to facilitate healing and prevent swelling.
Follow Through with Physical Therapy
Once the broken bone has a chance to heal, you will most likely be referred to a physical therapist. They will work with you and give you exercises to do that will improve your range of motion so that the foot and ankle function normally in the future. It is important to follow through with the recommended amount of physical therapy to prevent pain and mobility problems after your intiial recovery.
Following these tips and the advice of your urgent care medical staff will help you and your foot get on the road to healing as soon as possible.
Share17 January 2018
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