TALUS FRACTURES
If you’ve suffered a talus fracture, please Schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists as soon as possible
What is a Talus Fracture?
In the foot, the talus bone makes up the lower part of the ankle joint, with the tibia and fibula connecting down from the leg. A talus fracture causes a break in one of the bones of the ankle. This type of fracture usually occurs during a high-impact event, such as a car crash or a fall from a significant height. Patients with conditions such as Osteoporosis have a higher risk of all types of bone fracture, due to decreased bone density.
What are the Symptoms of a Talus Fracture?
The most common symptoms of stress fractures in the talus involve pain. Pain caused by a fracture tends to develop slowly and gets worse during physical activities. Symptoms of a fracture may include:
- Pain that lessens when resting
- Pain that continually gets worse when performing daily activities
- Swelling of the ankle
- The site of the fracture may feel tender to touch
- The area may appear bruised
Additional Complications of Talus Fractures
In the case of a severely broken talus, other conditions can arise and cause further symptoms and complications, such as:
- Arthritis. A fracture that extends into a joint space can lead to osteoarthritis down the road, even long after the fracture itself heals. If a foot you once fractured begins to hurt again years later, contact your foot and ankle specialist for an evaluation.
- Osteomyelitis. If the fractured bone has broken through the skin, bacteria can enter the exposed bone and lead to Osteomyelitis, otherwise known as a bone infection.
- Surrounding tissue damage. When severe enough, broken bones in the foot can jab adjacent nerve tissue or veins, sometimes leading to real damage. Patients should immediately talk to their physician if they develop numbness, tingling or circulation issues following a foot fracture, as tissues deprived of blood for too long can die.
Who is At Risk of a Talus Fracture?
Individuals will have a higher likelihood of fracturing their feet if they fall into one or more of the following categories:
- People who play high-impact sports. Foot fractures most often result from taking the stress, impacts and injuries that often occur while playing sports such as basketball, football, and soccer.
- People Using improper sports equipment. Wearing ill-fitting shoes or foot related equipment such as skis or skates can lead to a higher risk of stress fractures and accidents. Foot fractures can also occur from failing to properly warm up or from practicing poor technique.
- People suffering from osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes bones to weaken faster than they would otherwise and heavily increases the risk of all fractures.
Treatment for a Foot Fracture
- Reduction. If the bone has broken in such a way that the two ends of the fracture now point in different directions, your foot and ankle specialist may need to physically push the fractured ends back into their natural alignment, a process known as a reduction.
- Immobilization. To ensure that the bone heals properly, the physician must immobilize the bone so that the fracture has time to knit back together without interruption. Most of the time this will require wearing a cast, although some minor fractures will only require a removable brace wrapping in gauze.
- Surgery. For severe fractures, orthopedic surgeons may need to perform surgery to reconstruct the bone. They may require hardware such as pins, or screws to hold the bones in place while healing. Depending on the case, the surgeon may or may not remove the hardware once the fracture has healed.
In the event of surgery, Patients should make sure to follow all post-operative instructions given by their orthopedic specialist. Patients will need to abide by “RICE”: rest, ice, compress, and elevate the foot, as well as avoid placing weight on the foot. Patients will need to make use of bandages, splints, surgical shoes, crutches, and/or canes after surgery. Your physician will teach you how to properly use all necessary equipment, and set follow up appointments to make sure your foot heals properly.
If you would like to speak to an Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Specialist, give us a call at 817-697-4038, or contact us over the web. Tele-medicine appointments are also available.
