The feet are responsible for supporting the body. They carry the weight every day, subjecting themselves to considerable stress and for this reason they can be injured easily. A loss of balance, uneven ground, a misstep, or ankle twist can result in an injury in no time. Even if minor, foot damage still affects every type of activity, from work and exercise routines to basic mobility. The healing process can take weeks or months; to ensure the fastest and safest recovery possible, you must go to your doctor to treat your foot and undergo rehabilitation in the appropriate way.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Treatments
Step 1. Examine the lesion
Can't put weight on your foot? Is it swelling a lot? In this case, the trauma is more severe than a simple tear or sprain - due to damage to the muscle or ligament, respectively. If you can't put weight on your foot, you need to see your doctor for an x-ray. this examination allows to establish the extent of the damage and above all to understand if there is a fracture. Tears and most sprains do not require surgery, while for fractures it is sometimes necessary. See your doctor for a correct diagnosis.
Step 2. Rest your foot
You must let it rest for 48-72 hours and limit the activity that led to the injury as much as possible; also avoid putting weight on it, using crutches if you feel it is necessary. If the bone is not broken, you can keep the foot active for minor activities, but in general you should avoid any exertion.
Step 3. Apply ice
The body's immediate reaction to physical trauma is to bring blood to the injured area, causing swelling or inflammation. To reduce pain and swelling, you can wrap ice in a cloth and place it on your foot for 30 minutes or so every two to three hours for the first 48 to 72 hours after the accident. But be careful not to overdo it; do not keep the compress overnight and do not place it in direct contact with the skin, as this could cause a cold burn.
If you don't have an ice pack, a bag of frozen peas is fine too
Step 4. Keep the injured foot elevated
Another way to reduce swelling is to let gravity do its job. Keep the injured limb elevated, lie down and place your foot on a pillow, leaving it slightly above the heart level to avoid pooling of blood.
Step 5. Apply a compression bandage
This is another technique for reducing swelling; put on a bandage, bandage, or brace to limit the movement of the foot and prevent further injury. You can buy this type of aids in any pharmacy or orthopedics shop. It must be snug to the injured area, but not so tight as to prevent blood circulation; take it off when you sleep.
Step 6. Take medication as needed
If the pain doesn't stop you, take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory or pain reliever like aspirin or ibuprofen (Moment, Brufen). They are both available in drugstores and reduce pain and swelling; paracetamol (Tachipirina) is not an anti-inflammatory, meaning it reduces pain but not swelling. Take the medicines according to the instructions on the leaflet regarding the dosage.
- Keep in mind that medicines such as aspirin or ibuprofen can cause health problems, such as internal bleeding, if taken in large quantities or for a long time; you must not take them for a long time without first talking to your doctor.
- Do not give aspirin to children or young people under 19, as this drug is associated with Reye's syndrome, a serious and life-threatening condition.
Step 7. Avoid further foot injuries
Be very cautious during the first 72 hours after the accident, to avoid aggravating the situation; do not run and do not carry out any activity that could cause further damage. Do not go to the sauna or Turkish bath, do not apply hot compresses, do not drink alcohol and do not massage the foot; all of these activities can increase bleeding and swelling, slowing the healing process.
Step 8. Make sure you do some stretching and exercise
Stretching and physical activity are often the first line of treatments and can be very effective. The most effective type of stretching requires standing upright, barefoot, with only the affected leg on a step or step, with a rolled towel under the sore toe, and extending the heel over the edge of the step - the other leg should be free, slightly bent at the knee. Slowly raise and lower your sore heel by counting to 3 seconds as you raise it, hold it up for 2 seconds and then lower and hold it down for 3 seconds. Do 8 to 12 repetitions every day.
Part 2 of 3: Rehabilitation
Step 1. Follow your doctor's instructions
He can give you all the instructions to heal better; may advise you to use crutches for a certain period or may prescribe a course of physiotherapy. In severe cases, he may also refer you to a specialist who can better assess the trauma.
Step 2. Keep your joints moving, but leave your muscles motionless
Many doctors recommend continuing to move the ankle in case of a sprain; this joint heals faster if you start moving it painlessly and throughout the range of motion. However, in the case of a muscle tear, the situation is different; if the injury affects the muscles instead of the ligaments, your doctor will advise you to keep the foot immobilized for several days and may prescribe a brace, splint or air cast to protect the area. The aim is to avoid further tension in the damaged muscle; however, you should still be able to move your foot once the healing process has begun.
Step 3. Slowly resume your normal activities
Once the swelling has disappeared and the pain has subsided, you can go back to putting weight on your foot; but start gradually, you have to do light activities. At first you will probably still feel some stiffness or pain and this is completely normal, but these sensations should start to subside once the muscles and ligaments get used to the strain again. Do some warm-up and stretching before starting exercise, increasing the duration and intensity level over several days.
- Start with low impact activities; swimming, for example, is much more suitable for the foot than running.
- If you start experiencing sudden, sharp pain, stop exercising immediately.
Step 4. Wear solid, protective footwear
You need to find shoes that offer a stable balance and that don't expose you to the risk of suffering another injury; of course, absolutely exclude high heels. If you are concerned that the damage to your foot is the result of insufficient cushioning power of the shoes, buy a new pair. Orthotics can also help, but another possible option is orthopedic boots. These types of aids are equipped with Velcro to offer stability and make walking easier; you can get them from orthopedic shops for an approximate price of 100-200 euros.
Step 5. Use crutches or the stick if necessary.
If the healing process is still long or if you are unable to put weight on your foot, crutches allow you to carry out normal activities anyway. The most used model is the axillary one; to use them correctly, the crutches must be about 5-7 cm below your armpits when you are standing upright. Your hands should hang over the crutches and rest relaxed on the handle. Transfer the weight of the body to the sound leg, move the crutches forward and, carrying the weight on the arms, step forward by swinging the body between the crutches. You don't have to support yourself with your armpits, otherwise you could cause nerve damage, but with your hands on the handles.
With the stick you need to perform a slightly different movement. This accessory is not meant to be used on the weaker side of the body, but must support the healthy side and the extra weight that this part has to bear due to the injury
Part 3 of 3: Aftercare
Step 1. See a physical therapist
While not always necessary, your doctor can refer you to a physical therapist to regain joint mobility, strengthen muscle, and restore proper gait. The feet and ankles have to support a lot of weight and are therefore the parts that most often suffer injuries. The physiotherapist is able to define specific exercises for your problem, paying attention to the recovery of muscle and ligament functions, in order to make you heal completely; for example, he may ask you to do strength exercises with resistance bands or balance exercises, such as standing on one leg.
This specialist also teaches you to properly bandage the foot before exercising, as a correct bandaging of the still injured foot provides additional support
Step 2. Give yourself time to heal
It may take a week or two before you are able to walk, and it may take several months to return to normal activities. However, keep in mind that foot injuries can be of various types and in severe cases it can take a long time before a complete recovery; in certain situations, people experience pain, swelling, and instability for several months or even years after the initial accident. See your doctor if you experience a sudden increase in pain, swelling, or a sudden tingling or numb feeling.
Step 3. See your doctor
Contact him if the injury does not heal or takes longer than expected. he will be able to refer you to an orthopedist who will be able to define the best therapy for you. Minor muscle sprains and strains rarely require surgery, both because surgery is less effective than non-invasive treatments, and because the related risk is not justified, given the relative damage. However, in cases of more severe muscle strains (usually suffered by professional athletes), surgery is required to fully recover the muscle strength from before; in any case, this decision rests only with a qualified specialist doctor.
