If you hurt your foot or ankle, you probably want to know how long you’ll be hobbling around. The answer lies in the severity of your injury. Sprains often heal in a couple of weeks. If you have a broken bone (fracture), you can expect a longer recovery time.
Joseph DiMenna, DPM, and our team specialize in foot and ankle injuries. That means we routinely treat both sprains and fractures. At our Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Dr. DiMenna can definitely figure out what kind of injury you have.
To get a clearer indication of the type of injury you may have experienced, we can offer some guidance.
Sprains and fractures have many overlapping symptoms. They’re both painful, and you might have swelling or difficulty putting weight on the affected leg.
Be on the lookout for indicators that you’re dealing with more than a sprain, though. Some signs you should see Dr. DiMenna include:
Don’t assume it isn’t a fracture just because you didn’t have a moment of sudden pain. You can slowly develop a fracture in your foot over time. The pain from this stress fracture tends to gradually worsen.
If you still aren’t sure what’s affecting you — or you’re reasonably confident you have a broken bone — don’t wait to see Dr. DiMenna and our team.
Dr. DiMenna starts by asking you about your symptoms and physically examining the foot or ankle. Then, he orders additional diagnostic testing.
The only way to conclusively figure out what’s going on is to use medical imaging to see under your skin. With an option like an X-ray, Dr. DiMenna can see your bones to look for any fractures.
Then, he tailors treatment to you. If you do have a broken bone, that usually means immobilizing the area with a boot or cast. If you don’t have a fracture but your sprain is severe (meaning your ligament is torn), Dr. DiMenna may similarly cast or brace the area.
In many cases, he recommends additional treatments such as anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy. Here at Family Foot and Ankle Center of South Jersey, our goal is to help your foot or ankle heal as quickly and comfortably as possible.
If you think you might have a fracture, don’t wait to call us at 856-667-8222 to book an appointment.
