Broken Foot
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
- What is the structure of the foot?
- What are the causes of a broken foot?
- What are the symptoms of a broken foot?
- When should I call the doctor for foot pain?
- How is a broken foot diagnosed?
- What is the treatment for a broken foot?
- What are the complications of a broken foot?
- Can a broken foot be prevented?
- Broken Foot At A Glance
- Patient Comments: Broken Foot - Complications
- Find a local Doctor in your town
What is the structure of the foot?
The bony anatomy can be described as follows:
- The talus articulates with the
tibia (shin bone) to form the
ankle joint.
- The calcaneus or the heel
bone is attached by ligaments to the tibia to
provide stability to the ankle joint.
- The midfoot consists of the navicular, the cuboid, and the three cuneiform
bones. The midfoot is where inversion and
supination of the foot occurs. These
motions allow the sole of the foot to turn inwards and upwards.
- The five metatarsal bones are connected to each toe.
- The toe bones are called phalanges (single =
phalanx) with the great toe
having two and the other four toes having three each. These bones are named
based upon their relationship to the body:
proximal, middle and
distal. Proximal
means closest to the center of the body while distal is furthest from the
center.
- The arch of the foot is maintained by the
plantar fascia, a thick fibrous
band of tissue that runs from the calcaneus to the metatarsal, preventing the
bones of the foot from flattening.
- Injuries to the foot include fractures of the bone, sprains of the ligaments that stabilize the joints, and strains of the muscles and tendons that move the foot.
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