Foot injuries: sprain, swelling or fracture? Often, but not only in summer

Foot injuries are quite common, and not just in the summer.
Swelling and pain for a sprain, to a fracture?
How to recognize them, how to help yourself and then treat them?

Our feet make us walk, run, jump or stand upright. We owe this to a group of bones, joints, muscles and other soft structures of the lower limb.

When an injury or any malfunction occurs, we are severely limited in our movement. Let's take a look together at the most common types of lower limb injuries, and how to avoid them.

Interesting:
The psyche has a great influence on the body.
The understanding that the body and mind are one is called psychosomatics.
Many diseases are attributed to the psyche.
Some people also believe that injuries are the result of various psychological conditions.
Leg injuries are said to reflect our fear of the future and our fear of stepping forward.

Bumps, bruises and haematomas

One of the most common injuries is the so-called bump. It is caused by blunt force, most often a fall, but also a blow from a blunt object.

This can result in bleeding into the subcutaneous tissue or even into the tissue. Red blood dots can form at the site of the injury. This bleeding is known professionally as petechial haemorrhage.

In the case of large, dark-blue bruises, we call it a bruise. A haematoma, as it is known, changes colour over time from dark blue to greenish-yellow. It often changes position. It begins to move lower due to gravity.

Why do some people bruise more often?

There is no person who has not developed a bruise in their entire lifetime. However, some people develop bruises more often or are more pronounced. This may be due to a vitamin deficiency, especially vitamin C.

So if you find that you are bruising more often, try to include vitamin-rich foods in your diet.

Since bruising is caused by injury to blood vessels and their bleeding, the blood vessels themselves also affect bruising. Older people have more fragile blood vessels, so bruising is more common.

More serious causes include blood diseases such as haemophilia or cirrhosis, a liver disease.

When injuries and haematomas require surgical intervention

With a larger and more pronounced sprain, a larger amount of bruising will form in the subcutaneous tissue. This is soft to the touch and can move under the skin like a large bubble.

Surgery is often required. The accumulated blood is punctured and suctioned out. We're talking about puncturing the accumulated fluid. There's a risk of secondary infection or tissue necrosis.

Another, more serious case may be a tear in the muscle sheath. Such a condition requires proper regeneration.

How long does it take to heal?

For larger tears, i.e. ruptures, healing requires up to 5 weeks.

Patience is in order!

Trying to stretch out the muscle does not pay off. There is a risk of complicating the injury and creating more unnecessary scar tissue. These impair the flexibility of the muscle and represent another source of pain.

Muscle regeneration

The balance between loading and recovery is important in more ways than one. In order for the body to recover properly after activity, not only is rest and muscle relaxation necessary, but nutrition is also needed.

When nutrients are deficient, the body taps into its own reserves after a workout. Instead of strengthening, this leads to weakening and loss of muscle mass.

The leg cramp

A laceration is an injury in which the skin covering is broken. They can vary in size, depth and may be associated with muscle or tendon injuries. Sterile dressing of the wound is necessary as part of first aid. In the case of bleeding, the use of a pressure bandage is required.

Can you make a pressure bandage?

It's not complicated. Take one unwrapped bandage and place it directly on the bleeding site. With the other bandage, wrap it tightly around the wound to apply slight pressure. The pressure will stop the bleeding.

Do not unwrap the dressing as blood flows, but add more layers of dressing.

Are you in the countryside without a first aid kit?

Probably no one carries a fully stocked first aid kit with sterile bandages or splints on them at all times. However, injuries do not avoid any environment. You can help yourself by improvising.

Instead of a sterile bandage, you can use feminine hygiene pads to cover the wound. If you're with small children, be sure to have a baby diaper handy. You'll find clean spare clothes in your backpack when hiking.

Don't forget that if there is a lot of bleeding, it is important to stop it. In this case, it doesn't matter that you don't use perfectly clean or sterile equipment.

Ankle - sprain, dislocation

Injuries to the ankle joints and bones are very common. They can occur during any activity, from sports to walking to normal household activities.

This injury also occurs suddenly, but also as a result of overuse.

The ankle joint is made up of three bones: the tibia, the fibula and the fibula. When a sprain occurs, the articular head of the tibia moves unnaturally outside the joint socket.

In most cases, the head will return to its natural position. However, the joint capsule that surrounds the ankle joint can stretch and tear the ligaments.

Sometimes the ankle remains dislocated. The head does not return to the joint socket and the ankle requires specialist treatment. This is when we call an ankle sprain.

In situations where blood supply or innervation (nerve fibre supply) is disturbed as a result of the injury, time is of the essence. The foot may be pale and without palpable pulses.

However, never attempt to fix a dislocated or broken ankle yourself!

Inexpert handling can cause injury to nerves and blood vessels. You may even cause permanent damage.

Fractured leg

When an injury occurs where the limb is swollen, deformed and painful with impaired mobility, it can be a sprain, dislocation or even a fracture. These injuries are caused by the same mechanism of injury and are difficult to distinguish without taking an X-ray.

The table shows the different types of fractures:

The resulting swelling that often occurs in injuries has a significance. For example, the body tries to fix and immobilise the injured part.

However, the same procedure is followed in first aid:

• Stop the bleeding as necessary.
• immobilise the limb
• keep the patient calm and warm
• arrange transport to a hospital facility

When immobilising a broken limb, apply a splint so that one joint above and one below the site of injury is immobilised.

If waiting longer for help, a pain pill can be given.

WARNING: However, it should be washed down with a small amount of water. Repositioning under general anaesthesia is often necessary, so do not give the injured person food or fluid.

If sudden surgery is necessary, this will reduce the risk of inhaling stomach contents during anaesthesia.

Symptoms and manifestations when it may be a fracture:

• swelling
• pain
• blood spurt
• impaired mobility
• twitching of the limb
• pallor on the peripheral parts of the limb
• deformed or shortened limb
• slight crunching on touch

Achilles

The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the bone of the heel. Its function is essential for running and walking. Although it is the strongest tendon in the body, it can often cause pain, and not just for active athletes.

If you feel even a slight pain in the area of this tendon, it's time to slow down!

Not only during sports, but also during other activities involving overexertion, the tendon can become inflamed. In more serious cases, it can even break.

If there is prolonged pain, swelling or increased temperature, the Achilles tendon is probably already inflamed. Then the function and mobility of the leg is greatly reduced. The only effective solution is rest and medication to suppress the inflammation.

Be patient...

The Achilles requires at least a week to recover. Re-loading should be started carefully and slowly. Swimming, for example, is ideal.

Surgical treatment is often necessary if the Achilles tendon is torn or completely ruptured. The same applies if a doctor decides to do so. Recovery is of course much longer then.

Inflammation of the plantar fascia

This is also an injury that is particularly common in athletes. It mainly affects runners. However, it also occurs with improperly chosen footwear or inappropriate walking in heels.

This fascia is actually a sheath or a kind of membrane. It envelops the muscle from the heel to the toes. It is therefore located along the foot.

If the fascia is overstretched and strained, it can become inflamed, as in the case of the Achilles. Foot pain is typical, especially in the heel area. It is most pronounced in the morning or after prolonged rest.

People with high or low arches or people with shortened calf muscles are particularly at risk.

Be especially careful if you:

• you are not used to standing for long periods, running, walking
• you are overweight
• you have shortened Achilles, calf muscles
• high or even low arches
• you have changed your training intensity, footwear or surface type during training

Treatment, as with Achilles tendonitis, consists mainly of rest, anti-inflammatory medication and cold compresses.

If the trouble persists, professional help should be sought. An orthopaedic surgeon will assess the condition, select a treatment and, if necessary, order a surgical solution.

Foot injuries and age

One of the important factors that influence the occurrence of injuries, not only to the feet, is age. Already after the age of 20, the water and lubricant in the joints gradually diminish. Thus, flexibility, elasticity and overall resistance to injuries and chronic problems decrease.

Children's bones have a good remodelling capacity. As a result, fractures in children heal very well.

Children are not small adults. Differences in anatomy and physiology are also reflected in the development and progression of injuries. Read our interesting article: A child is not a miniature adult! What are the differences?

The centre of gravity is significantly higher in a child's body than in an adult's. This is the reason for the frequent loss of balance and falls.

Did you know that: After birth, a child's skeleton is made up mainly of cartilage. The bones are formed gradually and only take their final shape and structure at puberty. During childhood, the skeleton is constantly reshaped and strengthened. A child has 300 bones at birth. However, in adulthood, some of them merge into one. That's why the number drops to 206.

You may also be interested in our magazine article.

Children and trampoline injuries

Today's times have brought with them the trend of children's trampolines. Jumping is becoming increasingly popular.

The popularity of trampolines is becoming more popular nowadays.

In particular, injuries to the lower limbs are frequent, namely fractures and ankle and knee injuries. Causes can include: multiple people in the trampoline, falling off the trampoline, contact with the structure or spring of the trampoline.

Prevention of trampoline injuries:

• Do not let your child jump on the trampoline unsupervised.
• be careful, especially if there is more than one child on the trampoline
• follow the precautions recommended by the trampoline manufacturer

Factors influencing the experience of pain in children

It is not only in children that the psyche has a huge influence on health. This is also the case in injuries.

Do you know what all influences a child's experience of pain?

• the hospital environment
• the medical staff
• the attitude of the parents

Do you care about your children 's health?

How to avoid foot injuries during sports and other activities?

The human body is admirable. With the right approach, it is not destroyed like a machine, but improved and strengthened. However, it is important to listen to the body's signals and understand them.

The right attitude and positioning for sport or other activities are more than important. Warming up and warming up before sport is often underestimated. Others may end up overestimating their strength.

Responsible sports equipment, the right footwear and sufficient fluid intake are also important. All of this influences resistance to injury.

The human body adapts well to different conditions. So do the feet. But it is important to give them enough time. So whether you are starting out in sport or changing your training schedule, give your feet responsible rest and recovery.

Recently, the use of sneakers with a harder tread has become preferred for running. This is also a change that the feet require enough time for.

Hiking sticks are useful for hiking in the mountains. Avoid using only one stick, however, as this puts an uneven load on the hips and the whole body.

Do warm or cold compresses help with injuries?

You may have come across more than one opinion about compresses. Some people say one way, others another. It depends on the type of injury and especially the stage of healing. Cold compresses are beneficial in the period shortly after the injury. They reduce pain and swelling.

During the healing period, heat can be beneficial. It helps improve blood circulation and metabolism. Of course, it depends on the circumstances and the type of injury.

Never apply compresses directly to the skin. Wrap it in a towel or other cloth.

Foot injury inathletes

Although sport is beneficial for the overall resistance and vitality of the body, it unfortunately also brings with it certain risks. In people who are not completely used to movement and sport, it is very often an overload of muscles or joints.

Athletes, on the other hand, can suffer from so-called wear and tear or exhaustion. These are also very common problems that people are forced to seek professional help for. It is not just a sudden injury, but also a longer-term problem.

Warm-up

Before any sporting activity, it is important to warm up and warm up the body. The reason is simple.

Muscles are contracted and cold at rest.

In such an unstretched state, they do not perform at a high level, cannot use their full range of motion and are much more prone to injury.

Proper footwear

Choosing the right footwear is very important. However, it is advisable to choose footwear individually for each sporting activity. The flexibility, hardness of the sole or ankle support is decisive.

So when buying, think about the activity for which the trainers will be most useful. Get advice from an expert. This can prevent unnecessary foot fatigue and injury.

Other influences and factors contributing to foot injuries

Another factor that contributes significantly to the development of injuries is external influences. Temperature fluctuations, rain or wind can easily cause a local cold. Such a weakened part of the body is more prone to overload and injury.

The psyche also influences the susceptibility to injury. The most common is so-called sports stress. This is constant overloading combined with psychological pressure. It occurs especially in elite athletes.