The human foot is made up of 26 bones, and most of them are prone to injury. You can break your toes when you kick, your heels from jumping from a certain height and landing on your feet, or other bones when you sprain or sprain. Although children tend to break bones more often than adults, their feet are more flexible and therefore heal more easily from broken leg injuries.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Recognizing the Symptoms of a Broken Leg
Step 1. Determine if your feet are too sore to walk
The main symptom of a broken leg is severe pain when the foot is supported or used to walk.
If your toe is broken, you can usually walk and feel less pain. A broken leg will feel very painful when used to walk. Boots often disguise the pain of a broken bone by providing a little more support to the foot; The best way to diagnose a fracture is to remove the shoe
Step 2. Try removing socks and shoes
This step will help you determine the broken leg because the legs can be compared side by side.
If your shoes and socks can't be removed, even with someone else's help, it's best to go to the ER or call emergency services. Your leg is most likely broken and requires medical treatment. Cut boots and socks off before the swelling injures the foot
Step 3. Compare the legs and look for signs of bruising, swelling, and injury
Check to see if the injured leg and the toes are swollen. You can also compare the injured foot to the healthy leg to see if the injured leg looks very red and inflamed, or has dark purple and green bruising. You can also see open sores on the injured leg.
Step 4. Check if you have a broken leg or just a sprain
You can also try to determine the foot injury. A sprain occurs when you stretch or tear a ligament, the tissue that holds bones together. A broken leg is a fracture or complete fracture of the bone.
Check for bones sticking through the skin, or other areas of the foot that are deformed or at odd angles. You have a fracture if the bone sticks out or the leg looks different
Step 5. Go to the nearest emergency room
If the injured leg looks broken, you should visit the nearest ER. If you are alone and cannot get help from someone else, call emergency services. Do not drive alone if you have a broken leg. Broken bones can cause shock, which is dangerous when driving.
If someone is able to drive you to the ER, it's a good idea to stabilize your legs so they are safe and not moving while in the car. Tuck a pillow under your feet, then secure them with tape or tie them to your feet to keep them upright. Try to keep your feet up during the trip; sit in the back seat to raise your legs, if possible
Part 2 of 3: Getting Treatment from a Doctor
Step 1. Let the doctor examine the feet
The doctor will apply pressure to several areas of the foot to determine a broken leg. You will feel pain, which is a sign that your leg has been broken.
If your leg is broken, you will feel pain when the doctor presses on the base of your little toe and the middle of your foot. You also can't walk four steps or less unaided or experience severe pain
Step 2. Get an X-ray scan from a doctor
If the doctor feels that there are several broken bones in your leg, he or she will perform an X-ray scan of your leg.
However, even with an X-ray it is difficult to determine if you have a fracture because the swelling can cover the delicate bones in the leg. Using X-rays, the doctor can identify the broken leg bone and treatment that can be done
Step 3. Ask your doctor about treatment options
Fracture treatment options depend on the type of bone that is broken in the leg.
Your foot will need surgery if the heel is broken or fractured. Likewise, if you have broken your talus, the bone that connects your sole and foot, you may also need surgery. However, if the fracture occurs only in the little finger or the other toe, surgery is not required
Part 3 of 3: Treating a Broken Leg at Home
Step 1. Try not to use your feet as much as possible
After a broken leg is treated by a doctor, you should focus on not using your foot. Use crutches to walk and make sure your weight is placed on your arms, shoulders, and crutches, not your feet.
If you have a broken leg or toe, we recommend applying buddy tape to prevent the injured finger from moving. Don't put weight on the broken finger and give it 6-8 weeks for it to heal completely
Step 2. Raise your leg and apply ice to reduce swelling
Place your feet on a pillow on a bed or high chair when sitting so that they are higher than your body. This step will help reduce swelling.
Cooling the leg can also reduce swelling, especially if the leg is in a bandage instead of a cast. Apply ice for 10 minutes at a time, and repeat hourly for the first 10-12 hours post-injury
Step 3. Take pain medication prescribed by your doctor
Your doctor will give you pain relievers or suggest commercial medications to help control the pain. Use only the dose prescribed by your doctor or the directions on the package label.
Step 4. Schedule a follow-up with your doctor
Most leg fractures take 6-8 weeks to heal. You can schedule a follow-up with your doctor once you can walk again and put weight on your feet. Your doctor may recommend wearing rigid shoes and flat-soled shoes to help your foot heal properly.
