What is an avulsion fracture of the calcaneus?
Those caused by trauma, such as avulsion fractures (in which a piece of bone is pulled off of the calcaneus by the Achilles tendon or a ligament) or crush injuries resulting in multiple fracture fragments. Stress fractures, caused by overuse or mild injury.
How serious is an avulsion fracture?
Most avulsion fractures aren’t medical emergencies, but they are still a serious medical condition. See a healthcare provider if you have pain, swelling, numbness, or difficulty moving a limb. If you don’t get medical attention, your broken bone might take longer to heal or it might not heal in the right way.
How long does avulsion fracture take to heal?
You might need to wear a cast or splint for a few weeks. Fractures usually take about three to 12 weeks to heal completely. For an avulsion fracture in your pelvis or anywhere else where your healthcare provider can’t apply a cast, a short period of rest followed by crutches is helpful.
Can you walk on an avulsion fracture?
Walking: You may walk on the foot as comfort allows but you may find it easier to walk on your heel in the early stages. If you have been given a boot to wear, it is for your comfort only and is not needed to aid fracture healing. If supplied, wear the boot for comfort when walking.
Is a calcaneus fracture serious?
Calcaneal fractures can be serious injuries that may produce lifelong problems. Arthritis, stiffness and pain in the joint frequently develop. Sometimes the fractured bone fails to heal in the proper position.
What happens if avulsion fracture doesn’t heal?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union. In the former case, the bone doesn’t heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
What is lateral malleolus avulsion fracture?
An avulsion fracture occurs when a tendon or ligament fractures off a piece of the bone to which it’s attached. Avulsion fractures of the ankle are often caused by a twisting motion and commonly affect the lower ends of the tibia or fibula, areas called the medial and lateral malleolus. [
How painful is avulsion fracture?
You may feel a pop and sudden pain when the fracture occurs. You will probably have some pain and swelling in the area of the fracture. Sometimes the area will be bruised. Symptoms usually improve after the injury heals.
What is the fastest way to heal an avulsion fracture?
Treatment of an avulsion fracture typically includes resting and icing the affected area, followed by controlled exercises that help restore range of motion, improve muscle strength and promote bone healing. Most avulsion fractures heal very well without surgical intervention.
How painful is an avulsion fracture?
Can avulsion fracture get worse?
The pain in your injured limb gets worse even after you rest and take medicine. The skin, toes, or fingers of your injured limb become swollen, cold, or blue.
Is an avulsion fracture a break?
A fracture is a break or crack in a bone that often results from an injury. With an avulsion fracture, an injury to the bone occurs near where the bone attaches to a tendon or ligament. When the fracture happens, the tendon or ligament pulls away, and a small piece of bone pulls away with it.
How do you treat a calcaneus fracture?
Treatment for a calcaneus injury may include rest and elevation. A sprain to the ankle ligaments may create excessive stress on the calcaneus. An ice pack may help ease pain and swelling associated with a sprained calceaneus. Rest and casting are typically enough to allow a calcaneus fracture to heal.
What is the recovery time for calcaneus bone fracture?
Calcaneal Fracture Prognosis. Because they can be pretty severe, breaks of the calcaneus take quite a bit of time to heal. Recovery time is about the same for conservative and surgical patients. It takes about 10 to 12 weeks for the bone to fully heal. During this time period patients will be expected to be non-weight bearing.
Can a calcaneal fracture heal itself?
There is also a very high percentage chance of long-term subtalar joint arthritis that can result as a result of a calcaneal stress fracture with displacement. The stress fracture will eventually heal on its own if you keep weight off it, but you can do these things to make it heal faster and prevent one from even coming back.
What causes an avulsion fracture?
Other possible causes of an avulsion fracture may include improper stretching and warm-up prior to performing exercises and bone problems such as infection and cancer of the bone. Traumatic incidents such as vehicular accidents may also cause avulsion fractures [9].