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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM
Pain in Foot
by Anna
(Winter Park, FL, USA)
I dropped something heavy on my foot 3 days ago. It was immediately swollen and slightly bruised. I ice it and keep it elevated. I still can't wear a shoe and it hurts to walk (not horrid though). It is on the top about an inch from the second toe (from the big toe). If I touch the area, it hurts a lot. I coach gymnastics and don't want to do something else to hurt the area. I haven't gone to the doc because it happened on Friday night (and the ER does very little anyway). :) Would a bone bruise feel like this? How long should symptoms last? I tore the two perineal tendons and had surgery last May. I wonder if I could have hurt another tendon........ :(
RESPONSE
Hi Anna,
The problem here is that unless you seek medical attention there is no way to know for sure what damage you did when you dropped the heavy object on your foot.
In a worse case scenario you may have broken a bone in your foot depending on how heavy the object was and the angle in which it hit your foot. Obviously, the only way to know would be to take an x-ray. There is no way of telling just by looking at the foot.
To a lesser extent you may have nothing more than a bone bruise. A heavy blunt object could do that as well.
You may have also damaged one of the tendons that travels along the top of your foot. This would result in a tendonitis which would also hurt as you walk.
You state you are in pain but not excessive pain. Unfortunately, all these potential injuries could result in pain which still allows you to walk to some extent.
If you are suffering from a bone bruise or damage to one of the extensor tendons, rest and time should heal it. The problem with that line of thinking is that if the bone is actually broken whatever time you waste waiting for a bone bruise or tendonitis to heal will only set you back in regards to a potential broken bone.
Today is monday, if you are not dramatically improved since the trauma of friday then the best advice I could give you would be to seek medical care either with a podiatrist or orthopedist in your area, both of whom are knowledgeable in these types of injuries and should be able to help you.
Marc Mitnick DPM
DISCLAIMER
ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
University of Rochester Medical Center
American Academy of Pediatrics
Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation
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