The middle region of your foot is known as the midfoot. Here resides a bone group that forms the arch on the top of your foot. That bone group holds another group of bones that extend to your toes. All these bones are held in place by ligaments, forming your Lisfranc joint.
Your Lisfranc joint is small but complicated. Many bones and connective tissues meet up there, and all of them are crucial components of your arch’s shape and function. If your Lisfranc joint complex gets injured in any way, it becomes much harder to push off your foot when trying to walk or move around.
In an accident, sports injury, or other blunt force trauma incidents that lead to a foot fracture, it’s common for that fracture to involve bones in the Lisfranc joint. Connective tissues in the joint may also be sprained.
Lisfranc fractures are fairly common when it comes to types of foot fractures. So Matthew Hinderland, DPM, Jordan Cameron, DPM, Trevor Whiting, DPM, and the rest of our team at Foot and Ankle Institute of Colorado in Colorado Springs, Colorado, want to help you recognize the signs you’ve fractured your midfoot and know what to expect from treatment in this month’s blog.
Direct causes of Lisfranc fractures can include a car accident, a very heavy object falling on your foot, or any other traumatic event that crushes your foot. Indirect causes of Lisfranc fractures tend to be more common and include slips, falls, or any event that causes your heel to drastically twist while you have weight on the ball of your foot.
If you fracture any bones in your Lisfranc joint, you may notice pain, swelling, and bruising on the top of your foot. Typically, fractures also make it incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to put any weight on your foot.
Comparing your injured foot to your other foot can also help you determine if it’s fractured. If it looks different in any way, it’s always best to have it examined.
Even though a Lisfranc fracture isn’t life-threatening, it’s still a serious injury that needs immediate medical attention. Because your Lisfranc joint is so vital to your mobility, treating it right away mitigates the risk of mobility issues later on.
Your Lisfranc joint also contains a large amount of cartilage that can incur damage when injured. If the fracture goes untreated, the subsequent untreated cartilage injury puts you at a high risk for arthritis development.
When you see our Foot and Ankle Institute team for Lisfranc fracture treatment, we start by fully evaluating your foot to better understand which treatments are right for you. The amount of damage ultimately determines what course of action is best.
For minor fractures, immobilizing your foot by wearing a boot or cast for six weeks should allow the rest needed for your fracture to heal properly. You may also need to undergo physical therapy to restore full function and mobility.
If your fracture is more severe, you may need surgery to fully repair the joint. Our team offers minimally invasive surgery to help mitigate surgical risk and reduce recovery time.
To learn more about how we can help treat your Lisfranc fracture, schedule an appointment by calling our office or using our online booking feature today.
