Heel Fractures

Heel Fractures

Heel fractures are the most prevalent type of tarsal bone fracture. In fact, heel fractures account for approximately 60% of tarsal fractures. Heel fractures are among those that should be treated seriously since they impact the joint. Because the calcaneus bone, which forms the ankle, bears the majority of our body's load, it is the most affected location in very high falls. Extreme pain, bruising, swelling, inability to stand, and trouble walking are all signs of a heel fracture. If the fracture is an open fracture, you may notice signs such as bleeding or a wound.

How are heel fractures treated?
An orthopedic specialist and traumatologist should be the one we consult for heel fractures. The initial step in treating a patient with this problem is to reduce swelling in the foot as much as possible and elevate the leg by placing the foot on a pressurized foot pump.It is very important to make the correct diagnosis before starting to treat heel fractures. In order to make a correct diagnosis, an x-ray and tomography of the leg should be taken. If the diagnosis shows that the fracture has not separated too much or if it is decided that it is a non-displaced fracture, the heel is placed in plaster. However, because heel fractures usually occur when falling from a great height, there is a lot of crushing of the heel bone. If the situation is this serious, plastering the heel will not be an appropriate treatment method. In such cases, the treatment to be done will be in the form of gold standard surgery.

How long is the healing time for a heel fracture?
Heel fractures are the most challenging fractures for orthopedic surgeons to treat. Surgical therapy was once deemed unfavorable in circumstances such as heel fractures, but thanks to modern technical advances, surgical treatment is now used in such cases. In most cases, a broken bone will fuse within 6 weeks. Healing time for a heel bone fracture ranges between 6 and 12 weeks. If there is no excessive separation in the fracture, the union of the fracture will take an average of 5-6 weeks, but if the fracture is very serious, if there is a very excessive separation, the healing process of the heel fracture will require a time frame of up to 3 months.