Participating in sports such as football or basketball, or activities such as gymnastics or dancing, are the main culprits when it comes to foot fractures.
That’s why there’s a whole branch of our profession, dedicated to sports podiatry!
However even if you’re not into sports, you could sustain a painful foot fracture:
- in a car accident;
- falling from a great height;
- or even after a simple stumble.
And some trivia for you – men tend to be more often affected by foot fractures, than women!
The Foot Care Professionals
Podiatrists are the foot care professionals, undertaking four years of training so that they can provide expert diagnosis, treatment and management of all concerns relating to the feet – toes, ankles, toenails, heels and lower limbs. In order to practice, they must also be registered, which entails keeping up to date on all the latest developments in the foot care field – including the treatment of foot fractures, sprained ankles and the like.
A correct diagnosis is crucial if you are to receive the right treatment – that’s why we recommend a trip to your local podiatry clinic if you have sustained an injury to your foot and are experiencing pain and/or swelling, and suspect a fracture or sprain. Most people think of going to a doctor or hospital Emergency Department, not realising that a podiatrist is the expert when it comes to all things feet.
Sadly, we often see patients at our podiatry clinic, who have already visited a GP or physiotherapist regarding a foot injury – but have not received the correct diagnosis. Often this is because they were never sent for an x-ray, which would have revealed that a foot fracture was present.
You do not require a referral to visit a podiatry clinic, and just like a GP, we can give you a referral for an x-ray to determine if there is a fracture present. Currently there are no out of pocket expenses for these x-rays, as they are covered by Medicare.
Recovering from Foot Fractures
Once your podiatrist has arrived at a diagnosis, they can prescribe the best treatment and rehabilitation options – so you will be running around again in no time!
If you suspect that you may have a foot fracture, or just want some advice on another aspect of foot care, call us today on 3207 4736.