Fractures of the bones of the midfoot. Fracture of the cuboid bone of the foot Marginal fracture of the lateral part of the cuboid bone

Fracture of the cuboid bone of the foot is very rare. This bone is located in the outer part of the foot, but usually breaks in combination with others, or after a direct serious injury, for example, from a heavy object falling from above. The main share of bone fractures is due to a fall from a height and an unsuccessful landing on the feet. Among all injuries of all bones of the skeleton, it accounts for only 0.14%.

The cuboid bone is located between the bones of the metatarsus and calcaneus.

Usually, a fracture occurs without splinters, but in rare cases, comminuted ones also occur. This type is most often accompanied by concomitant fractures of the surrounding bones. In this case, the treatment is much harder and longer.

How to recognize?

The first symptoms of this fracture:

violations of the foot (it hurts to move, turn, sometimes a person can lean, but only on the heel);
strong pain;
tumor;
bleeding.

In the future, more obvious signs appear that indicate precisely this injury:

pain in a certain place on palpation;
leg deformity;
stepped performances;
increased pain when trying to move (foot abduction, rotation, etc.)

If the fracture is accompanied by subluxation, dislocation, displacement, a stepped deformity appears on the back side.

An accurate diagnosis can only be made after an x-ray and examination by a specialist.

How to treat?

In case of injury, you must immediately fix the knee and ankle joints. Use all means at hand for this (sticks, ropes ...) It is important that the fragments do not move, and the recovery is faster.

If the bone breaks without splinters, the treatment is fairly simple. The patient is put in a plaster cast in the form of a boot, completely fixing the foot. A metal arch support is embedded on the sole. The bandage starts from the fingertips to the second third of the lower leg. You need to wear a cast for two to three months.

The correct modeling of the foot is important.

Recovery takes longer. At first, the patient is generally forbidden to walk, over time, you can gradually load the injured leg.

After the plaster is removed, the person must undergo physiotherapy and mechanotherapy.

They include exposure to interference currents. This is an excellent tool for relieving edema and hematoma, in addition, it relieves pain, and normalizes trophic processes in tissues. As a bactericidal agent, ultraviolet irradiation is used. If the foot hurts very much, bromine electrophoresis is used. The ankle joint is developed with special exercises.

UHF therapy is used to improve blood flow, stimulate immunity and tissue regeneration. Massage therapy works well.

Full recovery takes three months.

For the next year, the patient must wear orthopedic shoes with flat soles only.

Effects

In a healthy person, complications rarely occur. And yet, it is worth remembering that the foot is a very complex mechanism in which every bone and muscle is interconnected. Therefore, the slightest violation can lead to pathogenesis.

The motor function is disturbed - it is difficult for a person to take the foot away, supination and pronation are limited. Also, lameness can last for a long time. Sometimes patients (mostly in adulthood) may lose their ability to work and the ability to move normally.

Pain may persist for some time after a cuboid fracture. If they do not go away, the remaining fragments must be surgically removed.

If the fracture does not heal for a long time, this indicates a violation of the body. Lack of calcium, vitamins, tissue nutrition processes, etc. Therefore, it is important to eat right during treatment. Eliminate all bad habits and choose healthy foods. Your diet should include spinach, dairy, meat, seafood, bananas, etc. try to eat less salt so that there are no serious edema.

It is also possible with improper or insufficient treatment.

In most cases, a fracture of the cuboid bone heals quite quickly and completely.

The legs are the support of the body, and the feet are the support for the legs. Athletes often underestimate the importance of a healthy foot and ankle in achieving optimal athletic performance, not to mention overall well-being and health. The most unpleasant thing is that even minor injuries to the foot and ankle can have very bad long-term health consequences in the future. How foot injuries occur, what is foot dislocation and how to recognize, prevent and cure it - we will tell in this article.

The structure of the foot

The foot is a complex anatomical formation. It is based on the bone frame, represented by the talus, calcaneus, scaphoid, cuboid and sphenoid bones (tarsal complex), metatarsus and fingers.

bone base

The talus serves as a kind of "adapter" between the foot and lower leg, due to its shape providing mobility to the ankle joint. It lies directly on the heel bone.
The calcaneus is the largest of the foot bones. It is also an important bone landmark and the place of attachment of the tendons of the muscles and the aponeurosis of the foot. In functional terms, it performs a supporting function when walking. Anteriorly in contact with the cuboid bone.
The cuboid bone forms the lateral edge of the tarsal part of the foot; the 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones directly adjoin it. With its medial edge, the described bone is in contact with the navicular bone.
The navicular bone forms the medial portion of the tarsal foot. Lies anterior and medial to the calcaneus. In front, the navicular bone is in contact with the sphenoid bones - lateral, medial and middle. Together they form the bony support for the metatarsal bones.
The metatarsal bones are related in shape to the so-called tubular bones. On the one hand, they are motionlessly connected to the bones of the tarsus, on the other hand, they form movable joints with the toes of the foot.

There are five toes, four of them (from the second to the fifth) have three short phalanges, the first - only two. Looking ahead, let's say that the toes have an important function in the walking pattern: the final stage of pushing the foot off the ground is only possible thanks to the first and second toes.

Ligament apparatus

The listed bones are strengthened by a ligamentous apparatus, they form the following joints among themselves:

Subtalar - between the talus and calcaneus. It is easily injured when the ankle ligaments are sprained, with the formation of subluxation.
Talon-calcaneal-navicular - around the axis of this joint, it is possible to perform pronation and supination of the foot.
In addition, it is important to note the tarsal-metatarsal, intertarsal and interphalangeal joints of the foot.

The most significant for the formation of the correct arch of the lower leg are the muscles located on the plantar side of the lower leg. They are divided into three groups:

outdoor;
internal;
medium.

The first group serves the little finger, the second group - the thumb (responsible for flexion and adduction). The medial muscle group is responsible for flexing the second, third, and fourth toes.

Biomechanically, the foot is designed in such a way that, with the right muscle tone, its plantar surface forms several arches:

external longitudinal arch - passes through a mentally drawn line between the calcaneal tubercle and the distal head of the fifth phalangeal bone;
internal longitudinal arch - passes through a mentally drawn line between the calcaneal tubercle and the distal head of the first metatarsal bone;
transverse longitudinal arch - passes through a mentally drawn line between the distal heads of the first and fifth metatarsal bones.

In addition to muscles, a powerful plantar aponeurosis, mentioned a little above, takes part in the formation of such a structure.

Types of dislocations of the foot

Dislocations of the foot can be divided into three types:

Subtalar dislocations of the foot

With this type of foot injury, the talus remains in place, and the calcaneal, navicular and cuboid adjacent to it, as it were, diverge. In this case, there is a significant traumatization of the soft tissues of the joint, with damage to the blood vessels. The joint cavity and periarticular tissues are filled with an extensive hematoma. This leads to significant swelling, pain and, which is the most dangerous factor, to disruption of blood delivery to the limb. The latter circumstance can serve as a trigger for the development of foot gangrene.

Dislocation of the transverse tarsal joint

This type of foot injury occurs with a direct traumatic effect. The foot has a characteristic appearance - it is turned inward, the skin, on the back of the foot, is stretched. On palpation of the joint, the navicular bone displaced inwards is clearly felt. Edema is expressed as significantly as in the previous case.

Dislocation of the metatarsal joint

A fairly rare injury to the foot. Most often occurs with direct injury to the anterior edge of the foot. The most likely mechanism of injury is an elevated landing on the balls of the toes. In this case, the first or fifth phalangeal bones, or all five at once, can be displaced in isolation. Clinically, there is a step-like deformity of the foot, edema, inability to step on the foot. Significantly hampered voluntary movements of the toes.

Dislocations of the toes

The most common dislocation occurs in the metatarsophalangeal joint of the first toe. In this case, the finger moves inward or outward, with simultaneous flexion. The injury is accompanied by pain, significant pain when trying to push off the ground with an injured leg. Wearing shoes is difficult, often impossible.

Signs and symptoms of a dislocation

The main symptoms of a dislocated foot are:

Pain, which occurs abruptly, immediately after the impact of a traumatic factor on the foot. At the same time, after the cessation of exposure, the pain persists. Strengthening it occurs when you try to lean on the damaged limb.
Edema. The area of the damaged joint increases in volume, the skin is stretched. There is a feeling of fullness of the joint from the inside. This circumstance is associated with concomitant trauma of soft tissue formations, in particular, blood vessels.
Loss of function. It is impossible to make an arbitrary movement in the damaged joint, an attempt to do this brings significant pain.
Forced position of the foot- part of the foot or the whole foot has an unnatural position.

Be careful and attentive! It is impossible to distinguish a dislocation of the foot from a sprain and fracture of the foot visually without an x-ray machine.

First aid for dislocation

First aid for dislocation of the foot is the following algorithm of actions:

The victim must be laid on a comfortable flat surface.
Next, you should give the injured limb an elevated position (the foot should be above the knee and hip joints), placing a pillow, jacket or any suitable tool under it.
To reduce post-traumatic edema, you need to cool the injury site. For this, ice or any product frozen in the freezer (for example, a pack of dumplings) is suitable.
In case of damage to the skin, it is necessary to apply an aseptic bandage to the wound.
After all the actions described above, it is necessary to deliver the victim as soon as possible to a medical facility where there is a traumatologist and an X-ray machine.

Dislocation treatment

Treatment of a dislocation consists in the procedure of repositioning the leg and giving it a natural position. The reduction can be closed - without surgical intervention, and open, that is - through an operative incision.

It is impossible to give any specific advice on how and how to treat dislocation of the foot at home, since there is no way to do without the help of an experienced traumatologist. Once the dislocation has been corrected, he can give you some advice on what to do if your foot is dislocated so that you can get back on your feet as quickly as possible.

After the reduction procedures, a fixing bandage is applied, for a period of four weeks to two months. Do not be surprised that when fixing the lower leg, the splint will be applied to the lower third of the thigh - with fixation of the knee joint. This is a necessary condition, since the process of walking with a fixed ankle is very dangerous for the knee joint.

Recovery after a dislocation

After immobilization is removed, the process of rehabilitation begins - the gradual inclusion of the muscles of the immobilized limb in the work. You should start with active movements, but without relying on the injured limb.

To restore bone density at the site of injury, you need to walk a small distance every day, gradually increasing it.

For a more active restoration of limb mobility, we offer several effective exercises. To perform them, you will need a cuff with a fixation ring and a strap for fastening in the area of the Achilles tendon. We put the cuff on the projection area of the metatarsal bones. We fix the strap through the Achilles tendon slightly above the level of the heel. We lie down on the mat, put the legs on the gymnastic bench. Three options follow:

In addition to the exercises described for developing the foot after an injury at home, you can use other methods and improvised means: roll a ball with your foot, perform backbends with a towel, and so on.

If we consider the human skeleton, then the foot consists of the anterior, posterior and middle sections. The calcaneus and talus are part of the back, three sphenoid, navicular and cuboid bones form its middle part, and the front part of the foot consists of 5 metatarsal and 14 bones that form the phalanges of the fingers.

One of the most common injuries in adults, adolescents, and young children is a broken foot. This is not surprising, since the foot of the lower limb is formed by 26 thin and fragile bones. The most vulnerable of them are the phalanges of the fingers, tarsal and metatarsal bones.

Causes

Fracture of the bones of the foot occurs:

from the wrong jump;
powerful blow;
falling from a height;
unsuccessful turn of the leg.

It happens that the foot is exposed to stress for a long time, due to which micro-cracks or stress fractures can occur in the foot. The most sensitive are the talus, metatarsal bones.

Often, the discomfort or pain that occurs in the foot is not particularly frightening, but should alert. Indeed, after receiving even a minor injury, the integrity of the bone conglomerate may be violated - a bone fracture may occur, and the consequences may be different.

Kinds

The severity and consequences of the injury directly depend on the type of fracture. They can be classified:

Open fracture - with visible external injuries of soft tissues and bone fragments. This is the most dangerous type.
A closed fracture occurs without violating the integrity of the skin and soft tissues.
Foot injuries without displacement of bones or bone fragments that remain in place.
A displaced foot fracture is when the bone or parts of it are shifted and may not heal properly.

Sometimes there are numerous foot fractures, which require immediate hospitalization and long-term treatment with a long recovery period - after all, rehabilitation after a fracture is mandatory.

According to the typical classification, fractures are distinguished:

comminuted;
fragmentary;
oblique
transverse.

The bones of the foot are very thin, so any injury can be destructive to their integrity.

Particularly painful and dangerous injuries:

talus, calcaneus;
phalanges of the lower extremities;
bones of the metatarsus and tarsus;
sphenoid bone;
cuboid, scaphoid bones.

An injury to the talus is one of the most serious - it takes pressure when resting on the entire foot. It forms the arches of the foot, while not having ligaments with any muscle. Fracture occurs most often due to eversion of the lower limb. The severity of the incident can be recognized by the signs that the size of the foot begins to increase sharply, accompanied by immobilization.

The treatment and recovery period is long, due to lack of blood supply - this bone is surrounded by small vessels.

A fracture of the navicular bone of the foot is also considered a difficult injury, since it is often accompanied by damage to neighboring bones. This occurs due to prolonged compression of the middle part of the foot and ends with long-term treatment.

As a result of an unsuccessful jump, dismount, the heel bones fall under the blow, since they take on the entire impact of the landing. The talus bone crushes it from a blow. The injury can be simple, multi-comminuted, extra-articular, fragmented, intra-articular, without displacement and with displacement.

A cuboid fracture (like a sphenoid fracture) is rare, despite its location on the outside of the foot. Injury occurs from a sharp direct blow when the leg is bent, as well as from a direct traumatic effect on it, for example, when a heavy load falls, or when a car wheel runs over the foot. It is difficult to diagnose such damage, due to the appearance of multiple debris. However, motor activity may be partially preserved during the emphasis on the heel.

The bones of the metatarsus break from falling objects on them or with strong compression. In this case, one or more bones that make up the metatarsus are injured with damage to the neck, head or body.

When receiving a strong direct blow to the foot, as a rule, the fingers suffer. In this case, you can not immediately pay attention and continue to move with damaged phalanges. This results in malunion, stiffness or post-traumatic arthrosis.

Symptoms and signs

Immediately after injury to the lower limb, discomfort may occur. The victim will be able to recognize the first symptoms of a foot fracture on their own. They appear:

sharp pain;
swelling of soft tissues;
discoloration of the skin - redness or pallor;
foot deformity;
wound or bruising.

It happens that the signs of a fracture of the foot do not appear to a large extent immediately after the injury - it is simply painful for the victim to step on the foot or a small swelling occurs. It may seem to a person that he is a little lame and everything will pass, so it is not necessary to contact a specialist. This is the main misconception of many people. It must be remembered that any bruise or fracture must be diagnosed and treated by specialists.

First aid

Even if after the injury there is one sign of a fracture of the foot, the victim must be sent to a medical facility where he can receive the necessary medical care.

If there is no possibility of immediate hospitalization, you can help the victim yourself.

If a fracture of the foot is suspected, it is necessary to fix the injured limb by applying a splint. It can be any plank or a second limb, to which, with the help of any piece of fabric, an injured leg is attached.
If an open fracture of the foot occurs, it is necessary to stop the bleeding and treat the damaged tissues with disinfectants with the application of a sterile dressing.

When providing first aid on your own, one should not forget that this is only a temporary measure. The main treatment and recovery is carried out in a clinical setting.

Treatment

In a medical institution, a specialist examines the foot along with part of the lower leg in order to clarify the symptoms.

Having diagnosed a fracture by means of X-ray, and in more complex cases, ultrasound, bone scintigraphy or computed tomography, the doctor prescribes to the patient a complex treatment of a foot fracture, the timing of which is purely individual.

The duration and methods of treatment depend on the type of fracture, how serious the injury is, which of the 26 bones are damaged, and how quickly the swelling subsides.

Fractures of the bones of the foot are treated:

Full or partial fixation with a special bandage or shoes.
Surgically.
Injections, ointments.

For each type of injury, the specialist prescribes individual treatment.

In case of a fracture of the tarsus, skeletal traction is used, reposition of bone fragments and plaster is applied for up to 10 weeks.
If a patient is diagnosed with a fracture of the calcaneus, then a plaster cast is applied from the fingers of the lower limb to the knee joint.
In case of a fracture of the metatarsus or phalanges of the fingers, a plaster splint is applied to the lower limb up to the knee.
In the case of multiple fractures, the patient is subjected to skeletal traction with manual reposition of bone fragments. If conservative treatment is not effective, then surgical treatment is used.

With a broken foot, movement is possible with the help of crutches.

Recovery period

How much at least in a cast for a broken foot? Everyone will have to wear a plaster cast in different ways, but on average this period is 1.5 months. The need to remove the plaster is determined by the control X-ray examination after this period.

After removing the fixing bandage, you need to constantly develop the damaged foot, using:

leg and foot massage;
special exercise therapy exercises;
physiotherapy;
shoe arch supports or special orthopedic shoes.

Massage and physiotherapy for foot fractures is an integral part of the rehabilitation period and is selected by the doctor individually for each patient.

The recovery period depends on a number of factors:

the complexity of the injury;
the nature of the damage;
age and health status of the patient.

With a foot injury, rehabilitation can take several months. The exception is the phalanges of the fingers - they grow together quickly thanks to proper treatment.

Complications and consequences

What are the dangers of foot fractures that are not treated in a medical institution:

When bone damage occurs with displacement, there is a danger of foot deformity to one side or the other due to the weakness of the ligamentous apparatus, and only a specialist can correct the situation.
Fragments of bones can grow together incorrectly, which in itself is painful, and such a situation in the future threatens with motor restrictions.
The fracture may not heal completely.
The quality of life is deteriorating due to the consequences of improper treatment - arthrosis of the joints.
With open fractures, this threatens with osteomelitis or phlegmon of the foot.

How to correctly diagnose, treat, how to relieve swelling and pain, how to develop and restore a diseased foot - this is the competence of the attending physician only, therefore, various types of self-treatment for foot fractures are excluded.

With a fracture of the navicular bone without displacement of fragments impose a plaster bandage type "boot" in moderate plantar flexion of the foot. A special metal arch support is cast into the plantar part of the bandage to prevent flattening of the arch of the foot. The duration of immobilization is up to 8 weeks. Dosed load on the foot is allowed after 3-4 weeks. In the process of treatment, X-ray control is periodically carried out.

With fractures of the navicular bone with displacement of fragments an attempt should be made to compare them manually under anesthesia or intraosseous anesthesia. The patient lies on the table, the leg is bent at the knee joint to a right angle. One assistant holds the heel, the other pulls the toes forward, flexes the foot and performs an eversion. In this case, the space between the sphenoid bones and the head of the talus increases. At this point, you need to press your thumb on the protruding fragment of the scaphoid, which in most cases is set into place. After the control radiography, a plaster bandage of the "boot" type is applied.

In more difficult cases of fracture-dislocation of the navicular bone with a large displacement of fragments, reduction is performed using the apparatus designed by Cherkes-Zade et al. One needle is passed through the calcaneus, the other through the heads of the metatarsal bones. After stretching with pressure on the displaced fragment of the navicular bone, its reduction is easily achieved.

Sometimes compression fractures of the scaphoid with dislocation of the foot in the Chopard joint present significant difficulties for conservative treatment. In such cases, open reduction is indicated.

With multi-comminuted fractures of the navicular bone with a large displacement of fragments that are not amenable to conservative treatment, arthrodesis should be performed between the navicular bone and the head of the talus and the posterior surfaces of the three cuneiform bones. This intervention can lead to a shortening of the inner edge or part of the foot and the omission of the inner arch - flat feet. Some authors suggest restoring balance by resection of part of the navicular bone. In our opinion, it is more perfect to use a bone graft after refreshing the articular surfaces of the bones surrounding the navicular bone. A bone graft from the tibia can be used. During the operation, a bone groove is formed in the heads of the talus and I sphenoid bones, where the bone graft is inserted; it is possible to fill the defect with a spongy bone taken from the iliac wing.

The navicular bone should not be removed even if it is significantly damaged, since the possibility of fusion is not excluded during prolonged plaster immobilization. Removal of the navicular bone may further affect the statics of the foot in the form of a pronounced flattening of the sole and valgus curvature of the forefoot. In severe injuries of the navicular bone, arthrodesis is performed along the line of the Chopard joint with bone grafting. After the operation, a blind plaster bandage is applied to the knee joint with a metal arch support for a period of 3 months. Loading the diseased limb in such a plaster cast begins after 5-6 weeks. After removing the plaster bandage, physiotherapy exercises, massage, swimming in the pool or baths are prescribed. In the future, patients should wear orthopedic shoes for at least 6-8 months or arch support insoles for up to a year or more.

Fractures of the sphenoid bones. All cuneiform bones, except for the first, articulate on all sides with other bones of the foot. Therefore, isolated fractures are extremely rare. More often, fractures are combined with dislocations of the metatarsal bones in the Lisfranc joint. This damage is explained by the fact that the anterior articular surfaces of the sphenoid bones articulate with the posterior articular surfaces of the first three metatarsal bones, and the line passing between these bones constitutes the inner part of the Lisfranc joint.

Of the three sphenoid bones, I is most often damaged, located at the inner edge of the foot and less protected from external influences. Nevertheless, fractures of all the sphenoid bones at the same time are possible.

Fractures of the sphenoid bones, intra-articular and are classified as severe foot injuries. In most cases, they result from compression or crushing of the sphenoid bones between the metatarsal and navicular bones. Basically, these fractures are the result of direct trauma - the fall of heavy objects on the back of the foot. The prognosis of such fractures is favorable, but sometimes prolonged pain remains. In the elderly, the development of arthrosis in the joints of the foot should be expected.

The technique of X-ray examination and the method of recognition of fractures of the sphenoid bones is the same as for fractures of the navicular bone. The difference lies in the fact that the imposition of II and III sphenoid and metatarsal bones articulating with them often simulates a fracture line. A slight change in the direction of the x-rays avoids overlapping contours.

In case of fractures of the sphenoid bones without a significant displacement of the fragments, the imposition of a circular plaster bandage of the "boot" type is indicated. A metal arch support is cast into the plantar part of the bandage to prevent the development of post-traumatic flat feet.

Walking is prohibited for 7-10 days, then a dosed load on the injured limb is allowed. The plaster bandage is removed after 5-7 weeks and physiotherapy exercises, massage, baths are prescribed. It is recommended to wear shoes with an orthopedic cork insole throughout the year. Ability to work is restored after 8-10 weeks.

In case of fractures of the sphenoid bones with displacement of fragments, when conservative measures do not give the desired effect, an operation is performed with transarticular fixation with a metal Kirchner wire.

The prognosis for fractures of the sphenoid bones is generally favorable; however, pain is often observed, which can last a long time.

Cuboid fractures. The cuboid is the key to the lateral arch of the foot and is very rarely fractured despite being located in the lateral region of the foot. Practically, a cuboid fracture occurs as a result of direct trauma. In rare cases, the cuboid bone breaks into several fragments when it is compressed between the calcaneus and the bases of the IV and V metatarsal bones. Fracture of the cuboid bone can be caused by the fall of weight on the foot in the position of its sharp flexion. Most often, the cuboid fracture line runs in the sagittal or slightly oblique direction. The outer fragment has a protrusion, which is limited in front by a groove for the long peroneal muscle.

Comminuted fractures of the cuboid bone often combined with fractures of other bones of the foot, in particular with fractures of the base of the metatarsal bones, III sphenoid and navicular bones. Isolated cuboid fractures are extremely rare. When diagnosing a cuboid fracture, one should not forget about the existence of additional bones that can be mistaken for an avulsion fracture of the cuboid bone. Avulsion of bone tissue from the cuboid bone is observed quite often with a severe injury in the midfoot area.

X-ray examination of the cuboid bone is most informative in direct projection.

Like sphenoid fractures, cuboid fractures are usually not accompanied by a large displacement of fragments. Therefore, the treatment is mainly reduced to the immobilization of the foot with a plaster bandage of the "boot" type, into the plantar part of which a special metal arch support is cast.

Walking is prohibited during the first 5-7 days, then a dosed load on the injured limb is allowed. A plaster bandage is applied for 4-6 weeks, after which physiotherapy exercises, massage, swimming in the pool or baths are prescribed. Orthopedic shoes with cork insoles should be worn for a year. Ability to work is restored after 6-8 weeks.

Often, with multi-comminuted fractures, pain remains for several months, especially with long walking. In such cases, it is necessary to remove small fragments promptly. If a comminuted fracture of the cuboid bone is accompanied by fractures of other bones of the foot, then surgical treatment is recommended.

An insufficiently successful fall from a height onto your feet can lead to serious injuries, including fractures of bones localized in the foot. Just such bones include the cuboid bone, which is localized in the region of the outer part of the foot. Most often, its fracture occurs in combination with a violation of the integrity of other bones in this area. But sometimes it can be damaged on its own, for example, if something falls on the leg. So, let's clarify what to do if a fracture of the cuboid bone of the foot occurs, what should be the treatment of the bone in such a situation.

Of course, the need to treat a cuboid bone fracture arises only after the diagnosis is confirmed, which only a traumatologist can do. X-ray examination is necessary to determine the problem.

The patient himself may suspect something is wrong for a number of symptoms.:

Violations in the full activity of the foot - pain when moving and turning, the inability to fully stand on the foot;

Strong painful sensations;

Puffiness and swelling;

Subcutaneous bleeding.

Over time, other symptoms may appear:

Pain in a certain area when probing;

Leg deformities;

Specific step performances;

Increased pain in response to movement.

Treatment of the cuboid bone of the foot

As soon as an injury occurs, it is necessary to fix the knee and ankle joint. This can be done by applying a splint from any improvised means, for example, sticks and ropes. Fixation will help prevent the displacement of fragments (if any) and provide faster recovery.

After that, you need to visit a traumatologist as soon as possible for an x-ray and an accurate diagnosis. If the doctor confirms the presence of a fracture in the foot of the cuboid bone, further therapy depends on the type of damage. In the absence of fragments and displacement, the treatment of the cuboid bone is quite simple. The patient needs to apply a cast, which has the shape of a boot and provides complete fixation of the entire foot. At the same time, a special metal plate is inserted in the area of \u200b\u200bthe sole - an instep support. The gypsum is comparatively large, extending from the fingertips and ending in the region of the second third of the lower leg (below the knee). And you will have to wear it for about a month, maybe a little more.

In the event that an x-ray examination shows the presence of a complex fracture - displacement or bone fragments, and also if the fracture is open, the patient is shown to undergo surgery. At the same time, doctors normalize the position of the bone, remove fragments and, if necessary, install fixing metal spokes. After that, a plaster is applied to the injured limb. With a complex fracture, it will need to be worn longer - about two to three months.

When receiving a fracture of the cuboid bone, the victim is usually recommended to take analgesics (pain medications) until the unpleasant symptoms disappear. Sometimes doctors may also prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases, it is advisable to use local medicines in the form of gels or ointments, which help eliminate swelling and get rid of hematomas.

In the first week, a patient with a fracture of this kind cannot even lean a little on the injured leg. He needs to use crutches to get around. Over time, a slight load is allowed, but only with the approval of a doctor.

Further recovery

After removing the plaster cast, the patient usually experiences discomfort, pain and other unpleasant sensations in the injured limb. This is quite easy to explain, because during the period of wearing a cast, the muscles weakened and became completely incapable of exertion. Therefore, proper rehabilitation is essential for successful recovery of physical activity.

The patient needs to carry out regular kneading massages (self-massage) of the entire foot and lower leg. In this case, with the permission of the doctor, you can use warming agents or massage oils.

It is extremely important to gradually load the leg, and not immediately move on to full-fledged physical activity. First you need to perform simple exercises:

Bend and unbend the leg in the ankle joint;

Perform rotational movements of the ankle joint.

After a few days, you need to move on to more complex loads:

Rise with accuracy on toes and fall down;

Try to lift various objects from the floor with your foot;

Roll round objects on the floor with your foot.

A recovery program after a cuboid fracture usually includes physiotherapy. Thus, an excellent effect is obtained by exposure to interference currents, ultraviolet therapy and electrophoresis with various active ingredients. Sometimes UHF therapy is practiced.

Usually, for a successful recovery, doctors recommend wearing shoes with special instep supports. They will contribute to the correct distribution of the load. Typically, this recommendation remains valid for one year after the removal of the cast, but for complex injuries, it is better to use appropriate shoes for longer. Sometimes doctors even insist on wearing custom-made orthopedic shoes.