Crush Injury to the Foot.

CRUSH INJURY: FOOT 

You have a CRUSH INJURY of your FOOT. This causes local pain, swelling and sometimes bruising. There are no broken bones. This injury takes from a few days to a few weeks to heal. If the TOENAIL has been severely injured, it may fall off in 1-2 weeks. A new one will usually start to grow back within a month.

HOME CARE:

• You may be given a splint, cast, shoe or boot to prevent movement at the injury. Unless you were told otherwise, use crutches or a walker and do not bear weight on the injured foot until cleared by your Podiatrist to do so. (Crutches and walkers can be rented at many pharmacies and surgical/orthopedic supply stores). Do not put weight on a splint; it will break.
• Keep your leg elevated to reduce pain and swelling. When sleeping, place a pillow under the injured leg. When sitting, support the injured leg so it is level with your waist. This is very important during the first 48 hours.
• Apply an ice pack (ice cubes in a plastic bag, wrapped in a towel) over the injured area for 20 minutes every 1-2 hours the first day for pain relief. Continue this 3-4 times a day until the pain and swelling goes away.
• You may use acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) to control pain, unless another pain medicine was prescribed. [ NOTE : If you have chronic liver or kidney disease or ever had a stomach ulcer or GI bleeding, talk with your Podiatrist at Advanced Foot & Ankle Center  before using these medicines.]
• Keep the splint/cast/boot/shoe dry. When bathing, protect it with a large plastic bag, rubber-banded at the top end. If a fiberglass splint/cast or boot gets wet, you can dry it with a hair-dryer. Unless told otherwise, you can remove a boot or shoe to bathe.
• If your injury includes exposed cuts or scrapes, clean these daily with soap and water. Apply Bacitracin or other antibiotic ointment. Watch for the signs of infection listed below.

FOLLOW UP with your Podiatrist as advised. Return sooner if you are not starting to improve within the next THREE days. If you were given a splint, it may be changed to a cast or boot at your follow-up visit.

[NOTE: X-rays will be reviewed by a radiologist. You will be notified of any new findings that may affect your care.]

GET PROMPT MEDICAL ATTENTION if any of the following occur:

• The plaster cast or splint becomes wet or soft
• The fiberglass cast or splint remains wet for more than 24 hours
• Increased tightness or pain under the cast or splint
• Toes become swollen, cold, blue, numb or tingly
• Redness, warmth, swelling, drainage from the wound, or foul odor from a cast or splint
• Fever of 100.4ºF (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by your healthcare provider