Midfoot / Foot Fracture in Orange County

Midfoot fracture, also known as Lis Franc fracture is a serious injury in which the metatarsal bones are fractured and often displaced from the bones within the midfoot (tarsal bones). The fracture may involve one or more of the metatarsal bones. Often, the bones that make up the midfoot (cuboid, navicular, and cuneiform bones) may be fractured along with the metatarsals. Our Orange County Podiatrist / Foot and Ankle Surgeon can evaluate and treat your midfoot / foot fracture at our Irvine, CA, Huntington Beach, CA or Orange, CA offices.

 

Lis Franc Fracture in Orange County

Lisfranc injuries may occur with low energy foot sprains or with direct or indirect trauma to the midfoot.  High energy injuries, such as a fall from height or traffic accident, greatly increase the likelihood that the fractures will be much more serious and will require surgery. Lis Franc fractures and dislocations are also seen in sports injuries. These injuries are not uncommon in athletes playing sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. Dancers may also experience such injuries, due to the pivot position of the foot.

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Navicular Fracture in Orange County

The navicular is a bone on the inside of the midfoot. A common fracture causes the bone to break into two fragments. The surgical technique involves an incision over the fracture. The fracture is realigned to restore its anatomic position and secured with screws or a plate and screws.

 

Cuboid Fracture in Orange County

The cuboid is a bone on the outside of the midfoot. Typically a cuboid fracture is due to a compression injury and results in shortening of the outside of the foot. The goal of foot surgery in Orange County is to restore the anatomy of the cuboid, and as a result restore the length of the outside of the foot. This may be done with a plate and screws directly applied to the bone or with another method. 

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Diagnosis

Symptoms range from pain and mild swelling to significant bruising of the foot with obvious foot deformity and an inability to bear weight on the affected foot. Due to the possibility of significant instability, the patient should not walk on the affected foot until fully evaluated by a foot and ankle surgeon.

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High energy injuries are generally easier to diagnose, due to the increased likelihood of significant fracture and displacement of the bones from their original positions, but this is not always the case. Low energy injuries may be more difficult to see on a normal X-ray. Our Orange County Foot Doctor will take X-rays and fully evaluate your foot for occult or significant fractures. In low energy injuries, X-rays may show only widening between the 1st and 2nd metatarsals.

 

More serious injuries may show significant displacement of multiple bones with numerous bone fragments (comminution). Radiographs do not always fully display the extent of the injury or fracture pattern. In many cases advanced imaging, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scan may be needed to fully evaluate the injury. 

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Treatment of Foot Fracture in Orange County

Treatment may be non-operative in low energy injuries, which have been fully evaluated and determined to be stable in nature. In these cases, casting or a removable cast boot may be used. You will not be able to put weight on your foot during this time. This will allow the bones and ligaments to heal and minimize the likelihood that the bones will further displace.

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Many midfoot fractures require surgery consisting of open reduction with internal fixation (ORIF), or in severe cases primary arthrodesis. The fracture is realigned to restore its anatomic position and secured with screws or a plate and screws. Our Orange County Foot and Ankle Surgeon is an expert in midfoot fracture surgery and will help determine the best procedure to stabilize your foot and restore function as close to the pre-injury level as possible. 

 

Following surgery in Orange County, you will be unable to put weight on your foot for several weeks, after which you will transition to partial weightbearing for several more weeks. Physical therapy may also be considered. Due to the significant nature of midfoot fractures, post-traumatic arthrtis is not uncommon. Patients may experience progressive or increased pain over time as the joints at the site of the injury continue to degenerate as arthritis progresses. Surgery to fuse the midfoot joints is indicated in these instances in order to minimize pain and maintain function.

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Please contact our office in Irvine, Orange, or Huntington Beach in Orange County, CA to make an appointment with our foot and ankle surgeon / podiatrist (Dr. Coyer) to have your midfoot / foot fracture in Orange County fully evaluated and treated.