Version July 2025
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What is a heel or foot fracture? —
This is when a bone in the heel or foot breaks. The bones in the foot are called "phalanges," "metatarsals," and "tarsals" (figure 1). The heel bone is called the "calcaneus." A "fracture" is another word for a broken bone.
A heel or foot fracture can be caused by:
●Something falling on or striking the foot
●A sports injury or other accident
●Twisting the foot or ankle
●Falling or jumping from a height
When a bone breaks, it might crack, break all the way through, or shatter.
There are different types of fractures, depending on which bone breaks and how. Examples include:
●"Open" fracture – This is when the bone sticks out of the skin or can be seen through a wound.
●"Closed" fracture – This is when the bone does not stick out of the skin and cannot be seen through a wound.
●"Stress fracture – This is caused by overusing the foot. It is more common in people who do an activity over and over, such as running, jumping, or dancing.
●"Avulsion" fracture – This is when a person moves a joint forcefully, and a ligament or tendon stretches or tears. It can pull so hard on the bone a small part of the bone cracks or breaks off.
●"Growth plate" fracture – This type of fracture can happen in children. It is when the growing part of the bone near the end breaks, often where a muscle attaches to it.
What are the symptoms of a heel or foot fracture? —
Symptoms depend on which bone breaks and the type of break. Common symptoms can include:
●Pain, swelling, or bruising over the area
●The area looking abnormal, bent, or not the usual shape
●Not being able to move or put weight on that foot
●Numbness in the area of the broken bone
With a stress fracture, you your foot pain might get worse with activity and better with rest. The pain slowly gets worse. You might also have tenderness in a specific area of your foot.
If a fracture injures a nerve, this can also cause symptoms in nearby areas. For example, a break to the lower leg bone might cause pain, tingling, or weakness in the foot or ankle.
Is there a test for a heel or foot fracture? —
Yes. The doctor or nurse will ask about your symptoms, do an exam, and take an X-ray.
They might also do other imaging tests, such as a CT, MRI, or ultrasound. These create pictures of the inside of the body.
How are heel or foot fractures treated? —
Treatment depends, in part, on the type of fracture and how serious it is. The goal is to have the ends of the broken bone line up with each other so the bone can heal.
If the ends of the broken bone are already in line with each other, the doctor will put on a cast, rigid shoe, or walking boot to limit foot movement. This keeps the bone in the correct position so it can heal.
If the ends of the broken bone are not in line with each other, the doctor will need to line them up:
●Sometimes, they can move the bone to the correct position without doing surgery, and then put a cast, splint, or brace on. This is called "closed fracture reduction."
●For more serious fractures, they might need to do surgery to put the bone back in the correct position. To do this, they can:
•Use screws, pins, rods, or plates to fix the bones inside the body. This is called "open fracture reduction and internal fixation."
•Put pins or screws through the skin and into the bones, and then attach the pins or screws to a bar is outside of the skin. This is called "open fracture reduction and external fixation."
For stress fractures, the doctor might recommend limiting activities that are causing pain for a time. They might also suggest using a walking boot, brace, or shoe insert. This can help support and protect the bone as it heals.
How long do heel or foot fractures take to heal? —
Most take weeks to months to heal. The doctor or nurse will talk to you about when to return to things like work, sports, or other activities.
Healing time also depends on the person. Healthy children usually heal much more quickly than older adults or adults with other medical problems.
How do I care for myself at home? —
To care for yourself or your child at home:
●Follow the doctor's instructions for wearing the cast, rigid shoe, or walking boot. This supports and protects the bone as it heals. Some fractures are put in a cast right away. Others are not put in a cast until after the swelling goes down.
●Do not get a cast wet, unless the doctor says it is waterproof.
●Follow instructions for limiting activity and movement until the bone is healed. The doctor or nurse will tell you what activities are safe to do.
●Follow instructions for using crutches or a walker to help get around. The doctor might want you to limit how much weight you put on the foot.
●Prop your injured foot on pillows, keeping it above the level of the heart. This might help lessen pain and swelling.
●The doctor might recommend you take an over-the-counter pain medicine. These include acetaminophen (sample brand name: Tylenol) and ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin). Adults can also take naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve).
●You might get a prescription for stronger pain medicines to take for a short time. Follow the instructions for taking these.
●Ice can help with pain and swelling – Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on the injured area every 1 to 2 hours, for 15 minutes each time. Put a thin towel between the ice (or other cold object) and the cast, shoe, or boot. Ice for at least 6 hours after an injury. It might help to ice longer, even up to 2 days.
●Eat a healthy diet that includes plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and protein (figure 2).
●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help. Broken bones take longer to heal if you smoke.
●You might need to work with a physical therapist (exercise expert) after your fracture heals. They will suggest exercises and stretches to strengthen your foot and ankle muscles and keep your muscles and joints from getting stiff.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if:
●You have less feeling or movement in your toes or foot.
●You have numbness and tingling in your toes or foot.
●Your foot gets swollen or starts to hurt more.
●Your skin gets red or irritated around the cast, or redness spreads up your leg.
●The cast or splint feels too tight and uncomfortable, or your toes turn pale, blue, or gray.
●A bad smell or drainage is coming from the cast or splint.
●The cast feels too loose, or gets cracked or soft.
●The cast gets wet, and it is not supposed to get wet.
●You have more trouble walking, or the pain does not get better with treatment.
Patient education: Fractures in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Fractures in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Setting a broken bone in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Setting a broken bone in children (The Basics)
Patient education: Surgery to fix a broken bone (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for your child's cast (The Basics)
Patient education: How to care for a splint (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use crutches (The Basics)
Patient education: How to use a walker (The Basics)
