4 Frequent Foot and Ankle Injuries and the Danger they Present
Foot and ankle injuries might vary from a minor sprain to broken bones.
Foot and ankle injuries can leave victims incapacitated for an extended period of time.
Both of your feet are made up of:
- 26 bones
- 30 joints
- Over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments
The human foot is literally used to stand on, helping with balance and support. Your ankle is a joint that connects your foot to your leg.
The human ankle is made up of:
- Bones
- Cartilage
- Ligaments
- Nerves
- Muscles
There are a large number of foot and ankle injuries.
A common number of foot and ankle injuries result from sprains or strains.
A sprain occurs when one stretches or tears a ligament, while a strain happens when there is some type of stretch or pressure put on an area (in this situation, the foot or ankle).
These injuries can be extremely painful and oftentimes, there isn’t much one can do in terms of healing. They usually mend within a few weeks, but can also take months for a full recovery.
According to the Mayo Clinic, an ankle sprain is the most common type of sprain.
One of the other most frequent foot and ankle injuries involves a bone break.
Breaks in this region of the human body can range from a broken toe to a complete shattering of the entire foot or ankle. A broken foot might require a boot or cast, while a toe break could simply involve taping it to the toe next to it.
One of the more serious foot and ankle injuries occur when the body part is crushed by another object. A crush occurs when the foot, ankle, etc. is trapped, or “crushed”, between two surfaces that are generally hard, heavy, or both.
Think of a situation where Jennifer is riding her motorcycle down Sepulveda Boulevard. She’s hit by another vehicle, and after falling to the pavement, her motorcycle crushes her foot.
Sometimes, a foot crush injury may result in compartment syndrome.
Compartment syndrome happens when “pressure rises in and around the muscles”. It’s a common injury associated with crushes.
Imagine a construction worker is on the job when part of a bulldozer runs over their foot. The impact from the crush completely smashes their foot, and the injury results in compartment syndrome.
Puncture wounds are another common foot and ankle injury. A puncture wound occurs when a sharper object digs into the foot or ankle, often resulting in damage to skin, muscles, or nerves.
A serious puncture wound to the foot or ankle can come from a dog bite. Nearly 1 in 5 people bitten by a dog requires medical attention.
Dog bites have varying levels of severity. For example, a level four dog bite occurs when the attacked area sees “one to four punctures from a single bite with at least one puncture deeper than half the length of the dog’s canine teeth”.
Foot and ankle injuries can be completely debilitating, with ramifications that trickle down to your personal and professional life.
Some of the most frequent personal injury situations that lead to foot and ankle injuries include:
At C&B Law Group, our Los Angeles personal injury attorneys are ready to help you recover compensation following an accident. Our team of Burbank lawyers will put forth their legal knowledge to help ensure you receive the utmost satisfaction and justice.
We work on a contingency basis, so you don’t owe us any fees until your case is successfully settled.
The North Hollywood attorneys at our firm have helped clients recover damages such as:
- Medical expenses (past, present, and even future)
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
Don’t wait for your injury to become either more severe, or until the statute of limitations passes. Contact C&B Law Group today about a free consultation.
