Calcaneus Fracture Recovery: Walking after a Calcaneal Fracture Surgery

A calcaneus fracture is a heel bone fracture. The heel bone has the likeness of a hard-boiled egg, as it has a thin, hard outer shell, and a soft, spongy bone inside. It takes a lot of stress for the calcaneus to fracture, and consequently, if the protective shell breaks, the bone is likely to collapse and become fragmented. The calcaneus bone has the important function of supporting the foot and making normal walking possible. The joint above the calcaneus, allows the foot to rotate inwards and outwards. Before learning about the recovery of calcaneus fracture, it is important to know about the causes, symptoms and treatment options for this type of fracture.

Calcaneus Fracture Causes

Calcaneus fractures do not occur casually, and are usually the outcome of a high impact situation. They may result from a fall from height, such as falling from a ladder, or due to an automobile accident where the heel gets crushed against the floorboard. Alternately, they can also be the outcome of an ankle sprain. Though it happens rarely, it can also be a stress fracture caused by the overuse, and is usually seen in athletes.

Symptoms of a Calcaneus Fracture

• Severe pain
• Swelling of the foot
• Difficulty in walking
• Heel deformity
• Bruising

When the skin remains intact, a calcaneus fracture is called a closed injury. In a more severe case, where the skin is broken (compound fractures), the fracture amounts to a surgical emergency.

Treatment Options for Calcaneus Fracture

The goal of calcaneus fracture treatment is to restore the dimensions of the heel to the original state. In cases where the pieces of broken bone are not pushed out-of-place by the force of the injury, a person may not need surgery. Irrespective of whether the injured foot is put in a cast or splint, one must not put any weight on the foot until the bone is completely healed, which takes six to eight weeks at the least, or sometimes longer.

Surgical treatment is usually required in cases where the bones are shifted out-of-place. Surgery involves insertion of a metal plate and small screws, which are used to position the bones in their natural structure and keep them intact while they heal. In some cases, a bone graft is used to assist in the healing of fractures. Once the surgery is completed and the incision is dressed, a splint may be used to support the affected area until it gets healed.

Calcaneus Fracture Recovery

Regardless of a surgical or non-surgical treatment of calcaneus fracture, rehabilitation of the patient is quite similar in both the cases. Moreover, the rehabilitation depends largely on the severity of the injury and the type of fracture occurred. For good calcaneus fracture recovery, one must take considerable care of the heel bone and not place any weight on it for approximately 10 weeks after surgery. However in some cases, the doctor may insist on early motion of the foot and ankle as soon as the pains is reduced. Then the doctor may instruct you to start walking using a cane and wearing a special boot. If your surgeon gives you a removable splint, after a while you can begin a physical therapy i.e., performing specific exercises to strengthen foot muscles and improve the motion in the foot and ankle. Initially, the whole process may be very painful with zero progress however, the exercises are extremely important for you to resume day-to-day activities as soon as possible. You may also have to use elevation, immobilization, and ice application to reduce postoperative swelling. Complete calcaneus fracture recovery may take up to a year.

As it takes a great amount of force to break the heel bone, walking after a calcaneus fracture surgery may never be the same as before. There is also the potential for short and long-term complications. Immediate complications include swelling, or healing problems. If the fracture is more severe or involves joints, long-term consequences include arthritis and chronic pain. Some people need to wear a heel pad, lift, or cup as well as special shoes with extra depth in the toe compartment.