Cracks on the feet are a partial violation of the integrity of the skin on the plantar part of the foot. They form more often on the heels; women are more susceptible to their occurrence. Deep cracks are unpleasant because they cause pain, take a long time to heal, and make walking and physical activity difficult. Like other injuries, they facilitate the penetration of pathogenic bacteria and fungi into the skin and are fraught with an infectious inflammatory process. Why do they arise?
Why are they formed?
Many people believe that only older people have cracks in their feet. Indeed, 25–30% of people over 40 have them. But they also occur in men, women younger than this age, and even in children.
The causes of cracks in the feet are a violation of the hydrolipid balance of the skin, a decrease in the production of collagen and elastin, and a decrease in the protective fat layer. Externally, this manifests itself in dryness, thickening, loss of elasticity, and firmness. Every day, the feet experience enormous pressure to support the body in a standing position, controlling balance when walking or running. With such a load, the skin inevitably stretches and expands. If it is dry and loses elasticity, then the likelihood of rupture when stretched under body weight will increase.
In addition to natural age-related changes, cracks in the skin of the feet are provoked by the following internal and external factors:
- wearing tight shoes;
- fungal infections, dermatitis;
- foot deformities, flat feet, heel spurs;
- poor hygiene, insufficient hydration or nutrition;
- skin contact with dry, hot air, salty sea or chlorinated pool water, ultraviolet rays;
- poor nutrition, leading to a deficiency of vitamins A, E, group B, and microelements important for skin health;
- endocrine disorders, including thyroid disease, diabetes;
- metabolic disorders;
- excess weight, which exposes the skin of the plantar part of the foot to excessive pressure and stretching;
- problems with blood circulation in the lower extremities, causing a lack of tissue nutrition;
- walking barefoot on hard surfaces (sand, stones, asphalt).
Cracks on the feet are a consequence of dry and thickened skin, or otherwise keratosis. Keratosis develops when keratinized or dead cells of the upper layer of skin do not have time to exfoliate and become layered on top of each other. In severe cases, the layer of thickened skin is 1–2 cm.
Rehabilitation
There are practically no consequences for such an injury, and if they do occur, it is due to late consultation with a doctor or improper treatment. Complications include deformation processes in the ankle, leading to disruption of its functions and the development of immobility of the arch of the foot, chronic pain and arthrosis of the articular joints, which occurs as a result of untreated injury.
If the crack does not heal for a long time or leads to a fracture with displacement of bone fragments, then this leads to angular deformation. To correct this problem, surgery is necessary.
After the fracture heals, the traumatologist takes a second x-ray of the damaged limb and allows the patient to remove the plaster and begin to step on the leg. Often fusion takes from one to two months. The orthopedist will also prescribe therapeutic exercises, massage and physical therapy.
To ensure that treatment and rehabilitation take less time, and the crack heals without causing complications, consult a doctor immediately after the injury and do not forget about first aid, then no consequences will arise.
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What are the symptoms of cracked feet and heels?
In addition to the obvious symptom of large cracks surrounded by a thick layer of dry, cracked, flaky skin, cracks in the soles of the feet cause pain when walking. The pain is localized in the area of damage, has a burning character, and intensifies with pressure. Some experience psychological discomfort, since such wounds, especially if there are many of them, spoil the appearance of the feet.
Cracks in the heels vary in depth and length. They can be single or multiple, on one heel or simultaneously on both. Usually it all starts with the appearance of dryness, hardening, and thickening of the skin along the edge of the heel. These areas look like calluses and are yellow, dark brown, or gray-white in color. At first, small cracks are visible. But if they are not treated and you continue to put pressure on the heel, they will deepen and begin to bleed.
In diseases that lead to a decrease in blood flow to the feet, there is a high risk of infectious complications, inflammation, and the formation of long-term non-healing ulcers.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a crack in the lower leg
Cracks in the bones of the lower leg are most often provoked by direct mechanical damage, represented by a fall or a strong blow. A crack forms because the density of the bone tissue is inferior to the force of the load that was placed on it. In this case, the supporting functionality of the bone does not change. A fracture differs from a fracture in that no bone fragments will be visible on the x-ray, and its supporting functions will be completely preserved.
Traumatologists divide this injury into several types, which depend on how many cracks have formed in the bone. Damage can be multiple or single. Also, if we take into account the axial bone line of the lower extremities, the injury can be spiral, linear or oblique.
Symptoms that correspond to bone cracks include:
Severe pain in the place where the bone crack has formed. Often this symptom appears immediately after damage to bone tissue. The pain intensifies with any attempt to move the limb or stand on it. Discomfort also manifests itself when palpating the damaged area. If the injured limb is in a calm state, then the pain is practically not noticeable, but if there is tingling and slight pulsation. These sensations appear because not all bone tissue is affected, but only a section of the periosteum. This is where most of the receptors with nerve fibers are located, telling our brain that an injury has occurred in a certain place. With fractures the sensations are somewhat different.
Also, the damaged area of the lower limb begins to swell quickly. The development of swelling is rapid, and swelling appears within a few minutes after injury. The swelling will begin to subside only after 24 hours.
In addition to swelling, a hematoma will appear on the injured leg, the size of which will most often be extensive. In most cases, it appears as a result of mechanical rupture of the vascular network that supplies the damaged periosteum.
As a result of severe pain and swelling, the injured leg cannot fully move. To alleviate the condition, the victim must take a position in order to improve the flow of blood from the damaged area, thus reducing swelling and pain. For this purpose, the leg must be placed on any hill.
It must be remembered that bone cracks can be very serious, even though there are no obvious clinical manifestations. It is for this reason that if you suspect that you have a bone fracture of the lower leg, you should immediately contact a traumatologist.
How to treat cracked feet?
To restore the skin, comprehensive treatment by a podologist is necessary, including:
- finding out the cause of cracks in the feet;
- proper care;
- selection of softening, nourishing ointments, foot creams for cracks;
- foot baths, paraffin therapy;
- keratolytic agents for removing dead skin;
- hardware pedicure.
Often cracks in the feet are the result of problems within the body. For example, endocrine, vascular or nervous disorders, lack of vitamins and minerals. It is important to establish and, if possible, eliminate the causes of cracks in the feet at the beginning of treatment. This will make it easier to restore healthy skin structure and help prevent the formation of new breaks in the future. If cracks in your feet appear regularly, you need to check your health.
One of the main treatments is hardware pedicure.
This is a safe method that:
- removes keratinized areas without injury;
- will thin out the hard edges of cracks;
- will accelerate tissue regeneration;
- will make the skin softer and more elastic.
It is recommended to perform the procedure regularly, once every 3 to 4 weeks.
To treat cracks in the feet and soles of the feet, paraffin therapy and foot baths are used as auxiliary means. Paraffin creates a film on the surface of the skin that provides protection and hydration. Baths help soften rough skin, but the possibility of their use and composition should be discussed with a doctor, since they are not always permitted.
To care for the skin, nourishing, moisturizing, and healing creams for cracks in the feet are applied several times a day. There are reviews of such products from different companies on the Internet, but you need to choose them on the advice of a doctor. In difficult cases, it is recommended to buy ointments and creams for cracks in the feet with a healing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and regenerating effect. For infection, antibacterial or antifungal therapy is used depending on the type of pathogen.
If the layer of rough, dry skin is too thick, spreading over large areas of the foot, products with retinoids and keratolytics are used. They remove dead skin particles and accelerate its renewal.
The composition of keratolytic ointments includes:
- urea;
- salicylic, lactic acid;
- alpha hydroxy acids;
- fruit acids.
With deep cracks, you need to temporarily limit walking and playing sports to reduce the pressure and friction that is exerted on the injured area. If it is not possible to limit physical activity, orthoses, instep supports, insoles or patches are used. They help redistribute the load and protect the problem area.
Treatment of closed tibia fracture
Treatment can be divided into two stages: provision of first aid and therapeutic measures in the trauma department.
First aid
It consists of immobilizing the limb using special splints, and in their absence, using improvised means. The main thing is to create complete immobility of the knee and ankle joints. If this is not done, bone displacement may occur during transportation with subsequent injury to surrounding soft tissues and blood vessels. This can worsen a person’s general condition to the point of traumatic shock. In addition to immobilization, the victim can apply ice to the injury site for 10–15 minutes to reduce swelling. At the first aid stage, it is strictly forbidden to put bones back in place, reset dislocations, or use any medications.
Therapy in the trauma department
There, the patient undergoes a full diagnosis and only after determining the nature of the fracture, treatment begins. So, when fragments are displaced, the doctor repositions them, carefully composing each fragment. Such osteosynthesis operations - connecting bone fragments using special fixation means - can reduce the patient's recovery time after injury. At the final stage, a plaster cast is applied. It needs to be worn for several weeks to several months until the callus forms. After the plaster is removed, the patient is recommended to undergo a rehabilitation course, which may consist of physiotherapeutic procedures, exercise therapy and massage.
How to warn?
If you have dry feet, the likelihood of cracks is high, so take care of their prevention.
What do we have to do?
- visit a podiatrist once a month for hardware treatment of the skin of the feet, removal of potentially dangerous areas - thickenings, corns, calluses where tears form;
- take care of a complete diet with sufficient vitamins and minerals;
- Every day after washing your feet before going to bed, apply moisturizing and nourishing creams to the skin of your feet;
- regularly massage your feet to improve blood circulation and metabolic processes;
- control weight;
- use special insoles, arch supports, orthopedic shoes if you have flat feet or other foot deformities;
- periodically treat feet with pumice stone and fine abrasive to remove dead cells.
If cracks appear, you should not try to eliminate them yourself, as this can worsen the situation and lead to complications. A competent approach is important here, which includes not only the treatment of cracks in the feet, but also an analysis of possible causes and recommendations for preventing relapse. If you encounter such a problem, contact a podiatrist. This is a specialist who specializes in treating diseases of the nails and skin of the feet.
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Diagnostics
When contacting a traumatologist or orthopedist, the specialist first collects an anamnesis and then conducts a palpation examination of the injured lower leg. After which, in order to make sure that there is still a crack, the patient is sent for an x-ray.
After receiving the image, the doctor evaluates the type of crack and damage to surrounding tissue. In addition, with the help of x-rays, it is possible to determine the extent of the injury, whether adjacent tissues are affected, whether there are bone fragments, and whether there is a rupture of blood vessels that led to a hematoma. With the help of timely diagnosis, you can not only choose the right treatment, but also reduce the course of rehabilitation to a minimum.
If the ankle joint is damaged, x-rays cannot always provide the necessary information, so the traumatologist often refers the victim to a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan. With the help of such a diagnosis, the doctor will be able to determine how deep and in what place the joint is damaged.
Rehabilitation activities
After treatment, it takes some time for the leg to fully recover, especially if surgery was performed. How long damaged tissue heals depends on the following factors:
- Age of the victim.
- Severity of injury.
- General health of the patient.
In old age, it is more difficult for the body to recover, so rehabilitation is delayed for several months.
After about a month and a half, the victim can stand on the affected leg. It is strictly forbidden to immediately put a lot of stress on the limb; you must return to physical activity gradually. Otherwise, a relapse will occur.
First aid for injury
If bone damage occurs, you must call a doctor. Before his arrival, emergency assistance is required. First of all, it is important to provide complete rest to the injured leg. If the injury is serious, you need to apply a splint.
To prevent the hematoma from growing, it is necessary to apply a cold compress to the sore spot. Painkillers are allowed to be taken only if there is unbearable pain; in other cases, it is advisable to refrain from taking pills so as not to disturb the symptoms (this will complicate the diagnosis).