A broken foot is a medical condition where one or more of the bones in the foot is fractured or broken. It can result from various causes, including falls, accidents, or sports injuries. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, bruising, difficulty walking or standing, and deformity of the foot. Treatment may involve immobilizing the foot with a cast, walking boot, or brace, and may also include pain management or surgery in severe cases. It is important to seek medical attention if you suspect you have a broken foot.

The most common causes of a broken foot include:

• Car accidents. The crushing injuries common in car accidents may cause breaks that require surgical repair.
• Falls. Tripping and falling can break bones in your feet, as can landing on your feet after jumping down from just a slight height.
• Impact from a heavy weight. Dropping something heavy on your foot is a common cause of fractures.
• Missteps. Sometimes just putting your foot down wrong can result in a broken bone. A toe can get broken from stubbing your toes on furniture.
• Overuse. Stress fractures are common in the weight-bearing bones of your feet. These tiny cracks are usually caused over time by repetitive force or overuse, such as running long distances. But they can also occur with normal use of a bone that's been weakened by a condition such as osteoporosis.

These basic sports and safety tips may help prevent a broken foot:

• Wear proper shoes. Use hiking shoes on rough terrain. Wear steel-toed boots in your work environment if necessary. Choose appropriate athletic shoes for your sport.
• Replace athletic shoes regularly. Discard sneakers as soon as the tread or heel wears out or if the shoes are wearing unevenly. If you're a runner, replace your sneakers every 300 to 400 miles.
• Start slowly. That applies to a new fitness program and each individual workout.
• Cross-train. Alternating activities can prevent stress fractures. Rotate running with swimming or biking.
• Build bone strength. Calcium-rich foods, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, really can do your body good. Taking vitamin D supplements also can help.
• Use night lights. Many broken toes are the result of walking in the dark.
• Declutter your house. Keeping clutter off the floor can help you to avoid trips and falls.

Treatments for a broken foot will vary, depending on which bone has been broken and the severity of the injury.

Medications

Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

Therapy

After your bone has healed, you'll probably need to loosen up stiff muscles and ligaments in your feet. A physical therapist can teach you exercises to improve your flexibility and strength.

Surgical and other procedures

• Reduction. If you have a displaced fracture, meaning the two ends of the fracture are not aligned, your doctor may need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions — a process called reduction. Depending on the amount of pain and swelling you have, you may need a muscle relaxant, a sedative or even a general anesthetic before this procedure.
• Immobilization. To heal, a broken bone must be immobilized so that its ends can knit back together. In most cases, this requires a cast.
• Minor foot fractures may only need a removable brace, boot or shoe with a stiff sole. A fractured toe is usually taped to a neighboring toe, with a piece of gauze between them.
• Surgery. In some cases, an orthopedic surgeon may need to use pins, plates or screws to maintain proper position of your bones during healing. These materials may be removed after the fracture has healed if they are prominent or painful.