Heel Fracture Specialist

Center for Foot and Ankle Restoration

Orthopedic Surgery & Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon located in Dallas, TX, Fort Worth, TX, & Frisco, TX

Your heels bear the weight of your entire body and usually do so effectively. However, a fall, traumatic impact, or repeated pressure on your heel can fracture the bone or break it into pieces. At the Center for Foot and Ankle Restoration in Dallas, Fort Worth, and Frisco, Texas, the skilled surgeons Charles Cook, MD, and John Noack, MD, and their orthopedic team can assess the extent of your heel fracture and select an effective treatment. If you fracture your heel, call the Center for Foot and Ankle Restoration right away.

Heel Fracture Q & A

What are heel fractures?

Heel fractures, also called calcaneus fractures, are injuries to the heel bone in the back of your foot. The bone may have a small break, or it may be completely broken into multiple pieces. Your heel bone is unique in that it includes a hard “shell” on the outside and a spongy part inside. If you break the outer part, the inside can easily be crushed.

There are two types of heel fractures:

Traumatic fractures

Traumatic fractures happen suddenly and involve severe pain. You might get a traumatic heel fracture during a car accident or after falling from a position of height and landing on your foot.

Stress fractures

Stress fractures aren’t as common or severe as traumatic fractures. They’re harder to detect because they develop over time as you put pressure on your heel.

What are the symptoms of a heel fracture?

The signs and symptoms can differ depending on the type of heel fracture. If you have a traumatic heel fracture, your symptoms may include:

Pain in your heel
Inability to stand on the injured foot
Bruising around your heel and ankle
Swelling

The symptoms of stress fractures aren’t as severe and sudden in their onset. If you have a stress heel fracture, your symptoms may include:

Slow development of heel pain
Swelling
Mild bruising

Additionally, the pain of a stress heel fracture may fluctuate throughout the day. If you have a traumatic heel fracture, the injury is much more obvious and urgent.

How are heel fractures treated?

At the Center for Foot and Ankle Restoration, the team evaluates your ankle from the outside and asks about your pain and mobility. They may also order an X-ray or other imaging to see your heel bone.

After evaluating the injury, the team chooses the best course of treatment. If the fracture is small, rest, ice, heat, and other home care may be sufficient. If the fracture is more severe, your treatment may include:

Immobilization with a cast or walking boot
Crutches
Wheelchair
Fracture fixation surgery

Your provider explains the procedures and devices that you need and how they can help heal your heel fracture or reconstruct the bone.

If you fracture your heel in an accident or for any other reason, call the Center for Foot and Ankle Restoration for expert evaluation and treatment today.

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