Wound Treatment For Your Feet
Top Rated Local® First Aid Foot Treatments
Your feet are susceptible to many different types of wounds and injuries that require first aid treatments to prevent infection and further injury. Proper first aid for feet, or any other part of the body, can greatly reduce the risk of a small problem becoming much worse.
At A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Center, our foot doctors are here to assist you with any type of foot or ankle wound, from walking you through first aid procedures to caring for more serious injuries. Call your local podiatrist at one of our A Step Ahead Foot & Ankles Centers today for all your foot problems!
Common Foot Wounds
Injuries to your foot or ankle are frequent and common. They range from stubbing a toe to fracturing an ankle. It is important to understand each type of foot wound so that you can perform proper first aid. Below are a few of the most common types of foot wounds. Call A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Center today with any questions or concerns!
Cuts
Feet can obtain cuts from a number of things, such as dropping something sharp, running into an object, or stepping on a foreign object. When you get a cut on your foot, be sure that you properly sterilize the wound and bandage it to heal.
Scrapes
Much like cuts, scrapes are another common foot wound that can become worse if not taken care of. Scrapes can be caused by anything from a sharp object to a pet within your home. Monitor scrapes to ensure that they are healing properly.
Sores
Whether it be a blister or an unhealed cut, sores are extremely common on your feet and can take a long time to heal if not attended to immediately. It is important that you clean and bandage your sore properly, as well as treat any infections.
Burns
Many times when hot liquids spill, your feet end up getting burned. Due to the constant use of your feet, burns can be extremely painful. It is important to properly care for minor burns, and to see your foot doctor for any major burns.
Bruises
Rather than getting a cut or scrape on your foot when something is dropped on it or walked into, you may just get a bruise. While bruises are normally very minor and heal quickly, it is vital that you monitor the bruise to ensure proper circulation.
Sprains
Ankles are the most vulnerable to sprains as it takes the slightest uneven ground to cause this painful injury. Sprains often take a little while to heal completely, depending on the severity, so it is important to keep it stabilized during this time.
Foreign Objects
Since we are constantly walking around on our feet, it isn’t rare to step on a foreign object that penetrates the skin and causes a wound on your foot. If this happens, it is important to properly remove the object and care for the wound.
Fractures
Fractures can vary from simple to complex, and the severity of it will determine the treatment and recovery time. If you believe that you’ve fractured a bone in your foot or ankle, perform proper first aid and see your foot doctor immediately.
Breaks
With 26 small bones in your foot and three major bones in your ankle, broken bones in the foot are quite common. While some breaks such as a broken toe can be fairly minor, a major break needs medical attention from your foot doctor.
Treating Cuts and Sores
Cuts on the foot are best treated by thoroughly cleaning the area with an antibacterial soap such as Dial, and then applying an antiseptic like Merthiolate or Betadine. The cut should be kept covered with sterile gauze dressing until a scab is well-formed, which normally takes several days. If the cut is bleeding heavily, elevate the leg, and apply firm pressure with gauze directly on the cut for about 20 minutes. This helps to slow the bleeding and eventually bring it to a stop. In the case that elevation doesn’t help and bleeding continues, or if it is a puncture wound, contact A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Center to speak to a foot specialist immediately!
If you have a cut or sore on your foot that is red, swollen, and has liquids draining out of it, then it is most likely infected. First, soak the area for 20 minutes in warm water with two tablespoons of Epsom salts or table salt added per gallon of water. Repeat this treatment frequently, four to six times a day. Keep the area covered with sterile gauze between soaks. If you find that the condition is not improving after one day, if you see any red streaks going up the foot or leg, or if you have any soreness behind the knee and/or groin area, seek professional attention immediately from the foot and ankle specialists at A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Center to get the infection under control. Infections are a serious matter, and should be dealt with promptly. Failure to have proper treatment of a minor infection may allow it to develop into a life-threatening situation. Call us today if you have a cut or sore that is not healing!
Treating Minor Burns
A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Center
The physicians and staff of the A Step Ahead Foot & Ankle Centers maintain two complete podiatric clinical facilities, and provide 24-hour emergency service for foot and ankle injuries. We participate in most health plans including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Medicare, and Medicaid. We complete and file all necessary insurance forms for you, and make every effort to assure you receive maximum benefits with minimum out-of-pocket expenses.
Call A Step Ahead Foot and Ankle Center today in Fort Collins, Loveland, or Cheyenne with any questions or concerns about first aid for your feet and ankles!