Foot and ankle fracture treatment in Dubai

Where in Dubai

Dr. Subhash Ushakoyala, Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, treats foot and ankle fractures at Grand Infinity Medical Center in Al Muteena, Deira, Dubai, where plaster casts are applied in the clinic. If you were seen in an emergency department first, bring the discharge letter, the X-ray images and the report. Wear loose clothing that fits over a swollen ankle or a splint.

What is foot and ankle fracture?

A fracture is a broken bone. In the ankle, the break is usually at the lower end of one or both leg bones, the knobs you can feel on the inner and outer side of the joint. In the foot, it is often one of the long bones in the middle of the foot (metatarsals) or a toe. Fractures follow a fall, a twist, a heavy object landing on the foot or a road accident. Repeated stress, such as a lot of running, can cause a small crack called a stress fracture. Some breaks stay in place and heal in a cast or boot. Others move out of place or make the ankle unstable, and may need the bones put back or fixed.

Common signs

• Pain, swelling and bruising after a fall, twist or blow to the foot or ankle.
• Pain when you try to stand or walk on the foot.
• Tenderness when the bone itself is pressed.
• Foot pain that came on slowly with running or long walking and does not settle.
• A toe or ankle that looks out of shape after an injury.

How Dr. Subhash approaches it

Dr. Subhash is a specialist orthopaedic surgeon, and fracture treatment is part of his trauma work. His list names foot and ankle fractures among the problems he treats, and he applies plaster casts in the clinic. He examines the foot, reads the X-rays to see where the bone is broken and whether it has moved, and explains whether a cast, a boot or another treatment is needed and how long healing takes.

What to expect

1. 01

   Consultation

   He asks how the injury happened, how much weight you can bear, and about your work and health.

2. 02

   Examination

   He checks the skin, the swelling, the blood flow and feeling in the toes, and where the bone is tender.

3. 03

   X-rays and scans

   X-rays show the break. A CT scan shows a complex ankle fracture in more detail, and an MRI can find a stress fracture an X-ray misses.

4. 04

   Treatment

   A break that stays in place is held in a plaster cast, a walking boot or a stiff shoe. A break that has moved or leaves the ankle unstable may need an operation to fix it.

5. 05

   Follow-up X-rays

   Repeat X-rays at agreed visits check that the bone is staying in place and healing.

6. 06

   Getting moving

   Once the bone has healed, exercises bring back movement and strength. A physiotherapist can guide them.

Getting better

Every patient is different. These are typical milestones, not a promise; your own plan comes from your consultation.

• A broken ankle usually takes six to eight weeks to heal, and sometimes longer.
• You may need crutches to keep weight off the foot for part of that time. He tells you how much weight to put through it.
• Do not get the cast wet or push anything inside it to scratch.
• Ask him before going back to sport or heavy work that strains the ankle.

Risks to know about

• A break that moves out of place in a cast may heal in the wrong position, which is why follow-up X-rays matter.
• Some ankle fractures that involve the joint surface can lead to arthritis later.

When to book a visit

Where to book