Did you know how stone bruises can affect your foot health in the long run? While the majority of the time, stone bruises get better on their own, sometimes they can lead to chronic conditions or complications. Learn how long a stone bruise takes to heal and when you need to seek a doctor’s help for a stone bruise in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Where can a stone bruise occur?

The most common sites you can develop a stone bruise are:

1. On foot: Your entire bottom of the foot is vulnerable to stone bruises. Mostly it occurs on the heel and bottom of the foot. The ball of the foot is also the most common place for a stone bruise.
2. On heel: If your heel pads do not have enough fat, you’re more prone to stone bruises. As you age, your heel pad loses fat which makes you even more prone to stone bruises and increases the healing or recovery time. Sometimes stone bruises can lead to fractures as well, which are only noticeable in X-rays or other imaging tests.
3. On the bottom of the foot: The bottom of the foot is more susceptible to stone bruises especially if you’re People are more prone to stone bruises if they have little fat padding, which is most common for older patients who walk barefoot.
4. On the toe: This is the least common place to get a stone bruise because the toe can bend up. However, if it happens it can spread to bump the toe. That’s why to ensure you don’t get a toe fracture, the doctor ordered an X-ray test. The fifth toe is most susceptible to stone bruises.

Long-term implications

Most people can handle some type of traumatic injury to the feet like stubbing the toe, dropping a heavy object, or colliding with someone or something while participating in sports and physical activity. However, if your bruise is not treated on time, it may lead to severe implications, including:

• Pain: This is the most immediate sensation you feel, which depends on the length and severity of the bruise. Walking or moving with the feet can be very painful.
• Bruise/Contusion: After bruising, you may notice some redness and subsequent bruising. This indication of bruising is the result of bleeding beneath the skin, which may or may not be visible as black and blue bruising. This is because for visible marks internal bleeding should not be deep or it can happen due to bruises or hairline fractures. After an injury to bones, blood and fluids start to enter and surround the area of the bone. This can only happen if the bone is injured, but not enough to become a fracture. On the other hand, severe injury can lead to bone fractures in the feet.
• Inflammation and swelling: Depending on the location and severity of the bruise, the soft tissue and bone areas can become inflamed or swollen. This may be visible as a bump from fluids gathering, or pain because of inflammation near the nerves. When inflammation affects nerves, it can cause pain in the larger area of the foot which is not affected by the bruise.
• Joint swelling: If the bruise is at or near a joint, it can cause stiffness, swelling, or tenderness to the joint. This can further result in post-traumatic arthritis.

If you do not properly care for your feet and overlook the signals that could lead to issues later on, stone bruises have a long-term negative impact on the health of your feet. While most stone bruises heal in a few days with good foot care, some bruises can result in chronic diseases if treatment is delayed. Thus, heed the warnings and seek expert assistance when required.

If you need help with stone bruises or any foot problems, visit our podiatry clinic in Brooklyn to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!

Doral Health & Wellness employs Podiatrists with extensive education and expertise. Trauma to the tendons, muscles, and bones of the foot is quite common, as are infections secondary to systemic diseases. It’s not a promising idea to put off seeing Foot Doctor Brooklyn until you’re in a lot of pain. Our address is 1797 Pitkin Avenue, New York, NY 11212. To make an appointment, please call +1-347-384-5690 or send an email to info@doralhw.org.