Tests & Treatments for Foot Injuries & Disorders at University of Colorado Hospital

Testing for Foot Injuries & Disorders

History and Physical Examination

Your doctor will ask you questions about your daily activities and previous injuries and illnesses. He or she will also test your range of motion and feel the area that is painful to locate the source.

X-rays

An X-ray examination helps to show breaks or defects in the bones of the foot and ankle.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan

A CT scan shows damage to muscles and other soft tissues.

Electromyogram (EMG)

An EMG is a test used to record the electrical activity in the muscles. It detects any nerve damage that may be causing back pain.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An MRI test shows three-dimensional pictures of the muscles and other soft tissues.

Bone Scan

A bone scan uses an injection of radioactive material, which attaches to the bone. The material reveals spots where bone has broken down or fractured.

Treatments for Foot Injuries & Disorders

You will be able to self-treat many foot and ankle conditions. Conservative treatment includes:

  • Resting the area that is sore
  • Applying ice packs and compression to reduce swelling
  • Elevating the foot or ankle to relieve pressure
  • Taking a break from activities, such as running, that are causing pain
  • Performing stretching exercises to loosen tight muscles, tendons and ligaments
  • Taking pain medication to reduce inflammation and soreness
  • Massaging feet and ankles to increase circulation
  • Changing shoes that do not fit properly
  • Wearing specialized footwear (orthotics) to correct misalignments in the foot

Your doctor may recommend other nonsurgical treatments for problems that persist. These include:

  • Walking casts or crutches to reduce the stress of movement
  • Steroid injections to reduce inflammation and relieve pain
  • Injections of freezing liquid to remove warts
  • Trimming of sore corns

Serious foot and ankle injuries or painful conditions may require surgery. There are many surgical procedures used to treat these problems, including:

Ankle Arthrodesis

Arthrodesis, also called ankle fusion, is used to treat degeneration in the joint of the ankle caused by arthritis or by injury. Your surgeon first removes the cartilage in the joint, then places the ankle bones together. The bones are secured with screws or other devices. Over time, the bones knit together into one structure.

Ankle Arthroplasty

Ankle arthroplasty, also called total ankle replacement, replaces a damaged ankle joint. Doctors remove the joint and replace it with mechanical parts that function as a new joint. The new joint is surgically attached to the main ankle bone (talus), the lower leg bone (fibula) and the shin bone (tibia).

Osteotomy

An osteotomy is used to cut or remove bone that is misaligned, deformed or damaged. For example, an osteotomy may be needed if bones in the ankle or foot have healed crookedly. It is also used to repair damage caused by osteoarthritis (pain and swelling in the joints).

Tendon Repair

Tears of the Achilles tendon, which attaches the calf muscles to the heel bone, are repaired in one of two ways. If the tendon has pulled off the bone, it is reattached. If it has snapped, the surgeon sews the ends together.