What is a Lisfranc Injury?
Can you imagine being Chet Holmgren right now? The newest player on the Oklahoma City Thunder team won’t play a single game of his rookie season because of a foot injury. You’re probably thinking, “To knock a basketball player off the court for 41 games has to be some wicked type of injury!” And you wouldn’t be wrong.
Holmgren reportedly suffered a Lisfranc injury, one of the most challenging midfoot injuries we see at Clifton Foot & Ankle Center in Fairfax County, Virginia. It’s “wicked” indeed because:
- The Lisfranc area also called the Lisfranc joint complex, is complicated. It intersects your long metatarsal bones and the rest of your foot. There are several small bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Damage to any of them completely destabilizes the joint, making walking and weight-bearing impossible.
- That midfoot area doesn’t benefit from good blood flow – which is why Lisfranc injuries heal slowly.
- It doesn’t matter if you’ve torn soft tissues or fractured a bone – most injuries in the Lisfranc complex are equally slow to heal and can put you out of commission for several months.
Symptoms and treatment
Symptoms of a Lisfranc injury include swelling on top of your foot, bruising on the top or bottom of your foot, pain, and the inability to bear weight. Your foot shape may also appear distorted.
Our board-certified podiatric surgeon can diagnose a Lisfranc injury with an examination, confirming the diagnosis with digital x-rays and other imagery. Treatment will usually consist of 6-12 weeks of wearing a special boot that prevents you from putting any weight on the injured foot. Foot surgery is sometimes necessary to put structures back in their proper positions, followed by physical therapy.
Treat any Lisfranc injury seriously. Prompt, professional treatment is crucial to proper healing and will help prevent chronic pain, arthritis, and infections. When you’ve got foot pain or a traumatic injury, get back in the game as soon as possible by calling our Centreville podiatry office at (703) 996-3000. You may also make an appointment online with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm.
