What is Lisfranc fracture?
A Lisfranc fracture is an injury affecting the middle foot. It is often confused with a sprain because of the similar causes and symptoms. Diagnosis of a Lisfranc fracture requires a thorough examination and imaging tests. Surgery is needed in some cases, and the injury may take a long time to heal.
Why is it called a Lisfranc fracture?
The injury is named after Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin (2 April 1790–13 May 1847), a French surgeon and gynecologist who noticed this fracture pattern amongst cavalry men, in 1815, after the War of the Sixth Coalition.
How long does it take to recover from a Lisfranc fracture?
Lisfranc injury can be quite serious and require months to heal. For those experiencing strains or sprains, recovery could take six to eight weeks. For those needing surgery, recovery will likely take three to five months.
What bones are broken in a Lisfranc fracture?
What is a Lisfranc fracture? A Lisfranc fracture occurs when there are either torn ligaments or broken bones in the midfoot area of one or both feet. The midfoot is the area of your foot that makes up the arch, where the forefoot (bones of the toes) and hindfoot (bones including the ankle and heel bone) connect.
What happens if you don’t fix Lisfranc?
Injuries to the Lisfranc joint can cause severe damage to the cartilage in the midfoot if left untreated. This damage prevents the joint from working properly. Without the cartilage, and with the added stress of poorly healed injuries, the foot will continue to sustain further damage with each step.
How painful is a Lisfranc injury?
The common symptoms of a Lisfranc injury are swelling and pain on the top of the foot near the instep. Bruising is common, and a bruise on the bottom of the foot can be a clue that this injury has occurred. With a severe injury, the foot may be distorted and putting any weight on it may be very painful.
What does Lisfranc feel like?
Symptoms of a Lisfranc injury may include swelling of the foot, pain throughout the midfoot upon standing or during examination, inability to bear weight, bruising on the bottom of the foot in the arch area and an abnormal widening of the foot, possibly signaling dislocation.
Can you walk on a Lisfranc fracture?
Though it may be painful, many people can still walk at least somewhat after incurring a Lisfranc injury. Between having similar symptoms to ankle sprains and being hard to see on X-rays, the problem can easily be misdiagnosed or missed altogether.
Is there always bruising with a Lisfranc injury?
Does Lisfranc injury feel like?
A Lisfranc joint injury might cause symptoms like the following: Pain in your midfoot, especially sore to the touch. Swelling or deformity in the middle region of your foot. Inability to put weight on your foot.
What kind of injury is a Lisfranc fracture?
Summary A Lisfranc injury is a tarsometatarsal fracture dislocation characterized by traumatic disruption between the articulation of the medial cuneiform and base of the second metatarsal. Diagnosis is confirmed by radiographs which may show widening of the interval between the 1st and 2nd ray.
What kind of joint is the Lisfranc joint?
The Lisfranc joint is the articulation of the tarsus with the metatarsal bases, whereby the first three metatarsals articulate respectively with the three cuneiforms, and the 4 th and 5 th metatarsals with the cuboid.
Can a Lisfranc injury cause chronic midfoot pain?
This can lead to chronic midfoot pain and may require fusion in the future. Post-traumatic arthritis is the most common complication (occurring in up to 50% of cases) of Lisfranc joint injury, which is related to the degree of comminution of the articular surface.
How many patients have a total Lisfranc dislocation?
Twelve patients (19%) had a total dislocation, 47 patients (71%) a partial dislocation, and seven patients (11%) a subtle injury of the Lisfranc joint. Four main groups of trauma mechanisms were identified (low-energy injuries, falls from a height, direct crush injuries, and high-energy vehicular crashes).