When the “foundation” of your body can’t move or carry weight, you certainly can’t carry on as normal. Serious ankle and foot injuries are common after car accidents or a slip and fall for a handful of reasons.
Bodies Tend to Tense Before Impact
It’s natural to tense your body and brace for an impact, whether that’s during a car accident, slip and fall, or some other dangerous situation. That tension keeps the force of the crash from being distributed throughout your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. While this might protect other parts of your body from injury, it keeps all that force in the feet, damaging them with a more severe foot or ankle fracture than may have happened if you were relaxed at the time of impact.
The Feet Often Get Hit First
Feet are often the first part of your body to feel the impact of a crash, whether you’re the driver slamming on the brake or a passenger sitting in the back. In other crash scenarios, like a T-bone collision, the feet and ankles can be crushed or twisted by the car itself.
Feet and Ankles Are Complex
Comprising 26 bones, 33 joints, and numerous tendons, muscles, and ligaments, ankles and feet are some of the most complex parts of the body. Because they’re so complicated, they can be difficult to rehabilitate and heal. A foot or ankle injury can be further complicated if you put weight on them in the chaotic aftermath of an auto accident or before you realize how serious the injuries are. Plus, your feet can be affected by injuries in other areas, such as the hip or knee.
