Sometimes a common sports injury is actually a very uncommon one. A case in point is the midfoot sprain, these are painful but often minor; however they should always be looked by a sports medicine professional.
Why? It could be a rarely seen “but it does occur” type of injury called Lisfranc’s Injury. While it doesn’t occur often, if left untreated the consequences for this injury will be severe to the sufferer and it should always be ruled out to avoid complications in the future.

What is Lisfranc’s?
Basically Lisfranc’s joint are the tarsometatarsal joins were the long bones (also called tarsals) in the foot meet and join with the smaller bones (metatarsals) of the toes. Dr. Jacques Lisfranc was a surgeon that served in Napoleon’s Army and was the first person to describe an amputation through this joint.

What are the symptoms of Lisfranc’s?
These mirror a common metatarsal injury with midfoot pain and difficulty bearing weight on the foot.
Some bone deformity may be noted in an x-ray; however this is not always seen. Swelling is common as is tenderness felt in the joints with any movement. Pain is experienced if the foot is pressed upwards and more so if the foot is rotated at the same time.

What is the best treatment?
First and foremost see a sports medical professional that will know to look for both types of injuries. The x-ray will be taken with the injured person in the a weight bearing position on the foot. Lisfranc’s sometimes doesn’t show up with an x-ray and if your doctor suspects you may have a Lisfranc’s injury - an MRI or bone scan may be required to confirm the diagnosis.

With a sprain, usually the injured foot is wrapped and the injured person is told to stay off of it. With Lisfranc’s the treatment is a little more intense. A plaster cast with a toe plate supporting the toes that usually runs inside the cast to the knee to completely immobilize the joint during the healing process will be applied. Additional treatments will depend on how severe the injury is but the usual time for the cast to be worn is 4-6 weeks as the bones must heal precisely in place so no movement can occur. When the cast is removed, generally lower foot and leg strengthening exercises are done to restore mobility and strength to the affected area.

If you have injured your foot and the pain is continuing after a day - have your medical professional rule out Lisfranc’s so you can return and participate full force in the activities you enjoy most!