Foot and Ankle Injuries from Georgia Pedestrian Accidents
On this page
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) names a motor vehicle collision among the causes of injuries to four parts of the foot and ankle: the ankle bones, the talus, the calcaneus (heel bone), and the midfoot, where Lisfranc injuries occur. The four AAOS OrthoInfo pages on those injuries describe how each one is diagnosed and how long recovery can take, and Georgia’s pedestrian right-of-way statutes decide how fault is measured when a person on foot is struck.
What the Orthopaedic Sources Describe
The AAOS pages are patient-education material, not Georgia law, and each states that the information “is provided as an educational service and is not intended to serve as medical advice.”
- Ankle fractures. The ankle page calls them “the fourth most common type of fracture in adults” and lists “[i]mpact during an accident, such as a motor vehicle collision” among the causes. Doctors classify a fracture by the area of bone broken: a lateral malleolus fracture is a break at the end of the fibula, a trimalleolar fracture is one in which the medial, lateral, and posterior malleolus are all broken, and a pilon fracture is one in which “the entire weightbearing part of the tibia bone at the joint is broken.” An open fracture, in which the broken bone breaks through the skin, is described as “an emergency” because contamination of the wound raises the risk of infection. On treatment the page states: “Because there are injuries to both sides of the ankle, most bimalleolar fractures need surgery.”
- Talus fractures. The talus page states: “Most talus fractures are the result of high-energy trauma such as a motor vehicle collision or a fall from height.” It explains that “[w]ith unstable talus fractures, the blood flow to the bone can be disrupted at the time of the injury,” and that when the bone does not survive the result is “a gradual and painful collapse of the bone,” a condition called avascular necrosis. In examining a talus fracture, doctors also check for pressure from fluids building up in the muscles of the leg, and the page says “[c]ompartment syndrome is a medical emergency.”
- Calcaneus fractures. The calcaneus page begins: “Calcaneus fractures are uncommon.” It states that “[t]he calcaneus is most often fractured during a fall from a height or a motor vehicle collision,” and the crash mechanism it describes is one that injures a vehicle occupant, in which “the heel is crushed against the floorboard.” Damage to the cartilage of the subtalar joint, the page says, “may cause long-term complications such as chronic pain, arthritis, and loss of motion.”
- Lisfranc (midfoot) injuries. The Lisfranc page states that “[a] simple Lisfranc injury can be easily mistaken for a sprain,” and that “[e]ven a simple Lisfranc injury is a severe injury that may take many months to heal and may require surgery to treat.” Of the causes, it says: “More severe injuries occur from direct trauma, such as a fall from a height or a motor vehicle collision. In these high-energy Lisfranc injuries, multiple foot fractures and joint dislocations can occur, along with injuries to the back and other limbs.”
Recovery and Lasting Problems as the Pages State Them
The ankle page gives a healing timetable: “Most ankle fractures take at least 6 weeks for early healing and 10 to 12 weeks for complete healing,” and “[c]omplete recovery from some ankle fractures may take up to 2 years.” It adds that “[m]any patients will experience stiffness and swelling in the injured ankle for many months, even after the fracture has healed.” For a severe calcaneus fracture the page states that “patients rarely regain normal foot and ankle motion after a severe fracture and do not typically resume their pre-injury level of function,” and states that a severe fracture “may take 1 to 2 years” before recovery is complete. It names amputation as a possibility if an infection or wound-healing complication cannot be treated successfully.
The long-term problems each page names are these:
| Injury | Long-term problem named |
|---|---|
| Ankle fracture | Stiffness and swelling for many months after healing; arthritis, listed among the complications of ankle fracture surgery as one that "can develop years after the injury" |
| Talus fracture | Avascular necrosis; "[a] significant percentage of talus fractures result in some degree of posttraumatic arthritis"; additional surgery such as a joint fusion or ankle replacement for extreme arthritis or avascular necrosis that limits activity |
| Calcaneus fracture | Chronic pain, arthritis, and loss of motion; failure of the wound to heal; infection; posttraumatic arthritis |
| Lisfranc injury | Arthritis and collapse of the arch if the injury is not properly treated; "arthritis can still develop later on in life" even after successful surgery |
Who Yields When a Pedestrian Crosses
A driver must stop and remain stopped to let a pedestrian cross within a crosswalk in the circumstances OCGA 40-6-91(a) describes, while a pedestrian crossing anywhere other than a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection must yield the right of way to vehicles, unless the pedestrian has already entered the roadway under safe conditions (OCGA 40-6-92(a)). Which rule applied at the moment of the collision bears on fault: a pedestrian found partly responsible has the damages reduced by that percentage, and a pedestrian 50 percent or more responsible recovers nothing (OCGA 51-12-33(a), (g)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might a Lisfranc injury call for an X-ray taken while standing?
The Lisfranc page explains that X-rays may be taken with the patient standing when the doctor is looking for a ligament injury, and that “[i]njuries will not be made worse from a standing (weightbearing) X-ray.”
What happens if weight is put on a broken ankle too early?
The ankle page warns that the fracture fragments may move out of place and that the fracture may then fail to heal, called nonunion, or heal incorrectly, called malunion, which is why it stresses following the doctor’s instructions about weightbearing.
Why do doctors order a CT scan for a heel fracture?
The calcaneus page says that “[b]ecause of the complex anatomy of the calcaneus, a CT scan is often ordered after a fracture has been diagnosed on X-ray,” and that the scan gives information about the severity of the fracture that helps the doctor recommend treatment.
How long before full weight can go on a talus fracture?
The talus page says a patient may need a cane or crutches and a special boot when walking begins, and will not be able to put full weight on the foot for up to 2 to 3 months.
Can a severe ankle fracture affect work and driving?
The ankle page says some fractures are so severe that they cause permanent changes affecting the ability to walk, drive, play sports, and work.
Sources and Legal Authorities
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, “Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)”
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, “Talus Fractures”
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, “Calcaneus (Heel Bone) Fractures”
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo, “Lisfranc (Midfoot) Injury”
- OCGA 40-6-91(a); OCGA 40-6-92(a)
- OCGA 51-12-33(a), (g)
Disclaimer
This article provides general information about foot and ankle injuries and Georgia pedestrian rules. It is not legal or medical advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. The medical descriptions come from patient-education pages and do not describe any individual injury or recovery. Anyone injured as a pedestrian should seek medical care and consult a licensed Georgia attorney promptly about the particular situation.