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How do I Treat a Cuboid Bone Fracture?

Jennifer Voight
Jennifer Voight

Whenever a fractured bone is suspected, it's best to take a trip to the hospital emergency room for an X-ray to make sure the injury is properly treated. Treatment options for a cuboid bone fracture can range from wearing a cast or boot to undergoing surgery, although usually a weight-bearing cast or boot is sufficient. Healthcare professionals typically advise patients to stay off the foot for three to six weeks or until the pain subsides.

Depending on the type and severity of the fracture, the patient will be fitted with either a weight- or non-weight-bearing cast or boot. Usually, he or she is told to not put any pressure on the injured foot for the first several days or weeks, until the medical professional feels the fracture has healed enough to allow it to bear some weight.

Weight-bearing cast.
Weight-bearing cast.

If the healthcare professional advises the patient to use crutches, he or she should keep the injured foot off the ground at all times. Once the patient has been given permission, the foot can touch the ground when the crutches also touch the ground, as long as pain is minimal. If pain increases, then the patient should stop putting any weight on the fractured foot until pain subsides.

Suspected bone fractures should be treated immediately.
Suspected bone fractures should be treated immediately.

During the first 24 hours after an injury, the patient can help treatment by elevating and icing the injured foot. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications should be taken to control pain. Some medical professional will advise range-of-motion exercises as the bone fracture heals. Anytime the foot begins to hurt again, activity should be cut back until the pain goes away.

X-rays often miss cuboid bone fractures.
X-rays often miss cuboid bone fractures.

A cuboid bone fracture rarely happens in isolation, and other bones of the foot are usually involved. Many X-rays can miss a fracture of the cuboid bone, making it difficult to diagnose and easy to confuse with a sprain or plantar fasciitis. These injuries are considered midfoot fractures that usually happen as the result of a forceful injury or the foot being crushed. Fractures may either be an avulsion fracture, where an attached tendon or ligament pulls away a part of the bone, or a body fracture.

Crutches may be recommended for a cuboid bone fracture to keep the injured foot off the ground at all times.
Crutches may be recommended for a cuboid bone fracture to keep the injured foot off the ground at all times.

Although it is uncommon, sometimes a nutcracker fracture of the cuboid is seen in horseback riding children whose foot has become stuck in the stirrup. A nutcracker fracture results when the cuboid is compressed between the calcaneous and the fourth and fifth metatarsels. The usual treatment for this fracture is internal fixation and a bone graft, if the healthcare provider feels it is necessary. It’s important to treat this type of cuboid fracture correctly because there is a risk that incorrect treatment could lead to permanent disability.

Discussion Comments

anon302286

How long does it take for a cuboid bone stress fracture to heal?

anon116282

Can anything be done to relief the pain in the foot after a cuboid fracture? My husband is permanently disabled because the doctors and worker's compensation told him he could continue to work after an injury 16 years.

Working made the foot worse and now he is totally disabled and is in pain 24/7. Is there anything that can be done to relief the pain? Injections and shock did not help.

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    • Weight-bearing cast.
      By: ingridat
      Weight-bearing cast.
    • Suspected bone fractures should be treated immediately.
      By: SeanPavonePhoto
      Suspected bone fractures should be treated immediately.
    • X-rays often miss cuboid bone fractures.
      By: Dario Sabljak
      X-rays often miss cuboid bone fractures.
    • Crutches may be recommended for a cuboid bone fracture to keep the injured foot off the ground at all times.
      By: AVAVA
      Crutches may be recommended for a cuboid bone fracture to keep the injured foot off the ground at all times.
    • A person with a cuboid bone fracture may need to remain off the foot for up to six weeks.
      By: MAST
      A person with a cuboid bone fracture may need to remain off the foot for up to six weeks.
    • X-rays can miss a fracture of the cuboid bone, making it easy to confuse with plantar fasciitis.
      By: bilderzwerg
      X-rays can miss a fracture of the cuboid bone, making it easy to confuse with plantar fasciitis.