Puncture wound to the foot

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Puncture wound to the foot

Home treatment is appropriate for a minor puncture wound to the foot that affects only the outer layers of skin and that does not bleed or bleeds only a drop or two.

An injury that occurs with enough force to go through a shoe is more likely to cause a serious injury to the foot, such as striking a bone, which increases the risk of a bone infection (osteomyelitis).

Puncture wounds through the sole of a shoe are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria from the shoe that may cause an infection. The bacteria Pseudomonas is a common cause of infections when a puncture wound occurs through the sole of an athletic shoe.

You may have an increased risk of infection if you have any health risks and a puncture wound to your foot. Circulation to the foot is affected by many health conditions, so your foot wound may have difficulty healing. Wounds in the foot between the toes and the arch ("the ball of the foot") have the highest risk for infection.

Credits

Last updated:	June 10, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer