Sound Foot Care Center of CT
148 East Ave, Suite 2G
Norwalk, CT 06851
Ph. 203.866.7686
Fax. 203.866.7685

Puncture Wounds: Tiny Injury, Big Trouble

Imagine yourself on a lovely midwinter vacation in Florida, walking along the beach at sunset. As you take a step, you feel a sharp pain in the sole of your foot. On closer inspection, you notice that a small seashell has become embedded in your skin.

This may seem like a minor injury, but what you have sustained from that small shell is called a puncture wound. Unlike a cut, which is an open wound or tear in the skin, a puncture wound involves a small hole in the skin caused by a sharp object. Puncture wounds can be a far greater problem than cuts, as they often appear insignificant and are therefore not treated, leading to serious infections and complications.

Puncture wounds often occur in the feet from stepping on sharp objects—nails, needles, toothpicks, even an innocuous-looking shell. Whatever the offending object, these wounds often lead to infection because pieces of what pierced the foot can become embedded there, along with bits of your own skin, socks or shoes, as well as dirt and bacteria. Common complications of puncture wounds can include serious infection of the joints, bones or soft tissues of the feet, as well as painful scarring and cysts.

Even when the wound appears severe enough to warrant a trip to the emergency room, many people fail to follow-up with a podiatrist or a foot and ankle surgeon, specialists who are trained to care for these injuries. We can thoroughly clean and inspect the wound and give you instructions for follow-up care to prevent infection. In fact, studies show that getting proper treatment in the first 24 hours can prevent most complications from occurring. So don’t overlook a puncture wound—that tiny hole can hide a myriad of problems!