i broke my 5th metatarsal on the 29th April, i was given a postoperative shoe to wear by the hospital, i was given an appointment with the fracture clinic on the friday (1st May) gave me a healing time of 6 weeks, i went back the fracture clinic on 12th June, the Consultant i saw was unhappy i wasn't given a beckham boot, i now have the beckham boot and have to wear this for a further 6 weeks, + it weighs sooo much.
View 3 RepliesI broke my 5th metatarsal about 10 weeks ago, no big deal i thought it's a fairly common injury.
I'm 36 and i keep myself quite fit, i've never smoked, drink moderately so i expected to be up and running again in no time. It hasn't panned out that way. The last x-ray was 3 weeks ago and showed a non-union. I can get around ok with the moon boot on, i can walk small distances without, but my foot clearly still isn't right.
It's crunch time now, i go back to the hospital tomorrow for an x-ray and the bone is still refusing to play ball they're going to open me up and put a screw in.
Now this is where it get's complicated. We'll overlook the fact i'm terrified of being anaesthetised, there is another issue with my foot...
When they first x-rayed the broken metatarsal the doctor was more impressed with my big toe. I hurt it playing football when i was 15 and it appears, or at least the doctor believes, it was dislocated and remained so leaving me with a deformed toe and a right foot that's a full size smaller than the left!
He wants to repair the toe at the same time, should he need to operate on the metatarsal.
Can anyone shed some light on how exactly the toe would be repaired? I know roughly what happens with the metatarsal. How long recovery time would be? Will i need a cast or moonboot?
Last Aug, I fell in a small hole, and snapped a rather large piece off the fifth metatarsal. I went to an ankle/foot surgeon who was leaving for a corporate job rather than private practice. He never showed us the x-ray. Put me in a boot, wrapped the elastic wrap, over my sock, and put my foot in a shoe thing. Before I left, I did ask for copies of the x-rays which I got. I was really surprised at the gap. A good 1/8".
Well, that shoe didn't work, so my husband ordered an air cast. That sort of helped. I would say I didn't sleep for 6 weeks. At the 6 week mark, still in pain, I went to a different ankle/foot surgeon, who, we think because we were going to pay cash, that MAYBE he didn't want to touch my foot for fear of non payment? Or he was an idiot. The x-rays looked exactly the same, big old piece still broken off. We asked about it. He said there was nothing to be done and basically suck it up and start wearing a shoe. We, husband and I, were like, "okay he's the doctor." However, I could not get into a shoe without quite a bit of pain and walking wasn't happening.
At the 12 week mark, I was on the phone to my sister, crying.. and I'm pretty tough. She reminded me I had a podiatrist I liked. I went to see him and had reduction surgery and a 2" PIN put in that bone!! My surgery was Dec 8, 2015 (so 11 weeks ago?)
The bone itself is healing fine. I can feel the pin though. I still have pain, not as bad though. But my foot is still very swollen I would say my foot is a constant annoyance though. I cannot fit into a pair of shoes. I've tried wide shoes, they cramp my toes.. and I've gotten 2 ingrown toenails in the last 2 weeks trying. Those are very painful! I put a pair of slippers on and could feel it cramming my toes, and next day.. my toe was red and swollen again from being cramped.
I don't know what to do. My foots feels pretty good when it is wrapped and in the air cast. The broken one is also about 1/2"- 1" wider than the other right now, than my good foot. I still have no ankle.. very swollen.
Any suggestions?? Is this pretty normal? I really don't want any more ingrown toenails from shoes though.
I can wear flip flops but boy does my foot feel irritated after about an hour. I go back to see my doctor, whom I really like, next week.
When he presses on the broken part, it doesn't hurt. I can move it certain ways. But if he pushes up from the bottom.. that's bad. I can't stand on my tippy toes either. I feel like a mess.
Deb
Does anyone know what type of boot you should be in once you are able to bear weight? tall or short?
View 3 RepliesI broke my ankle on 11/10, surgery on 11/19, cast off 12/7
I got the knee high boot to wear, I'm still non-weight bearing. He wants me to sleep in it but sleep is impossible. How vitally important is the boot to the bone healing? i wear the boot all day.
Day SIx after falling out of shed and braking 5th metatarsal
day 1 a&e visit for what I thought was a badly sprained ankle but oh no x Ray and1 hour later in shoe cast with crutches.day 4 visit hospital doctor v quick look at x Ray and placed in removable cast ski boot. struggled with this, really uncomfortable plus I kept fiddling with straps etc phone plaster room and next day fitted with solid lower cast. Much better than boot.
I love walking outdoors and cycling etc so finding life on crutches a bit hard. Also reading to many internet recovery experiences which is making me a bit low. Coming to terms with it no going to be cast off in six weeks then bouncing around again.
I thought I would write something about this (highly out of character), as when I did it (in an effort to find some comfort and provide my rugby club with information as to when I would be fit again) I searched the internet for all the articles I could, and it was in this minefield that I encountered, from miracle healers to those reoccurring 2 year problems, and as such my mind was boggled. Doctors also provide some guidelines on what is normal to be off crutches but after that recovery rates varied due to ages and previous physical nature of the participants, so whilst this is by no means a complete list, it may offer some help to those who are physically active and still relatively young (sorry).
So to give you my information, I am 25 y/o, male, play rugby to a reasonable standard, cycle 100km plus a week, as well as gyming or some kind of training most days (so needless to say I normally tick the extremely active box).
Previously I had not had any injuries to my feet, and it was just a freak occurrence due to the weight of several men going through it whilst being tackled, the break was fortunate enough to be closed fractures, but still it bloody hurt.
I did this on the 24th January 2016, and was in a soft shell boot for four weeks, at week two I got back in the gym but was very limited on what I could do - machines only (free weights were impossible as I could not lift these without putting pressure through my foot). At the beginning of week 5 I got rid of the boot yet continued using crutches for another 2 weeks. At the start of week 7 I could finally walk again (albeit with a heavy limp), however I did manage to get back on my bike (solid sole - clip in shoes), at the start of week 8 I was squatting with light weight, walking with a slight limp, though many gym exercises were still difficult, at the start of week 9, most gym exercises were becoming easier and getting more weight on them, in week 10 I decided I was close to being able to jog - not the case and got quite a bit of pain going through it, however I am confident my foots resistance will build up over the week.
Anyway I thought I’d write this now, as once I am fit again I will forget all about the injury, and so probably would not write this and be of any help to anyone. So it will get better, just it does take time, finally over the last few days I looked up more information on general bone healing; this states around 3-4months and I believe this to be more accurate for these recoveries than anything I read on forums.
During a taekwondo fight, I broke my right 5th Metacarpal with severe displacement and had 2 pins put in on May 29. They were taken out 3 weeks later, and I was told to move my fingers as much as possible. Extreme pain, bruising and swelling for 1.5 weeks after pins came out.
I tripped and fell on July 1st, breaking my left 5th Metatarsal, at the base, and have had an aircast for 4 weeks. First 2 weeks were non-weight bearing, 3rd week I was partial weight bearing, and this week I am walking without crutches, aircast to be on for 2 more weeks.
I unfortunately also rebroke my right 5th metacarpal in my fall, and was splinted and told no surgery this time, but they would do a more conservative approach to healing. Splint came off last week, and I was again told to move my fingers and had a lot. I cannot move my pinky except for up and down a little bit. It will not bend at all at the knuckle. Physio starts in a week, and I'm super nervous. It is quite painful right now.
Anyone else with a similar experience? Especially with the 5th Metacarpal? I'm mostly wondering what they will do at Physio, what to expect for pain and how long until my hand is more useable.
I broke my left foot 5th metatarsal playing soccer. Doctor said i have a jones fracture, so i wore i cast for 6 weeks and then the boot of another 3. I was on crutches the whole time not putting any weight on my foot. After 9 weeks my bone still has not healed. So i had to wait 3 weeks in order to put a request for a bone stimulator. On week 14 of being on crutches i receive the bone stimulator. I have been using the bone stimulator for 32 days 10 hours a day. Wednesday this week is when i am getting my xrays to see if my bone has healed. My question is what should i expect on terms of recovery? My soccer season starts on August 1st, what are my chance on being in full form by then. Just putting out there i'm going to work my self to the bone to do all i can for a good healthy recovery.
View 9 RepliesTomorrow makes a week since my Lisfranc injury. Unfortunately I do not have a glorified story of how I broke it but basically got light headed & dizzy as I was walking up a step into my home, my legs gave out and all of my weight dropped on my foot that was on the step. As soon as it happened I knew something in my foot wasn't happy so off to the ER we went. ER was a total nightmare and knowing what I do now I would have just been better off waiting to go to the foot Dr. Went to the foot Dr and he said I have a Lisfranc injury and recommended that I see a specialist so I went. He informed me that I had broken my 1st & 2nd metatarsals and torn the ligaments. He recommended surgery to properly correct and said that I would need two screws to put it back in place. I am scheduled for surgery in two days!
What should I expect? Will it truly be a 2-4 month process before I can run and actively get back into the gym again? Will the pain after the surgery be far worse than the pain since the break? Did you eventually have your hardware removed and if so, why?
Broke my foot 5th metatarsal. At 4 weeks not healing yet,i'm now in an aircast from a hardcast. This is week 6. Foot at night just burns and burns. I don't get much sleep and now i have a deep aching.along with the burning. I was told no weight on it but i can walk on the heel only if necessary. Why now at 6 weeks is it hurting and burning?.
View 9 RepliesI fractured my 5th metatarsal and sprained my ankle about 5 weeks ago and was given a cam boot walker. I can finally sort of walk on it if i don't put much pressure on the broken part. But man oh man my calf just aches and throbs as if i just ran a marathon, and all i did was some chores around the house. i wonder if i should be walking on it or is the pain in the calf a sign i shouldn't? or is it just cause the muscle atrophied? when does the pain subside?
View 8 RepliesI dislocated my fifth toe (pinky) completely - it was shooting at a 90° angle - and I went to the ER. He numbed it, gave me Norco for pain and put it back in place. I had an xray while there and they thought there was no brake and just a dislocated toe. So they sent me home and said buddy tape and rest when I can, no specific instructions given.. Three days later the hosp called and said I did indeed have a fracture in my fifth metatarsal bone. They did not explain further, basically said if I want to come get a post op boot/shoe I could and that was the extent of it. I have continued to go on and work daily, I am a hairdresser and I stand for hours at a time. I still cannot put weight on it and it still has shooting pain from time to time. Recently it had started to itch inside the bone, not from the shoe or buddy tape but a deeper itch, wondering if that meant it was healing? It's been exactly a week ago when I did this. Should I follow up with an orthopedic Dr on my own since the ER didn't think it was necessary to refer me to anyone or quit being a baby and just let it heal on its own?
View 2 RepliesI have broken my 5th metatarsal bone in 2 spots close together, it was not displaced but if it shifts its a whole chunk of bone. In emergency i had xrays and was told its a bad break that does not usually heal properly and that i need surgery. I went 4 days later to fracture clinic and they said th3y want to call it a "jones fracture" but that because its broke completely in 2 places its tricky. The previous x ray showed luckily it was not displaced and i kept the air cast and told to go back for x ray in 4 weeks. One dr said to basically not to move and non weight bearing and another said i can use my heal. The goal is to not let the bone shift and hopefully avoid surgery. They left me very confused. Its been almost 2 weeks and i get pain off and on. When i elevate my foot the pain stops and as soon as i would begin to lower it i get very sharp burning like pressure on top of my foot around the break. It gets swollen after i crutch around for even just going across the street to corner store but it relaxes when i lay down and elevate. Since this pa8n has been happening its now swelling more on top at the break but its hard and very tender..sometimes hot and red but it calms down. I do not do much but i have 2 kids, one which has a lot of medical issues and actually was ambulanced to children's hospital the day after i broke it. I'm completely on my own and my son has a ton of upcoming appointments which is travelling an hour away on a cpl busses and through a busy train station..just a lot of walking and all i have are crutches. I guess my questions are..am I doing too much and making it more likely for the bone to shift..has anyone experienced a non displaced break and then have it shift and need surgery? Is there a way to tell myself if i've shifted the bone? Has anyone experienced the same kind of pain?? I read this is one of the hardest and longest fractures to heal but all the info is sooo different from everyone i'm confused.
View 15 RepliesOk. So i have broken my fifth metatarsal and have been put into a non weight bearing air cast for two weeks.
Due to the break, the doctor has given me a blood thinner Innohep 4500 UI to take everyday to prevent a blood clot.
My problem is: For the past 3 days my calf (same leg as broken foot) has felt like it's been cramping. Elevating it relieves the pain a little but i am required to attend my courses at University - meaning i'm on crutches all day. Sitting/standing makes the pain increase. The pain has gone from mild to severe; i can almost cry from the pain coming from my calf.
It is extremely painful when trying to stretch any of the muscles in my right leg now, Should I be concerned about a potential clot? (I do not show any of the typical signs i.e. the swelling/heat/redness) Or is this muscle related? I have trawled through the net for similar cases but cannot find anything!
I fractured my left ankle, the fibula, on March 1st. It was classified as a lateral malleolus fracture. I was put in a splint in the ER and saw an OS two days later, who put me in a fiberglass cast for 4 more weeks. After two weeks, he re x-rayed and said all looked good, so he told me to start putting weight on it over the next few days until I was full weight bearing. It felt better every day and I was sure I was on the path to recovery. At the 4 week point I went back in to hopefully have the cast removed and transition into a walking boot. The cast was cut off and my ankle was x-rayed again to make sure all was still on track. My OS came in a few minutes later and informed me that he did not see any signs that the bone was healing, in fact the area between the break had increased, which he showed me on the x-ray. He said my fracture appeared to be a delayed union and I needed it to be surgically repaired. Not the news I had expected and definitely a setback mentally and emotionally.
I had a plate with 5 screws placed on the outside of my fibula, a compression screw placed up through it and a bone graft done this past Monday, April 6th. I was told I would wake up with a splint on and would most likely be casted or put in a boot at my post-op this coming Thursday, April 16th. When I awoke from the surgery I immediately noticed I had a boot on instead of a splint. I questioned it and the nurse told me my OS thought I would recover quickly and this way I could shower, etc. in a few days. I have 10 staples in the side of my ankle and the rigid side of the boot lays right across my incision. I called my OS's office Wednesday and explained to a nurse that the boot was pressing on my incision so hard that it was almost unbearable. She spoke to my OS who said to assure me that the discomfort is just a normal part of the recovery process and it will get better. I'm now 6 days post-op and have showered, changed bandages, etc. My incision looks great and does not bother me at all until I put my darn boot on, which I am supposed to wear at all times to keep my Achilles tendon stretched. I have tried adding extra padding over my incision under my ace wrap, but the boot still presses hard right up against my incision and causes burning, stinging and just overall discomfort. Has anyone else dealt with this?
So next week will be 4 months since i had my flat foot surgery and hammertoe surgery.
i went to CMA fest here in Nashville last week and didn't go very well. walking in shoes now got ruined after one day of walking with heel supports i got at walmart ended with holes through through the heel of it so i had to buy new shoes.
I have this limp since the surgery was on my right foot. I still can't "officially"do things i use to be able to do .. like run,get on my tippy toes to reach something w/o where my scar is from the achilles lengthening,etc.
is these things still normal in the healing process .. the limp i have,and the what i just mentioned?
i had hard times getting up off the floor cause i had to sit a lot waiting in lines,etc.
I am now about 11 weeks post op ... in a CAM boot and using a walker and sometimes a cane at home or where ground is flat and smooth.
I have just started to go to outpatient PT and my dr. suggested I use an ankle brace in a shoe for extra support ... while I build up my muscle and make the transition out of the CAM walker into the shoe .
What type of Ankle brace has anyone out there used? There is a Malleoloc Brace my PT therapist likes; and I have an Air Cast PTTD one with an air bladder under the arch . I have custom arch supports from before surgery that are still ok to use also.What type of shoes are best? My Surgeon seems to prefer a shoe that laces up and is not too flexible. I have a pair of Ziera lace up shoes I wear with my arch supports...
I am weight bearing and with very little pain...more stiff and slightly achy at times.
I am six weeks post surgery, the specialist visit and the X Ray is scheduled on Wednesday and I expect to be out of the boot and allowed to weight bear on the whole foot which is all great news. But there is a little problem, at present no shoes of mine would fit on my still slightly swallen and pretty tender around my big toe foot. I went through few shoe shops today and absolutely nothing was suitable (even tried men thongs/flip flops but they also hurt me too much) so now I am considering buying a flat post-op shoe (with flat bottom) as they are adjustable and padded so comfortable for me at the moment but I am wondering if anyone else had better idea as the post op shoes have quite thick soles and for that reason would not be the best for my spine as I would have uneven leg length. My Ugg boots would be probably ok but it is Summer here so hot weather and warm shoes would most likely increase the swelling.
I expect swelling to go on for a while (in my experience 6-8 weeks) but I don't want it to stop me from exercising and being able to drive. I am also about to start a new art course and no way I would give that up.
It's been awhile since I've posted. My daughter had flat-foot surgery on her left foot on Dec 17, 2014 (subtalar arthroereisis and gastroc recession). Had this same surgery on the right foot and calf a year to the day in 2013 as well, with excellent results. As an aside, prior to surgery in 2013, her right foot was more troublesome than the left, but the left was an issue as well. Last time, she was at about 80% healed by April. We were very happy about that.
On the one hand, she's coming along nicely with this recent surgery. She goes to PT twice a week, doesn't mention any pain during the day in the walking boot, is in good spirits, and takes the boot off at home and meanders around without it, barefoot. I would think that this would hurt (I kinda cringe when I see her doing it) but she insists she's okay. She has a slight limp, but I figure technically, it's still kind of early yet.
What has me a little concerned is that she isn't tolerating a shoe. When we last saw the surgeon about three weeks ago, he said it was fine for her to start transitioning to a shoe. Yet here we are three weeks later, and she still prefers to wear the walking boot. Says that her heel hurts when it's in a shoe (how it doesn't hurt when she walks barefoot at home: I have no idea.
She is required to wear tennis shoes at school, and she's been wearing New Balance for years now. When I look at last year's calendar and reflect on the surgery for her other foot, I recall that she was further along in the process. She was already wearing shoes at this point. Walking slowly yes, but was wearing shoes.
I wondered...should I maybe go up 1/2 a size? Maybe her old shoe is too snug in the heel now, or there may still be some swelling? Should I got up 1/2 size AND go wider?
She's having an orthotic made for the left foot, and maybe that will help. She has some school events (field trips) coming up at the end of April and also in May and I was hoping she'd be easily walking on her own before then, and able to participate.
I posted a few wks ago I fell down a step at work and rolled my ankle, pain was excruciating at the time I went to a&e and x ray was clear, went back after five weeks and xray clear again, I had an Mrs Saturday after 6.5 weeks and it shows a fracture of the fifth and second metatarsal, waiting for mri report to go to a&e, should have it later, worried that I have done further damage, will they cast it now or is it too late
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