5th Metatarsal fracture

Posted , 4 users are following.

Hey all.

I had a non displaced fracture of the fifth metartarsal 3 weeks ago today while landing in a basketball game. The fracture is lower down the bone than the 'Jones' region, slightly into the skinnier part (xray attached), and was a decent fracutre, going around 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through the bone. The first 2 weeks I non-weight bared (crutches with a bandage). After 2 weeks I could walk fully weight baring with minimal pain and my physio informed me I walk with the assistance of crutches, partial weight bare and that I could swim, of which I did throughout the next week with no pain. at 3 weeks I can walk around the house full weight baring, but still use the crutches when leaving the house and am able to do some rehab (leg press and other leg weight machines). I am now a little over 4 weeks in and i can walk no pain and no limp, however sometimes my foot clicks, I intend to play in a tornament 3 weeks from now (7 weeks total) is this realistic  if my follow up xray in a couple of days shows a decent amount of healing, and is it normal to progress through your recovery this quickly, because i've become nervous from the online "horror" stroies (5'11 155 pounds 18y.o male)

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi, your X-ray looks just like mine, that's exactly how I fractured mine.

    You give me great hope knowing how well you recovered. I'm taking all these vitamins just so I can speed up my healing process. And the online stories gave me nightmares!!! But yes your recovery is normal because you are young, and it heals faster.

    Keep us posted when you're fully recovered.

    Thanks

    S.

    • Posted

      thanks smile

      ill chuck my follow up X-ray up when i get it, good luck with your recovery!

       

    • Posted

      hey, i got my follow up xray and im pretty concerned, it looks like there is some healing, but also it looks like the fracture site has gotten bigger!! any thoughts

      - X-ray @ 4.5 weeks

    • Posted

      Hi. So I had written you an entire essay but somehow it didn't post.

      Anyway, just wanted to say that when I initially read your discussion I thought wow this sounds great but was a little skeptical of your doctor's orders because the way you explained your fracture was pretty bad even though it wasn't dislocated. So the amount of time he gave you and told you to WB wasn't enough in my opinion. Even though your bone grew, it didn't stick. My doc told me that for one month absolutely NWB, crutches at all times, and medical boot on as well. Then at one month check up he said my case might remain the same, or have very little WB but still use crutches. So basically you started too soon and threw yourself off of healing time. You shouldn't have put weight on it. That's what made your bone go further apart. I called the nurse in the morning and yet again she confirmed the same thing. Absolutely NWB for 6-8 weeks, and even after that minimal WB, still crutch and boot use. 

      I think you should get a second opinion, with a different doc. 

      Good luck, and keep me posted.

    • Posted

      Hey, Sorry i didnt get back to you sooner.

      I have had an odd recovery to say the least.

      After the 4 week xray which had seemed to have opened up, I was advised to give it another 4 weeks and then consider surgery. At 8 weeks (xray attached) a considerable amount of healing took place besides a small gap in the side of the bone. This was (in retrospect) wrongly diagnosed as a non-union by a xray report and also the surgeon suggested surgery (both just looked at most recent xray and not the progress I had from the previous 4 weeks). However I still had no pain, so he told me to loose the crutches, and give it a go, and to come back if i have pain or re-break it to get surgery. So over the next couple of weeks I went back to my physio who I had been with since the beggining of injury, he seemed more optomistic about it (as he was able to see all the xrays). In these 2 weeks I went from walking with a limp, to walking, to running to jumping, to change of direction (cutting) all without any pain with a little bit of discomfort but nothing too catastrophic. I am now at past 12 weeks since injury and am basically back to normal (besides a little weakness in muscles and balance) but I am working on it in rehab. I probably could be playing Basketball, but am taking the rest of season off (so im just non-contact atm). The other day (12 weeks to the day) I got another another xray (attached below) and in my opionon it showed union and basically fully healed (besides a distinct fracture line), however i could be wrong. Is this fully healed? and was my return to weightbearing a positive factor in the healing of my foot?

      left image: 12 weeks

      right image: 8 weeks

    • Posted

      sorry i just realised I mixed up the order of the images:

      LEFT IMAGE: 8 WEEKS

      RIGHT IMAGE: 12 WEEKS

  • Posted

    You must be mad what if someone jumps on your foot - the bones won't have even fully knit together by then. Better to be sure than sorry - I would check with your specialist first.
  • Posted

    Hi im 18 and i fractured my foot the doctor says its a jones fracture and its gonna take some time to heal i been on crutches for about a month but my insurance expried and i cant pay it since i have no job and i cant work ...Its been about 1 month since my injury and i dont know what to do .. 

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