1. Community
  2. Injury and accidents
  3. Accidents and Injuries

5th metatarsal fracture help

Posted , 17 users are following.

shawney50931
shawney50931

Hello everyone ! I fractured my 5th metatarsal non displaced on September 30th. I am currently in a plaster cast and have had zero pain what so ever since the night I fractured it. My cast is non WB. What was everyone's recovery like? I'm

Hoping when I go back in 3 weeks I'll be put into a hard soled shoe or boot, did anyone else go through this? I need some uplifting spirits As I am incredibly miserable and unable to be independent which drives me crazy!'

0 likes, 148 replies

148 Replies

Next
  • jenny67664
    jenny67664 shawney50931

    Posted

    Hi Shawney, sorry can't hel I did my wrist and arm. It's the independance gone that's the hardest. It's the right one and I am right handed. I am now plaster and out of splint. Sadly I have got extreme pain in two fingers, this I fear is arthritis. Not walking would send me mad too! But think of what you can do, see,hear,talk. One day it will be over and you can skip and I can do a high five. Or as I am five foot two maybe a low five.hope this make you smile. Keep us updated
  • weliveupnorth
    weliveupnorth shawney50931

    Posted

    Hi. I'm 37. Broke my 5th Metatarsal, at the base, non displaced, on July 1. I was in an aircast for 11 weeks. Apparently I'm a slow healer. First two weeks were non weight bearing, then partial for two more weeks, then gradually to full at about 6 weeks.

    I have been 100% out of the aircast for about a month now. My foot aches when I stretch it to the right. My physio therapist says I have some tendonitis now. But if I am diligent with my exercises it should subside.

    The hardest for me was not being about to move around like I used to (it's still hard since I'm not 100% back to my previous physical activity level).

    I also broke my 5th metacarpal on May 25, and rebroke it on July 1st when the fell and broke the foot. It's been a crappy summer lol

    I hope your healing goes quickly.

    Take care.

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 weliveupnorth

      Posted

      Hi! I'm 25 and in a plaster cast at the moment as its non weight bearing. I am absolutely miserable trying to get around and have my ortho appointment on October 22nd where they will take off my cast and re X-ray it. I am currently on my first week as of today and only two more weeks with this. It's a short leg cast as well and the itching sucks ): I am so sorry to hear that you have rebroken it. I couldn't imagine how you're feeling! I wish you a speedy recovery!
  • miriam_25079
    miriam_25079 shawney50931

    Posted

    Oh my goodness. If I were only bored without pain I would have jumped for joy. I broke both my wrists the 30th of May and I still have some pain in my hands. In the beginning I could do NOTHING for myself. I'm just grateful for the improvement I've had. You've only had a couple weeks of disability. Think of things you can do with your HANDS. Our son in law was in a motorcycle accident this Monday. He wouldn't be alive today if he'd not been wearing his helmet. The woman ran a RED light. He has both broken wrists, both thumbs, both legs at the knee. One knee was broken across the joint and shattered. He'll be in the hospital 5 days with months of therapy. I'm sorry for you but try to be thankful for the things you can do with your hands. 
    • katejo11
      katejo11 miriam_25079

      Posted

      Really sorry to read that Miriam! How bad are the wrist fractures, clean breaks or shattering? I ask about those in particular as my fracture was a wrist one. Has he had surgery on any of the fractures?
    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 miriam_25079

      Posted

      I'm so sorry to hear about yours and your son in laws injuries, I wish him a speedy recovery as well as you!
    • miriam_25079
      miriam_25079 katejo11

      Posted

      His knees have been done and tomorrow his wrists/hands will be done. Months of recovery. We'll know tomorrow if either was shattered. 
    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 miriam_25079

      Posted

      Just checking in with you miriam and checking on how you and your son in law are doing
  • miriam_25079
    miriam_25079 shawney50931

    Posted

    Left wrist was dislocated and broken. Right wrist broken. In casts 6 weeks in home therapy 6 weeks continuing same therapy on my own. It's just been the last couple weeks that pain is basically gone. It's just depressing to me that I can't make all my fingers work as they used to. But they tell me it takes TIME for ligaments and nerves to regenerate. 

    Our son in law will be in the hospital for at least 5 days. He had surgery on both knees and leg. Left leg had a spiral break right one the knee joint was broke straight across. A lot of fragments and they cleaned them out. Months of recovery. 

  • hinky2949
    hinky2949 shawney50931

    Posted

    I broke mine in July 23. Was in a gard NWB cast for 4 weeks then put in an air cast ( such relief to get to let my foot out to breathe again) was still on a NWB order for another week then I was allowed to begin to walk alternating days to build muscles back up for 2weeks. Then after 2weeks of that I could stop using the air cast and use a sturdy shoe and no standing for longer then 20-30inutes at a time, no lifting of weight more than 10-20 lbs. I have been using a sturdy shoe only mow for about 2weeks. It is tender and at the end of the day is swollen. The kind of break was called a Jones fracture which means I broke it in half .Mine was at a 45 degree angle so it was lined up good for healing. No surgery necessary. Tomorrow i go back for a follow up with xrays. I will see just how much ive beem ober doing it..it doesnt hurt just aches and swells at the end of my day. I also uae epsom salts in a warm foot massge every evening. Ill let you know more tomorrow after my appt. Hope this helps answer any questions you had.

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Ughhhh, that's exactly the type of fracture I have. I have been in a plaster cast now for 2 weeks and go in next Thursday to get it cut off and X-rays. I'm praying for an air cast as I am absolutely miserable in this cast. As of right now I haven't put any weight on it but the pain has definitely subsided. If you don't mind me asking,how old are you? How did you handle the muscle spasms, as well as the Charlie horses?
    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      I dont mind at all. Im 66 yrs.old Im an extremely active person.. i ambreyired but work part time on a scemic train in N. Georgia USA. Thats where I broke my foot. I stepped off the train and foot turned under!

      I hope you heal faster them I have. They have mentioned using a bone stimulator. Have they mentioned that to you?

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hinky2949, They havent mentioned using a bone stimulator. I am decently active i work behind a desk monday - saturday but every single night i am running around at the dog park with my 7th month old puppy. I think that is why i am having such a hard time because i am unable to get around and play with her at the park ):. I am so sorry about how you ended up breaking your foot. I was running down my driveway in TOO HOT southern california (haha) and my ankle twisted and the strap of my sandal caused the bone to snap. I am 25 years old, I only asked how old you were because they said that age deals with healing differently (no offense or anything).

      What is a bone stimulator? At this current time they told me i would not need any surgery - and i go back October 22nd and get the cast off to get more x rays - i am just hoping that i get this cast off and get put into a boot or air cast of some sort to finally start helping with the recovery. Did you notice that your muscle mass in your leg started to dispurse? I have noticed (well everyone has noticed) that mine has practically depleated from only having this on for a little under 2 weeks.

       

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      When i got out of the hard cast what I noticed the most was how my skin was flaking off my leg. It was just so dry. Yes, the muscle did look atrophied a little but once I was allowed to put weight on it and walk in the air cast it got back to normal. Actually, Its pretty swollen at night..

      Im off to bed but will check in with you on Thursday!

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949

      Posted

      i forgot to tell you what a bone stimulator was. If you know what a tens unit is ,its similar to that . its a very mild electro stimulator yhat attaches yo your foot .you can barely feel the electrical pulses. You use it 4-5times a day. Let ya know if I need one. Im in a play that opens day after Thanksgiving, runs for 3,weeks..i gotta get better! Ughhhhhh.
    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Tonight has been pretty painful I must say. My two left toes (5th and 4th metatarsal) is numb. I keep trying to move it and once I move it it feels much better but then my whole foot starts to ache. Is this normal? Did it happen to you? I want to say it's just my foot adjusting to the cast still and with this heat we have been having it's causing my foot to swell. Oh wow a play! How exciting! What's the play about? Prayers to you for a speedy recovery !

      Good luck with tomorrow, please keep me updated !

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      Hi shawney..well i went for my orthopedic appt. They did about 4 xrays and yhe Doc. Examined my foot, pushed and squished it around. It didnt hurt at all. He said the xrays showed its healed and the fact that his exam didnt hurt told him it was in fact healed. He released me!!! Yeaaaa... I asked him why my heel and arch hurts pretty bad. He said that was because i was walking differently and that has caused planter fascitius to start. He yold me thay happens a lot. Said to get some Vioconic shoes and some orthotic insoles that ate foop
    • hinky2949
      hinky2949

      Posted

      Would help a lot. So i got somr today and they have helped just like he said. So its been almost 3 months less a week since I broke me foot. Its been a looooong 3 months and Im 66 so I guess its not so bad .. I hope you get along well. let me know how your doing. I hope my experience had helped you to know at least what to expect. Good luck Shawney.

      Hinky

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hinky I am so glad that you are healed . I have been waiting very impatiently to know your prognosis! YAAAAAY! Now you can go into your play without any worries! I am a little less than a week away of getting my cast off for X-rays. I am praying at that time I can get into an air cast or boot because getting around with this cast is unbareable. I know it seems simple enough but I live upstairs and getting up and down those stairs is a nightmare. Not to mention my apt is small so I have to slide around everywhere when it's time to get going as walking with crutches in my home is difficult with a puppy.

      I want to say I feel it healing, did you ever feel those aches and pains after a while? I keep feeling random pains and freak out and cal the doctor as I'm scared I'll displace.

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      Yes Shawney, i felt those sharp pains too. They are healing pains. Im still getting them actually. Dr. Says its like growing pains. Another thing ,when you get your cast off, the skin on your leg is going to flake off for days. I wasnt expecting that. I put cream on top of cream but it still flaked off. So i just waited it out. Being able to just let my foot & leg breath was WONDERFUL.. I gave myself a pedicure just cause I could. It felt great and looked great. I started giving myself warm foot baths every evening in my foot bath massager. That felt good too . so i thought getting am aircast was a gift from God...lol. . So let me know your progress. Ttyl.Hinky
    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hinky. So my appointment came and went. They said it was healing nicely but was put back into a plaster cast as it hasn't healed enough for them to be comfortable in a boot yet. How is your foot feeling now ? What shoes did you end up buying? When they took my cast off it immediately began to swell again and it was actually painful to have the wind and air on it without the cast and when someone touched my foot it throbbed. I was told it was because it was like new sensation again. Ugh): November 12th I go back and double check to see if I can get into a boot which my fingers are definitely crossed!
    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      Hi Shawney, i was thinking about you this morning. I know your disappointed, by not being able to get into an air boot at that appt. I probably should have worn mine a week or 2 longer. My foot still swells at the end of the day and aches. The shoes the Dr. Told me to get are called "viconic" i bought a pair and they. Have made a hughe difference in the way my foot feels! I highly recommend them. Dont rush your healing, it will only cause you pain.in the long run. I do feel I rushed it a bit and now, its hurting. I dont know if it would have anyway or not but its in the back of my mind. So i really am happy that your leeping me up to date with how your dealing.. Please keep me posted.. Try getting yourself some shoe insoles called Orthotic heel. Get the full size, not the 3/4 ones. These have helped too.a lot!!!! Just throwing ideas out there for you to get so you have it all when you get out of your cast. O.k. my friend keep me posted.. Good luck and keep your chin up and keep smiling.
    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hello again,

      4 1/2 weeks into my fifth metatarsal fracture and I am starting to get discouraged that I will be out at the 6 week mark. It started to rain suddenly as I was getting home and had nothing to wrap it in at the time. Therefore my cast got wet ); they want me to come in and get another cast but I have my appointment next week so I am thinking I will just wait as I am paying out of my pocket for all this as my insurance doesn't have anyone in the area to see me. Typical ):. It's more uncomfortable than anything and my foot is dry so there is still padding where the fracture is. But speaking with the Doctor made me feel like I might be in this for 9 weeks which makes me sad. I am ready for the next phase in recovery.

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      I know you are.. I felt the same way. I dont see why waiting till your bext appt. To replace rhe cast will hurt. As long as you dont put any weight on it. Stay off it and hang in there Shawney. Keep me posted on your progress. Have a nice Thanksgiving

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hinky!

      On November 12th I was put into a boot, but still unable to be discharged and walking fully yet. I have gone to a physical therapist where they used the bone stimulator and got swelling down as a favor to my fiancé as he works at a restaurant next door to their office. I have motion In my ankle but not enough to actually walk yet! How did you start walking? I have my hopefully last appointment on December 10th (Thursday) so we will see. How is your injury going ?

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      Hello!!

      I have been wondering how your doing.. Sorry your having such a time!  To answer your question on how I'm doing; I'm doing great.  I still have swelling at the end of the day, but I wear a compression sleeve sock and I swear that is how I'm able to go about my normal business.  Go and order one.  It is hard to put on and take off because it's so tight but it holds everything together in the foot and stabelizes it. My Orthopedic told me to buy some supportive shoes and I did.  THEY ARE WONDERFUL.  They have some cute ones too considering their for good support.  Not old foogy looking if ya know what I mean. I also ordered some insoles for my shoes that I still have. Once the Dr. told me I could start to walk without the boot some, I just went for it..It hurt some but I could do it.  I think the walking actually helped it to heal faster. I haven't had any problems.  Some days it aches more than others but really I'm good. 

      I'm in a play where I'm actually running on stage and having to be shoved and I was worried it was going to bother it. But,  I'm good!!  I sure hope you can get back to your self again.  I'm glad your fianc'e got you going to a physical therapist.. I think that will really help.  Here's my email address please keep up with me and let me know what your out come isO.K.?  I think about you and how your doing a lot.  So the short of it is for me.  I'm back up and resuming life as normal.  I have some aching, swelling at the end of the day, and every now and then a few sharp pains but outside of that it's fine.  Those things have made all the difference!  Oh, DO NOT WALK BAREFOOTED.  I was told that's a big no ,no.  No support to the foot is why.  O.K. let me hear from you  I want to know how your doing.  Good luck I think once you just start walking on it you'll do well.

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product/company names as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. I have also removed the email address. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.

      http://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/398331-private-messages

    • shawney50931
      shawney50931 hinky2949

      Posted

      Unfortunately, the administrators erased your comment about your email address. If there's anyway for you to private message me and let me know your email address, That would be great. You can never walk barefoot again? I'm so excited for you that you're able to run around in your play. I was curious how that was going.

      When I go back on Thursday is when I know if I can start physical therapy or not. As of right now they saw me on the hush-hush and only rubbed out my foot use the bone stimulator and help to get my range of motion back. My foot feels like I can walk again and that it's ready but my ankle feels very weak. Also I just so happen to break my left foot and I have a very bad knee on my left leg so maybe it's fear I'm not sure .

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 shawney50931

      Posted

      Shawney. I Pm'ed you on here so go look at your PMemail on here and email me. Im wondering what was done yesterday when you went back.

    • Johnette932
      Johnette932 hinky2949

      Posted

      Hi,Hinky2949 like you I had a fifth met Jones fracture on March 9th. Went to er and was confirmed fractured. Was put in backslab from hospital. Was not able to go to Dr right away due to insurance problems. Wore backslab for 4.5 wks. Then went to foot and ankle doctor and was xrayed and put in walking boot with no weight bearing for 2wks. Went back and was told to weight bear partially for next 2wks. then to do total weight bearing for 4wks. Then to go in shoe. So I am now in regular shoes but foot is very tender around toes and ball of foot all the way across, and swollen at the end of day. I have been soaking with Epsom salt as I have read your posts and it works it takes the soreness out. I am 49 and smoke but x-rays have been great. I posted to you because you have had to deal with this the longest.

      Just wanted to know if your foot was tender around that area or any one on here. And did you limp?

    • hinky2949
      hinky2949 Johnette932

      Posted

      Johnette your treatment plan was idwntical to mine. Everything they told you was just what I was told. Now I had swelling and my foot avhed and still does if Im up walking in UNSUPPORTIVE shoes all day long. The ball of my foot dif not bother mr as my fracture was lower down on the bone. What did bother me was once I stated to walk in regular shoes was my heels on both feet. Dr. Said because I was now walking different since my fracture that i was developing Planters Fascists. He then rrecommended the Vionic shoes. I bought 2 pairs of them and have lovef them. I havent been having heel pain at all. I dont know if they would help your pain in the ball og your foot but you might ask your Dr. What he would suggest. Hope ive helped some but not having the pain you are having puts me at a disadvantage in giving you insight. Maybe someone out thetr reading this can help?? Hey,ANYONE HAVING PAIM IN THE BALL OF THE FOOT ? can help Jeannette??
    • Eah4me
      Eah4me hinky2949

      Posted

      I am 5 weeks post fracture. I started walking in hard soled shoes last week and I am having pain under the ball of my foot. It doesn't hurt where the fracture is. It's more the ball if my foot and the top of my foot near the base of my toes. My doctor said the pain is from all the soft tissue damage from when I rolled my foot. He said it will take another four weeks for that to heal. The soft tissue injuries take longer to recover from than the bone break!
    • barbara39882
      barbara39882 hinky2949

      Posted

      Vitamin E pills broken open & mixed with some cortisone cream work very well to return your skin to normal. also eliminates the itch!

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.