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5th Metatarsal Fracture Recovery

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laura145
laura145

Hello. I have a number of questions.

8 weeks ago I broke my 5th metatarsal after falling. I just got out of my cast yesterday and was out in an air cast/boot. And the doctor left me with a number of questions unanswered and my next appointment isn't for 4 weeks with no physio or such before hand.

1. Today I have been able to start walking, worst I have been is using one crutch, mostly able to walk with no crutches, is this ok after only a day? I don't want to go on doing myself damage. The doctor told me that for my next appointment there is a chance that if I feel able I could come in my own normal footwear, but he never said anything for until then.

2. When showering, afterwards, am I able to weight bear for a step or two without the boot on to sit down again to dress etc. I'm unsure on this

3. What exercises are good to strengthen my calf muscles and also to gain back full range of motion in my ankle, I know one or two from sports injuries, but i haven't been told anything of this nature for this specific injury.

Any help would be very highly appreciated, as I just don't want to damage my foot further and either permenently injure myself or hinder the healing process

As aside information, I'm 19, a little overweight but in relatively good shape.

9 likes, 626 replies

626 Replies

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  • naz1965
    naz1965 laura145

    Posted

    Hi everyone, I had my last appointment on Monday 10 August and unbelievably the doctor just said youve been in that boot for 3 months now and you're still using crutches, ditch the crutches and move on to normal shoes. He did not even examine my foot and just gave me a letter of discharge from his care. 

    Two days later I received a letter from my 9 weeks consultation from the previous doctor where he said that at 9 weeks the xray still shows partial fracture line and an xray will be done upon arrival at my 10th August appointment. However  no xray was done and now I'm discharged.

    how do I know that my foot is healed?

    i had my physio appointment yesterday.im still in a lot of pain while walking without crutches and the boot. My foot is almost swollen all the time. 

    Ive started to take painkillers. Is that normal ? I'm worried that my foot is not healed and I'm doing too much.

    any advice will be welcome.😔 thanks

    • Suzy888
      Suzy888 naz1965

      Posted

      Please go see another doctor, take your most recent X-ray and get a second opinion. If it doesn't heal right you'll prolong healing time and suffer from pain.
    • naz1965
      naz1965 Suzy888

      Posted

      Cranks Suzy,I'll see my GP on Monday and ask for another xray .the side of my foot where the fracture was doesn't feel right.see before and after xray below
    • Suzy888
      Suzy888 naz1965

      Posted

      Oh wow, yes it sure doesn't look good. Ouch. Good luck!!
  • Blueshell
    Blueshell laura145

    Posted

    Hospital appointment yesterday - bad news that the fracture has healed a little bit more than 6 weeks ago and I have to go back in 8 weeks!. Good news I'm out of the walking boot and into trainers - I've got to ditch the crutch - and I can drive!! Still have to continue with the ultra sound but I've spent my first day in 14 weeks walking in normal shoes without crutches 😀 bit of a limp but physio today has pointed me in the right direction with ankle strengthening exercises.
    • naz1965
      naz1965 Blueshell

      Posted

      Hi blueshell

       congratulations! 👏. I know the feeling. I got out of the boots at 13 weeks but my foot still swell up so much everyday. I'm not happy that I did not get an xray at my last appointment. See my xray above. Does it look healed? That xray was at 9 weeks. 

    • Blueshell
      Blueshell naz1965

      Posted

      Thanks naz! Foot has been quite good - hardly any swelling although I'm walking with a limp - physio has gave me stern advice to concentrate walking heel through to toes and re programme my brain lol I've also got ankle splints on to support ankle due to ligament damage. It's my ankle and calf what give me the most pain. Your X-ray at 9 weeks look a hell of a lot better than mine did last week! I've still got quite a bit with no callus formation but mine was a different break to yours (displacement on the shaft)
    • angela78631
      angela78631 Blueshell

      Posted

      Im now into 14th week and walk with a limp foot swells after walking at top mid foot and ankle. Still cannot walk downstairs correctly . What exercises did physio give u to do as i might try them ive been attending physio but it doesnt seem to b happening quick enough for me!!!
    • susan69134
      susan69134 angela78631

      Posted

      Think yourself lucky, I'm on week 28, can't walk on uneven surfaces and still limp on the almost flat ones. Fields and sandy beaches are a no no.
    • Blueshell
      Blueshell angela78631

      Posted

      Use elastic bands around bottom of foot and flex forward then back slow - also bands that wrap around both feet - pull featured foot out. Also balancing in one foot while brushing teeth morning and night. The killer one for me was lifting up into my toes on one foot - I managed that now I have to do it on the bottom stair - can't quite manage onto toes yet but physio said just trying strengthens my ankle. My exercises are for my ankle not the foot tho - like I've said that's where the pain and difficulty walking comes from. Physio this week was made up with me and said he couldn't tell I was walking with a limp even tho I'm conscious that I am. Fracture still no where near healed but every day I'm walking further and better than the previous day. Even managed a shower today instead of sitting in the bath! He reckons by October when I'm due back the hospital for an X-ray that my ankle will be near enough sorted - if I carry on with his exercises. That will be almost 6 months from the initial injury!! One day at a time 😁
    • ellemint
      ellemint susan69134

      Posted

      Did your foot take a long time to heal?  Is it healed now?  I'm just wondering because I'm 20 weeks out, and mine shows only minimal healing (I'm still in the air-cast boot), and I don't even know if I'm supposed to try to walk a lot or minimize it.

    • ellemint
      ellemint Blueshell

      Posted

      hi Blueshell -- just wondering what stage of healing your foot is at--is there visible healing on the X-ray?---because I'm curious to know how healed a fracture has to be before one can start to do some physiotherapy.  As I said in my initial posting, my doc has told me to keep my foot immobalised as much as possible and has prescribed no movement related exercises.  

    • Blueshell
      Blueshell ellemint

      Posted

      Hi ellemint - last X-ray at 14 weeks showed slight improvement however there was still quite a bit with no callous formation. I started physio at 5 weeks when I came out of a cast and into a fixed walking removable boot (I do work for the NHS so physio is available really quick as they want you back in work asap) sounds like your fracture isn't yet stable especially since it gone from non-displaced to displaced and from what I remember fractures need to classed as stable before weight baring etc. has your Dr not consider surgery as 5 months seems a long time?
    • ellemint
      ellemint Blueshell

      Posted

      Hi Blueshell, thanks so much for responding.  Yeah, I don't know the full status of my foot because all I got were the x-ray results yesterday, not actually able to talk to a doctor.  Access to my doctor is very bad since the fracture clinic is only open one morning, one day a week.  And he has been on vacation several times.  I last saw him in July, and have an appointment next week on Sept 10, 2015.  I'm going to ask him about surgery.  Because my foot has been in the walking boot for 21 weeks and I had 60 days of ultrasound bone stimulator treatment.

      Although the last few days I did start walking in a flat-soled shoe since I cannot belive it's good to be immobilized so long.

      I want to ask the doctor, if it hasn't healed by now, will it ever?  

      Good luck with your foot.

  • emma92012
    emma92012 laura145

    Posted

    Hi all, Well I been to hospital on Monday the 17th got my temp cast removed and then given a walking boot and was told to use for a few days but must get in to normal shoes as soon as possible. Xxxx
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