5th Metatarsal Fracture Recovery

Hi littlebadwolf,

your xray remindes me a lot of a conversation I followed on a running forum. I think it was a Cissus specific topic. I can try to find it for you.

Anyway I had great success with some supplements e a "clean" diet. My fracture healed in about 8 weeks. 

If you can remove your boot then could try comfrey. It should help heal the bone somehow. For increase blood circulation some Tiger balm should do the trick. 

Try a clean diet. By that I mean lots of vegetables, protein and healthy fats. Up your calories too.

If you smoke, then it is a good time to stop.

I took some supplements too like calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin C, D and E. You should look also for a plant extract called Cissus quadrangularis. I took about 5g per day. Rest and keep your foot elevated as much as possible. 

 

Hi Little bad Wolfe

Your break looks the same as mine.

I am 12 months down the line and believe it is healed. It took around 11 months to fully heal.

I wore boot for 4 weeks and with crutches was allowed to weight bare. After 6 weeks I went for check up and was told to wear boot again for 4 more weeks. I used crutches for around 12 weeks and was fully weight baring.

Always ask to look at your xray as at 7 months the consultant said it had healed and when I questioned it and asked about the results of a scan I had done which he didn't seem to have a clue about it turned out it was half healed! He obviously hadn't looked at my xray correctly or even knew about the scan.

I was allowed to do low impact exercise at the gym around 9 months on the advise of my physio and I am only now starting doing high impact. My foot still hurts around the break but the physio said this can take 18 months or more to settle.

It does take a long time for this break to heal especially at our age. It's frustrating but it isn't forever. Hope you have a quick recovery.

Janine

Well thabt feacture is displaced and to me, kneeds a screw which is what my foot and ankle ortho would say as well. If not, the healing process will take so so much longer. So sorry. Bad break!!

I also had great sucess with a bone stimulator that my physician provided however, my fracture was not displaced but I did have a screw put in because I wanted the fastest way to get back on my horse without reinjuring again. I feel for you! I was NWB for 8 weeks because I waited 4 to see if it would heal on it’s own. Takes a long time. With surgery it is 4 NWB then 4 in a boot then good to go. And I was 68 at the time!! The pressure from your weight keeps the fracture separated which inhibits healing. Again, my thoughts are with you because it is andifficult fracture!!

Ugh was cooking and typing that one! Sorry about gramatical and spelling mistakes😱

If you find the running forum conversation it would be great. meanwhile, i already eat quite healthy/baanced, and dont smoke, so thats covered. will look into tiger balm and comfrey. taking vitamin D already

12 months, yikes!! what scan are you referring to, when did u get the scan done? was this at UK NHS or somewhre else? just wondering what to expect down the line.

thanks Janine.

yeah i agree its bad looking.. but with free healthcare i cant really force them to operate if they dont want to. but in my checkup hopefully i will get some clarity. did you have any healing in the time you first waited, before the surgery?

im interested in the bone stimulator, i wonder if they give those out here (UK).

 

Hi Littlebadwolfe

I am in the UK too.

I had a scan at around 5 months and only because it was still very painful. I was sent for one by a different Dr.

All the way through to 9 months later they still said I may need an operation. When I last went in September it still wasn't completely healed but I was allowed to start going to the gym but only on the cross trainer, bike, walking on the tread mill, low impact things. I found this helped a lot.

As far as I know it has healed fully but I haven't had an xray since September as they discharged me but it does feel better even though I do get pain sometimes but I think that is normal.

I think also that the NHS are starting to use bone stimulators but a long way down the line. I'm in Cumbria and don't think our hospital uses it yet.

I do know that if I ever did have a break like this again that I would demand an op or even pay private to have it done because for me it was too long.

Good luck.

Janine

It was a CT can that I had.

Janine

ok thanks for the info. i will just have to wait until my check up i guess. 

its now approx 4 weeks since my injury and im WB about 10%, which is minimal but perfectly comfortable, and im without the boot a lot now since it feels fine, its making me hopeful...  even if i bear more weight its just tingly not painful. 

Hi Littlebadwolfe

Some people have no pain at all but still take time to healing. I think it'does be harder not feeling pain as you might tend to push it too far.

Mine got more painful when I started putting more weight on it.

Take care

Janine

Hi, there’s so many different outcomes to everyone’s injuries I’ve found while trying to search for answers myself. I took a slip down the stairs on Jan 28th, all my weight rolled onto my ankle, heard an almighty crack then pinpoint pain and a feeling of, oh crap! 

I’m in Ireland so went my insurance companies  walk in clinic, X-ray showed fracture to 5th metatarsal. Bruising started coming out straight away and swelling started appearing. Was put in back slab NWB and give appt for orthopedic surgeon week later. Pain was unbearable and navigating stairs a nightmare. At my appt I eas Given full cast and told to NWB for another 2 weeks. Bruising was almost black and this pointthe swelling was huge but more so on inside of ankle. The Ortho said this was ligament damage, I asked About my fracture, which he showed me, appeared to be vertical in mid shaft. So far I was 3 weeks NWB and still in some pain although it was getting easier. Went I went back to Ortho he took the cast off examined my foot and decided another cast NWB for another 2 weeks, there was black bruising around my inner ankle that wasn’t there was the cast went on, swelling hadn’t really decreased much.. I’m back at appt on Monday, Ortho did say if still tender he will X-ray again. Sometimes my foot feels like it’s ok, then after doing nothing with it, I get sharp stabbing pains on the break as if the cast is rubbing against the bone. So far I’m 5 weeks NWB in casts 

Has anyone had ligament damage with their breaks? I’m wondering how quick it is to get back to some kind of mobility and independence. I’m quite active, work full time and currently have cabin fever! I’m longing to get in my car on a road trip or walk the dog, all the little things you take for granted. Oh and to have a coffee/tea that’s not in a beaker/flask when you’re home alone because you can’t carry a cup on crutches!

thanks

Trace 😊

Hey there-

I've got loads of experience with the scenario that you have described and the x-ray that you showed. 4 years ago I broke the same metatarsal on the same foot and very nearly the same location and manner as your break. It was considered non-displaced enough that it didn't warrant surgery and it took me about 8 weeks to get back to the point where I could walk on it again. I don't really remember the progression from non-weight-bearing to partial to full and how long each of those steps took, but I do remember lots of swelling but not much pain.

Fast forward to a month ago, where I slipped on a dive boat and broke the fifth metatarsal in my left foot this time. Also, this time it was a fracture displaced enough that they thought it merited surgery. Ortho suggested getting the surgery right away as he was pretty sure neither of us would be happy with the lack of progress without it in terms of healing. I am now one day shy of 6 weeks post-op. I had a cast for about a week and a half and then was able to transition to the boot, which has been extremely helpful in allowing me to start restoring range of motion. For calves and ankles I would suggest just pulling the foot toward your calf and then pointing your foot down. Foot circles are a little much at this point. Anything else I have tried I just do as comfort allows. I have been putting weight on heel for about the last week and everything feels good. I do still have residual swelling, especially if my foot has been below my heart for a lot of the day or I have been using the foot more than it's used to. Most of the swelling is concentrated in my ankle area. Anyway, I wish you luck. Bruising seems to last a whole lot longer than one would expect, but I think that's mostly due to the foot being the lowest extremity and that blood and other fluids tend to just go there and pool. What's your post was 3 months ago, I wonder how you are doing now.