Broken 5th metatarsal slightly displaced:(

I broke my 5 metatarsal in April I was 10 weeks in airboot nonweight bearing then 2weeks some weight walking with cruches. I am still not walking properly I have a slight limp .I go to phisio every week these bones are harder to heal but eventually they will everyone is different

Hi Sarah, I broke my metatarsal originally in October but it wasn't picked up until the December. I was in a boot until February! I then had to have an operation in April then again in June. I am still in a hospital boot and awaiting more procedures. I would definitely ask for a second opinion. I wish I had! Hope you get it sorted.

Sarah,

I would call your doctors office and ask for more information. Ask him why he thinks your bone isn't healing. It's your right to ask questions.

Sarah

I'm 62 year's I broke my 5th metatarsal on 17th April I was 10 weeks in airboot nonweight bearing 24hour a day when I went to the orthopaedic Dr he said it could take 6 week's 6 month or may not heal .I am healed but still walking with slight limp. I go to phisio every week as my ankle stiffened in the boot every one is different age circulation bone health all make a difference.do everything you are told doctors can't say how long it will take but the bone hast heal so far before you can put weight on it .then walking a little stimulate it to finish healing.good luck let us know how you are getting on.

Sarah, how are you today?

For me today is 3 weeks and 5 days and I had my first visit with my orthopaedic consultants, physiotherapist.  Both told me decisions are not solely made by the X-ray alone.  On mine you can see the negative shadow showing the break with a little fuzzyness over it. This they say shows it is making new bone and is a soft callous. I got much better information today on what you can and cannot do with this break. Wiggle your toes.  Stretch your toes pointing like a ballerina. Flex the toes back towards you and you can sweep your foot left and right like a windscreen wiper to keep mobility in the foot and ankle.  What you cannot do is vigorously/forcefully evert your foot, engaging the tendon and ligament running down the side of your calf, this is the important piece of info in order not to pull the bones apart. (google what it means to evert your foot see exactly what it involves and then avoid doing it)

In my physio session, I walked starting with heel and rolled through the arch grasping the floor with my toes and pushing off.  This is to walk without a limp. Next I did calf raises from flat feet lifting on to tip toes and balancing on tip toe of the broken foot. I did calf stretches and lunges and squats. Used all the equipment in the hospital gym, leg press with each individual leg, knee extension and hamstring curl.  Cycled a stationary bike for 10 minutes seated and then the best, running on an anti-gravity treadmill where you can run with your usual gait but your weight is supported by air so I only had 40% of my weight on my feet, feels like running on air.

All of this was pain free but everytime we moved on to the exercise she asked what was my pain level, it was zero but she said it must never go above 2 out of 10 and basically that is the decider as to how much I can do. I cannot run outdoors or on a regular treadmill only on the anti-gravity one, I cannot ride my road bike. I cannot hill climb out of the saddle on a stationary bike or clip out my cycling shoes because I need to twist tmy foot to unclip and I cannot evert the foot which means put a theraband around it and engage the ligament running through my calf.  All of the above exercises should do every other day, until my next appointment next week.

I'm 60yrs old and a masters endurance athlete, cycling, running, triathlon.  Apparently being healthy and fit, eating the right diet, exercising to provide a good circulation all aid recovery.  We are all different in the timing of our healing and recovery.  Good luck, hope you heal soon x 

Hi Sarah

i am interested in your thread because I have a brand new (2 days ago) injury, 5th metatarsal, as the result of a fall. I'm a fit 59 year old from Australia (recently back from walking part of the Camino in France). I was put in a moon (cam) boot and crutches. I have an hour plus commute via train to work daily and am wondering how I'm going to do this (have just bought the elbow crutches as they seem easier). I am travelling to the States and Mexico in 4 weeks, for my son's wedding, and have a lot going on. When I was at the hospital I explained this and asked how long recovery would take and they indicated that once I see the orthopaedic ward (in 5 days time) they will look at it and determine if I need surgery, although they thought it unlikely, and I could be good in 4 weeks when I travel. And that how well I recover will depend on how quickly I can weight bear, so I have been weight bearing as much as I can with my moon boot, and generally with the help of crutches. Reading these comments make me wonder if I should instead be resting and elevating it more, and how I will manage that once I return to work, which I plan to on Tuesday (in 3 days, which is 5 days post injury). I am trying to speed up recovery, but can anyone say that I'm going about it the wrong way.