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Broken & Displaced 2nd, 3rd, & 4th metatarsals

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jennifer36432
jennifer36432

On June 7, 2018 I broke the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th metatarsals in my right foot. On June 20, 2018 I had Internal Fixation to put in 3 plates and 12 screws. On July 9 my stitches were taken out, X-rays were taken, and I was told I could begin weight-bearing thru the heel of my foot only-nothing thru the front of the foot/toes. I have stopped taking pain meds as of two days ago.

I’m still unable to bear weight thru the heel of my foot without feeling sharp pain thru the heel specifically. I’m also concerned that I feel (what I can only explain as) electric jolts from my ankle to my toes all across the surface of my foot when touched in the lightest way. 

Has anyone else ever experienced this same thing? How long did it take for you to be able to bear weight? Walk? Recover fully?

I’m one month post-surgery as of tomorrow. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • ros61266
    ros61266 jennifer36432

    Posted

    Hi Jennifer. I broke my 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th metatarsals last year although had no surgery, just a plaster cast from toes to knee. I started this thread a 15 weeks afterwards : https://patient.info/forums/discuss/make-myself-walk-properly-after-metatarsal-fractures-596485 because I kept feeling that something was wrong due to pains and discomfort for all this time. My advice to you is that these injuries create such a varied amount of other side effects that doctors don't seem to mention, ranging from ankle to heel to toe pains. It's all to do with the ligaments, tendons and other tissue parts that are either slowly repairing or are adjusting to actually being used again. It's a fact that bones heal quicker than these other parts so expect to feel all manner of different twitches, pain or aches for some time! What you describe sounds like a nerve to me and that too is no doubt getting itself back into shape. I learned not to look for improvements on a daily basis but actually to assess for changes weekly. With me, it was standing on the ball of my foot which hurt and I was convinced it was the result of my bones not having repaired but a lot of it I now realise was psychological (I guess that's why we visit the 'Trauma' clinic!) and I had to gently push myself. Even 1 year and 4 months later, although my foot is perfect now, if I walk for a longer time than usual, I can get an ache across the top of my foot for a couple of days afterwards. No idea why but there it is. 

    So, try not to worry about these quirky pains, I'm sure they will go away in good time.....just not as quickly as you'd like/expect them to! Good luck! smile

    • jennifer36432
      jennifer36432 ros61266

      Posted

      I wanted to thank you for your post/thread. It has been a mind numbing experience to be stuck in a wheelchair, walker, knee scooter or using crutches. It is psychologically scary. I definitely agree that the “electric jolts” I feel are nerves rejoining. The weird sensations are just exactly that...weird. I’m not pushing myself too hard but everything I’ve read says that the sooner you can bear some weight, the quicker the bones tend to heal. I’m one month post op today and walked down the long hallway of our house using crutches today and only bearing weight thru my heel. (Only minimal weight, not all of my weight). It is so nice to have a forum like this to be able to see others experiences and learn from them or at least feel “in contact” with someone who has gone through it. It’s hard feeling like a hinderance to people when I want to go somewhere. 
    • ros61266
      ros61266 jennifer36432

      Posted

      Quite! I feel there is so little information about the psychological effects of what is usually an accident of some kind. People are helpful by saying that it's not life-threatening, you'll soon be fine but nevertheless you do feel like a burden because all independence is gone. You wonder why the weeks seem to go by with what feels like little progress....but I think that's because you're actually living with it and it does become your focus. It's hard. Just keep remembering that some time has to pass to allow the healing all across your foot but for now you have to just deal with the mental frustration and niggling/strange feelings that you physically get. You're using crutches but you mention a wheelchair, walker and knee scooter so that in itself is fantastic progress. Onwards!

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