5th Metatarsal Fracture Recovery

Foot care
21

4 weeks since my 5th metatarsal..no weight bearing I am  in the tall air cast boot. but i take it off to have a bath , I sleep in it without the  hard plastic front and put a cushion between legs for comfort. Going mad because i cannot do Yoga, but  I am doing core exercises and using the opportunity to concentrate on arms with some small weights and also using  a band for stretching on arms and legs. long passive stretching opening the fascia keeping flexibility for when I can return to teaching Yoga.... Meditation also helps especially when I cannot sleep. Good luck everybody..... it is only time!!! and we will repair!!! imagine being disabled for life, how lucky we are we will get better.

 

22

It surprises me just how many variations of the fracture of this bone and resulting treatments there are. I'm seven weeks post fracture of base of 5th metatarsal and ankle/fibula (lateral malleolus), metatarsal needed ORIF. I'm in a tall cast, non weight bearing with a week to go to next check up, with what happens next dependent on results of x-ray. So fed up.

23

Hi! I btoke my 5th metatarsal about 6 weeks ago. I thought my foot was sprained, and walked with the injury for 3 weeks before I went to the doctor and had an x-ray taken. However, the fracture is small. I am now 3 and a half week into my 5 weeks of wearing a cast on my leg. No pressure on the foot and chrutches at all times. I'm a very active person who works out five times a week, mostly weightlifing, running and classes, so this has been very depressing for me, as I'm not allowed or able to drive a car and have to do all my workouts at home. Also, I can't do nearly as much as I ususally do when working out (or everyday things such as going to the store alone or working) Normally being so active, I of course want to get back to normal as fast as possible. I realize that it's going to take some time. I have no pain in the foot, so I'm assuming that the fracture is healing. I probably have to use chrutches a couple of days after taking the cast off. I have already seen my thigh loosing a lot of muscle, and ofcourse the rest of the leg and foot have lost muscle too. Is there anyone who has any tips for me to get back to normal quickly?  I'm 21 smile

24

Just sharing my experience. Male, mid-forties, broke my fifth metatarsal (non-displaced) 24 days ago. Slipped sideways off a step, and thought it was a badly sprained ankle until i had it diagnosed 2 days later, after walking around on it. Luckily no further damage caused and i was given a knee length moonboot and crutches. However, consultant said i could wear my own shoes if i felt more comfortable, so i do, most of the time. As mentioned in other comments, consultant also said not to rest completely and to weight-bear when possible. This is good because i am a keen runner and can also exercise upper body to ward off some of the annoyance and frustration. Lucky to have a desk job so foot rests for most of the day. I've avoided pain killers and anti inflammatories because i haven't felt i needed them (taking calcium supplements tho), However, the key message i think is "these injuries do take time to heal properly!" I moved around (on crutches) perhaps more than i should over Easter, thinking my foot was gradually improving but it's been quite sore the last couple of days, so i've been icing the area in the evenings with my foot up. Not as sore now and i'm back to walking around the house and office, slowly but unaided with a limp, but trying not to over compensate. Any opinions if this is the right or wrong thing to be doing? At this rate of recovery I reckon it will be another 3 weeks before i'm walking around and WB more like normal. Potentially another 2-3 weeks after that before i can run again (8-9 weeks in total)?? Best wishes everyone. 

25

Hi Joe, how is your foot? I have a displaced 5th metatarsal break and one doctor said surgery if it doesn't mend. I saw another doctor 4 weeks after that, two days ago, and he said, no need to x-ray after squeezing around a bit, wean myself from the boot this week, go outdoors without it. I have pretty swollen ankle and I am concerned it isn't going to heal properly and I will have pain always in the future. My foot is swollen today as it was days after the initial injury. I don't feel confident with this prognosis. Any help with the ankle swelling? Thanks

26

Daphne, hi hope things going well with you. I have displaced 5th metatarsal,6 weeks tomorrow. I was only given the long boot to wear and no crutches, so I have been weight bearing since the beginning. My ankle has also been a bit swollen. I saw the doctor one week after the injury and he said it may need surgery if it doesn't heal. Two days ago I saw a different doctor and he squeezed the foot and seemed happy as I didn't have any pain, only in the ankle. He said wean myself from the boot this week. I walked around in the house without it yesterday and my ankle and foot were so swollen last night. He said come back in four weeks but if you feel you don't have to just cancel the appointment. I was a bit shocked. Not feeling too confident or happy. Did you have ankle problems too?

27

hi all! I had my 5th metastarsal fracture (not displaced thus casted only), on oct 28,2014 and now April 10, i can  finally walk without a limp1 It was only on january7 that i was allowed by the ortho to put my full weight on my injured foot. I had to walk with a limp. End of February xray showed, it was okay to walk normally. First week of March was the only time I would walk iin public places and building. He explained to me that my limp (up to March, this had some little pain ) was because my  leg muscle had to get back to normal size after being non-weightbearing for quite a time. The only remnant of my experieince is going down the stairs, as my leg gets used to stretching normal length with the downward steps.  lesson learned, is patience and expect the best from the body's natural healing.mechanisms.  we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

28

o i forgot to say: the ortho said walker was easier than crutches (i'm not atheletic person). so i used walker till mid January and graduated to a quad cane which i used till February. Body healing showed in that I found myself forgetting to get the cane, so i knew then i could stop using it. Tho i walked with a limp and sometimes had to hold on to my companion for balance, it was comforting to learn from the ortho that it was a muscle adjustment thing, and no longer a problem with the fifth metastarsal. .

29

Hi Ruth, glad all is good with you. I have a quite badly displaces 5th metatarsal. I was given a boot and no crutches or walker. This was six weeks ago. Two days ago the doctor said, with no new x-ray, start walking g without your boot on, Change to a comfy shoe. After only six weeks! At night my whole foot is terribly swollen and I still have some pain in it. He said come back in four weeks but if you think you don't need to just cancel the appointment. I was kind of shocked.

30

o my, Catherine. I learned that the injured foot really gets swollen till it is healed.As i understood the ortho and my readings, its like the pool of blood there is part of the healing  Tho at the same time the ortho and PT instruction is to keep the foot elevated. When i worked on laptop, i would elevate my leg to butt level.  And i would put a pillow under my leg when sleeping at night so the foot is elevated..  That will take away the swelling.   Is the term "badly displaced 5th metastarsal"  the ortho's term? Doesn't that need more than a cast? I dont know.  I think the boot is the same as a cast; i opted for cast coz the boot was so expensive here. On the fifth week after my fracture, I was x-rayed and it showed "minimal callus",  so starting that, they replaced my hard cast, with a bandage only (removed the hard part only ). and was allowed to use one-fourth of my injured foot (like tiptoeing) which I did until 9th week , and then one-half of my foot after that, till i was told to start putting full weight gradually starting Jan7.  Before Jan7, the ER residient doctors and PT were so vehement againt me putting weight on the heel part of my foot, and would handle my foot very gingerly..  Thats why i was so careful and would ask the ortho if i needed xray, and he  accommodatee my request.  So  my were Oct 28 (day of my fall), Dec5 ("minimal callus&quot, Jan 5 ("minimal callus" still, fracture still seen) , and Feb 27. With the Feb27 xray , the ortho said i could go use my foot already, tho the muscle strength of my leg had still to recuperate too. 

Its different strokes for different folks. my friend who walks for regular exercise, had a 5i5th metastarsal fracture too, and she  did not get the advise so she walked her footdespite  the pain and swelling, and it healed fine, and she still walks for exercise!

, i had im not athletic and in fact i am ostopeonic so i am thankful that my fracture healed despite!  

We are fearfuly and wonderfully made!

31

btw, that friend of mine used crutches in her early weeks. and she was just on cast like me.  maybe the boot make the difference. because when the ortho suggested the boot, he said i could walk normally with it. easier for me than the cast he said. i dont know that for myself from experience though.

32

Thanks for your info, appreciate it

33

Update on my progress:

I wore a carbon fibre cast for 5 weeks with a walking shoe on it. I was nwb for 3 weeks then partial to full wb with crutches for 2 weeks. The jones fracture healed after 5 weeks in a cast.

I then wore trainers and soft shoes for 4 weeks. My calf and shin were painful for the first 2 weeks out of the cast and my ankle would swell intermittently too.

I was able to do cross trainer , bike and rowing machibe at week 6. I have been seeing a physio from weeks 8 - 9 and can hop on my bad foot, run backwards , do 180 degree jumps on both legs and do one leg calf raises as well as other weight bearing leg machines.

I should be fine to do normal running from next week.

I have kept a positive mindset , eaten a lot of good foods and pushed myself as much as possible to get back to full fitness.

I hope my story helps those who have read only negative experiences. Oh and don't smoke ...smokers don't heal well

34

Hello Patients! 

I thought it was time i shared my experience with you guys, as i broke my right fifth metatarsal on the 27th of December 2014. (15 weeks ago)

For reference, I'm male, 25 year old, work full time, no sporting activities.

Like most of you lot, I was left with far too many unanswered questions and thus began a frantic search online. I found this exact thread, The responses filled me with hope during my lowest moments! (Sorry to sound cheesy!) I then promised myself that i would repay the debt and share my experience after i'd healed in order to give hope to any newly broken and busted fellows!

I broke my foot two days after Christmas. More importantly, i broke my foot two days BEFORE my wedding. My accident happened in my sleep. I've been prone to sleepwalking and nightmares since i was young, and this time i was hit badly. I woke up at 4am on the wooden bedroom floor, having apparently flung myself from the bed in a bid to dodge what i felt was a train flying towards me.

Being stubborn (and very tired) i decided i must have just banged it a little and i would just sleep it off. I barely slept. And by 7am i felt sick with pain. My fiancee and I took a taxi to the local A&E to find out the damage. My fifth metatarsal was broken in a couple of places perfectly across in the middle of the shaft, and the brake was displaced. The initial reaction from the Doctors was that i would have to go in to surgery. However, being that my wedding was two days off, they decided to go easy on me. So easy, infact, that not only did i not go into surgery, but they only gave me a Pro Walker Boot and crutches.

I adapted to getting around pretty quickley. On the day of my wedding, i used some shoes that were a size too big, abandoned my crutches and gritted my teeth through many, many photos. We decided to cancel the honeymoon, to allow for a much needed rest. In all honesty, i didnt take the situation very seriously in the first instance. I perhaps didnt wear my boot as much as i should have, and basically hopped around the apartment! I had my first follow up app. at the one week mark. They were suprised to see that i was in almost no pain at all, and i was getting around in a Walker Boot just fine. So once again, they put off surgery.

The next six weeks i sat glumly on the sofa with my feet up as much as possible. I decided to take the boot on board by wearing it 99% of the time. (only removing it in the shower) I kept it splinted, rested and raised as much as possible until my six week check up. 

At this point the doctor told me there was no bone modelling visable on the xray, but clinically i was doing very well. I was not weight bareing, but i was in no pain and felt comfortable resting.They told me to come back in another six weeks for a final 12 week check up. The worrying part was being told that if there was still no signs of bone remodelling then i may have to go in for an op, after all that. So i did everything i could to look after it. At this 6 week mark, the doctor advised me to ween out of the boot and off the crutches.

When i got home, i immediatley left the crutches for the first time. I walked soley in the walker boot. It was fine. a little odd to not be using them, and nice to be able to walk with a glass of water etc. at last. But there was no pain or real discomfort. I decided at this point that i would return to work at the 8 week mark, so i had two more weeks of rest, and to get used to walking a little more normally. 

I remained walking in the boot for the two solid weeks, but from now on, i stopped wearing it in bed and for some of the time during the day. i still hopped around if i was bare foot, but very VERY gradually allowed my bare foot to touch the floor and begin the process to free walking again.

At the 8 week mark, i was ready for work. I went for the first two days in my walker boot and took it off when i got home. I was able to visit the Physiotherapist issued by my employer during my second day. She was brilliant. She helped answer everthing the doctor should have told me. She encouraged me out of my boot and into stable sports/running shoes. I never wore the boot again!

I wore the sports shoes to work, and anywhere else i walked, but went barefoot at home to let my foot breathe. Whilst walking in the shoes i could weightbare perfectly. It took about three or four weeks to feel totally comfortable though. I got pains in random areas of my leg and foot. as well as occational slight soreness at the break point. My foot was still a little puffy after a days work. (for most of my job im sat down, but i still have to get around on foot a lot too)The muscle in my leg had decreased my a scary amount and my foot had been splinted for so long that i wasnt even remotley suprised when i got pains and cramp in the first couple of weeks of sports shoes.

Week 12 came along. I had my final check up. The doctor gave my foot a squeeze. He didnt bother to xray it, which kinda annoyed me, but he was oozing with confidence that my foot was doing great. He assured me that it can take half a year to a year for the bone to be totally healed, but for now, my foot was perfectly fine.

I stayed in my sports shoes for another week or two. At this point i was getting alomst no pain. maybe a touch sore very occationally, and the odd twinge out of the blue. but i decided to dig out some normal shoes. I like wearing tough boots with leather soles, so i was confident that at least my foot would be less vunerable in these.

Now at week fifteen i'm almost normal. i even sometimes forget it happened. i walk normally both barefoot and with shoes. Its taken time to allow myself to walk totally normally whilst barefoot, as naturally i was putting weight on the inside of my foot. I had no more physio or appointments in general. I just got on with life and can honestly say i'm very pleased i didnt jump into a operation.

Thanks for reading guys. i am more than happy to answer any questions!

Chris.

35

Hi chris9999, every injury and every patient is so different that every treatment plan has to be completely different. you're very lucky that your doctor has been easy going and let you kinda go about things how you feel comfortable. you also appear to be healing pretty quick! you said it was non displaced, so i imagine that will always heal far quicker than displaced, and if you are as fit and active as you say, then i imagine youll be right in no time. 

I was interested to read about the numbers of pro-footballers who had this same injury, and what their time off was like. most of them were predicted to be back in the game after 6-8 weeks, but in reality, it was more like 8-10 for a lot. and these guys will have the best physio on the planet!!

Just take it easy, my friend. no need to rush back to everything. you may end up causing more damage down the line which will result in an operation if youre unlucky. most docs advise that you try WB to encourage healing, but in my experience, and from others also, it is a good idea to give it a good solid 6-8 weeks before you start WBing. the bone needs time to re-attach, and this just wont happen if there is too much movement. 

Still, like i say, everyone is different. if you are getting on fine, and the docs are happy then thats awesome.

Happy healing, mate.

36

The harder you rest, the quicker you recover! dont rush it, as itll only get worse, or slow the recovery down. after 6-8 weeks, if you have the all clear from the doc, then maybe seek advise from a physiotherapist about regaining leg strength. however, in my exp, i got it all back by just walking normally again, taking it easy and just adjusting to a noraml ruitine. you'll get there in no time!

happy healing!

37

Thank you so much for good advice! I will just have to be patient then. After all, i want to get well and not make it worse!

Thank you 😊

38

Thanks christopherlrg, much appreciated. I am definitely making a real effort to slow myself down and rest. I agree that, 4 and a bit weeks in, even another potential 6 weeks or more isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. I'll wait until my next docs appointment in 2 weeks then think about building up my walking (gradually), which i really enjoy, before even considering my return to running.

A pro footballer's starting fitness, physio (and salary) would be nice but I'll do my best wink

Cheers and best wishes.

39

Can someone help me i need a esteem booster, I Fractured this bone 5 weeks ago, was put in crutches and darco walking boot and non weight bearing. just got x rays and returned to Dr to say that bone is not healing and come back in another 3 weeks With new x rays

Thus my problem here is that i rushed into walking and interfered with my healing process by bearing weight on my foot. MY problem was i rushed back to work and started walking on the 4th week nonetheless I am a college student that needs to walk to class.

How did any of you assert yourselves to not rush back to youre daily activities and interfere. I am 21yo male that loves to play sports and very active.

40

Hi Luis. I think by weight bareing too early, you may have prevented the first stage of bone healing. Plaster casts are usually given to splint the broken bone to help this. but the walking boot you have can only splint your bone so far. ideally, you ought to have remained completely off your feet for a good six weeks, using only crutches and the boot to walk when totally neccassary. I know from first hand experience how frustrating it is to not be able to move. but by rushing on to your feet, you have slowed down, or even stopped the healing process. if you continue to walk on it, then it may never heal, and you will need an operation to allow the insertion of metal plates to permanently splint the bone. 

i asserted my self through the sheer desperation to avoid an operation. and it payed off. 

I must add that i am lucky to be working full time for the NHS and was able to get full pay sick leave. - plus i'm not dedicated to any sporting activities, so i wasnt really missing out on anything.

Just try take it easy - .your bone will heal but you need to give it time.

Good lcuk, happy healing!