I fractured my 5th metatarsal and sprained my ankle about 5 weeks ago and was given a cam boot walker. I can finally sort of walk on it if i dont put much pressure on the broken part. But man oh man my calf just aches and throbs as if i just ran a marathon, and all i did was some chores around the house. i wonder if i should be walking on it or is the pain in the calf a sign i shouldnt? or is it just cause the muscle atrophied? when does the pain subside?
I am now in week 12 since fracture - I did 5!fractures in 3 metatarsals - 6 weeks in plaster then moon boot now just trainers. I still get very tight calf muscles and they hurt when I walk so have to do stretches all the time and massage my calf - that has helped a lot. I also swim 5 days pw and that has helped my mobility recover.
Because you are not putting full weight on your foot you are straining your calf muscle so just do lots of stretches.
any recommended/specific stretches? i will try massaging it too.
I did something similar to you, but fractured the ankle instead of spraining it, then after two weeks had to have a screw put in my 5th metatarsal, so I was 8 weeks in a cast then 8 in the boot. I'm now in week 20 can hobble round the house and garden but need a crutch to walk any distance. Physiotherapist told me to calf stretch by sitting with legs straight out use a towel as a loop round your foot holding the ends to pull against your foot. That's about the only one you can do till you're out of the boot. Though ankle rotations help too, I do mine in the bath.
I would wait until after 6 weeks - you should see your specialist and a physio then because you don't want to damage or delay the healing in your foot. As Susan said ankle rotations are good but not sure about putting weight or pulling on your foot
Have you checked with your GP or the hospital about the pain because that is a symptom of DVT and you need to get it checked out My calf was tight but not really painful.
what is DVT?
I see the orthopedec surgeoun/specialist this week so I hope he has more answers or help than the first time I met with him....it was "yep xray says it is fractured, here let my assistant put on the CAM boot, make an appt in 6 weeks"...literally that was it :-/
DVT = deep vein thrombosis - a blood clot.
i see.....blod clot...yikes
Call and check about pain don't wait for apptment
When you go for your check you will see the physio as well who will give you exercises and possibly hydrotherapy. I found water based exercise the best way to get moving hence all the swimming.