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How long after a foot fracture can I expect pain on walking?

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by KMC, Aug 3, 2009.

  1. KMC

    KMC Guest


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    I am female, 41, who fractured my 2nd and 3rd metatarsals six weeks ago. I am fit and healthy with no underlying medical conditions. My foot surgeon is very pleased with my progress since cast removal last week and has suggested load bearing up to 30%, increasing to 50% over the next week. I do feel a dull, almost nauseating ache across my entire foot when I do this however, and it is worse first thing in the morning. How long does it typically take in uneventful healing of this type of injury, before walking becomes a painfree exercise?
     
  2. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Pain and its tolerance is an individual issue. Typical bone healing times can be offered, but how long any individual may be expected to have pain or discomfort even after bony union is a rather subjective and unpredictable matter. In addition, bones do not fracture in a "vacuum" and there is always some collateral damage to soft tissues. Depending upon which soft tissues they were, how critically they are damaged and whether or not such damage was identified and treated properly, this might translate into a longer recovery period than for the actual fracture. Yours sound like a question that should have best been directed to your own doctor who knows you and your case. Did you not ask or did you ask and are now checking up on his/her answer?
     
  3. KMC

    KMC Guest

    Thanks for your response. I haven't asked my doctor specifically that question as yet, but was curious to know what other's may have experienced. I guess I was looking for general guidance - ie weeks, months or a year? I have only just started to lightly weightbear in the past 3 days with some pain, which appears to be worse first thing in the morning but progressively improves throughout the day. I wouldn't say though that my foot - after 6 weeks of complete non-use feels much different to the day I fractured it when I actually still managed to hobble back to my chair. I am interested to know what other damage may have occurred that may need remedial therapy, as up to this point, the focus seems to have been soley (pardon the pun) on the osteo component.
     
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  4. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Any force sufficient to cause bone to fracture can also and most often does cause damage to soft tissues which might include ligaments, tendons, nerves, vessels, fascia, etc. Not only the force causing the fracture, but the actual fracture segments if the fracture is displaced can cause tearing of tissue. Complete resolution of the results of trauma which in part causes a fracture does not require only union of the fracture.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Today is the day that i took my first walk to the beach. I broke my first and third metatarsals and had to have surgury. I was so bord sitting waiting for this to heal and i found no one online who posted anything about breaking their first metatarsal, which is the most important bone. (ie you break it you need surgury or you wont walk right again.) So i wanted to post a schedual so if you break your foot you have an idea what to expect, First it will cost about 11,000 dollars for everything if no insurance...
    Week 1 wait for swelling to go down
    week 2 surgury ( screws metal plate and pins) they put you in a cast which is mostly just around your foot, not that uncomfortable
    week 3 wait
    week 4 wait
    week 5 they cut off the cast from surgury x ray you and put on a hard cast that goes up to about 2 in below your knee. And best of luck to you, just remember its almost over!!!
    week 6 wait
    week 7 they cut off the cast (the happiest day of your life) and but you in a walking boat which you can put pressure on but still have to use creatches
    week 8 you begin to walk without chretches but still have walking boot
    week 9 The best day of your life the doc tells you to take it easy for a few days but you can walk agian, (no boot nothin)which sounds stupid but walking up and down steps by yourself like a regular human again-- is just a blessing
    Well hope that helps out some one,
     
  6. Guest

    Guest Guest

    KMC - I'd be interested to know how your progress is going... I also fractured my 2nd/3rd Metartarsal quite some time ago. I did however not require surgery. I ended up wearing a boot non weight bearing for 2 months and then slowly started transitioning to weight bearing and incorporating physical therapy, etc.. I have the same type of symptoms you described in your posting, which I have addressed with my dr. as well as the physical therapist. All they said was that it just takes time to heal...
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi-i fractured 3rd metatarsal 7 weeks ago. Upon my 5 week appt. with ortho, was told i was "80% healed" and could start walking without boot in my apt. This ortho also told me it was OK to walk around 3rd week with fracture walker. Everything else i read on the web said "stay off your foot for at least 6 weeks" as much as you can.

    Is it safe for me to try to walk a little without the boot or am i better off waiting another 2 weeks? I ventured out a couple of times for work where i had to stand for 1-2 hours and my heel was quite painful. Additionally, my foot is still bruised and swollen, although much less then initially.

    I am petrified of putting my full weight on my foot, especially until it is fully healed...is this the way to go or should i try to walk a little without fracture walker?

    Any advise appreciated, i never want to go through this again..
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi, I fractured my 5th metatarsal bone at the base 9 days ago. I was first put in a half cast, just the back and sole of my foot, then the sports physio put me in a fracture boot (cam boot). I have been still using the cast at night. I didn't know it was fractured till the end of the 3rd day, so was walking on it till they xrayed me. I'm resting it most of the time, and walking in the boot when I have to get around. I am still experiencing pain however, and I'm wondering if that's normal. I've read a lot on the web about the 5th metatarsal and its pretty much all negative in that its the hardest and longest to heal, and most say it should be in a full cast. So my questions are : 1) is the cam fracture boot the best option for me; 2) should there still be pain; 3) are these boots non weight bearing; 4) when can I expect to pain free; 5) we are going overseas in 6 weeks, if I continue with the fracture boot and painkillers, resting as much as I can, will I be okay to travel, as it involves quite a bit of walking? Thank you for any help you can give me. Jan
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    You had asked about a cam walker boot. I am not a doctor, but from what I understand based on two prominent Orthopedic doctors (supported by studies) Air boots are not as supportive as fibreglass or plaster cast and therefore more movement/shifting occurs when weight is applied. That being said from my understanding the following is the best progression for a break of the foot that has additional trauma of the nerves, ligaments and tendons: 1. Cast 6 to 8 weeks (compression wrap or splint should be applied prior to casting, this would reduce the casting time). 2. Weight bearing cast for 4 weeks (amount of walking is going to vary depending upon pain) 3. Walking boot for 2 months.

    I am unfortanely is a similar situation to yours. I had a blount force trauma crush on December 23rd when an 87 year women jumped a curb and ran over my foot. It ran over my foot when it was coming off the curb. I broke my second phalange of the big and 3rd metatarsal at the lisfranc joint. I also had minor lisfranc separation primarily around the 3rd metatarsal. I additionally had various small fractures around the midfoot area around the cunieforms. All my fractures and disclocations where around 1 millimeter and therefore surgery was not a recommended option as I have to let mother nature takes its course.

    I am currently at 28 days from the injury and still have a big toe that is numb at all times (feels like it is asleep all the time). I was put in a permanent cast one week ago and am expected to have this on for 3 more weeks. I had a cast change today and still have a fair amount of swelling (area near the toes is about 1.5 to 1.75 times larger than other foot when it hangs down for a small period of time). My toes immediately turn red when I get up from my chair and turn back to normal color very quickly after leveling it.

    I like you am concerned to how long it will take and what if any nerve, ligament and tendon damage I have and what the recovery time will be. As the doctor said in your reply, it seems it just depends on each person's situation and only time will tell. What seems to be the consenses from most qualified ortho surgeons is that to be on the safe side it is best to follow the schedule of treatment above...I have attempted and tried everything I can to get a boot (for comfort reasons) and have been told NO as it is just simply not the best course for treatment.

    I have read all the horror stories on the web...seems to be all their is and just hope I have not suffered permanent nerve damage and will regain fairly normal function of my foot moving forward (although I realize that my running and jumping days are probably over, but i can live with that). I pray for the day my big toe wakes up and the swelling goes away...I am going to stay the course and listen to my ortho.
     
  10. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I too would like to know how long to expect pain after surgery and healing...My jones fracure happened 8 months ago, had surgery, it was broken in 2 places had to get 2 pins put in and non weight bearing for 8 weeks! Got the pins out and went to physical therapy
    to walk again. Now I am going to another foot/ankle dr to figure out why I still have pain
    in my foot ,the bones are healed, what is a "normal" healing time for such an injury? I am 59 years old and have a high pain tolerance.
     
  11. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I fractured the base of the 5th Metatarsal from an ankle roll before a mountainbike race. I managed to complete 2 laps ( about 1 hour of riding) , but decided to discontinue , since I could not stand once off the bike. Diagnosed by x-ray a couple of hours later. I'm not radiologist, but I've compared my frature to images on the web, and it looks like a standard non displaced fracture. They wanted to put a cast on at the hospital, but begged them to leave it off so I could drive home, since I was about 100 km away from home when it happened.So they gave me a boot & crutches instead. Putting even the slightest amount of pressure on the foot was agony from day 1 - 5. Day 5, I received an Aircast Walker. I still could not put and weight down . Its now 7 days , and I've been able to ride my mountain bike a couple of times without pain ( day 6 & 7) in the last 2 days, except when trying to unclip my foot ( have to do that by hand) . I've also been able to walk around a little without pain in the boot today , and also not too bad walking slowly in bare feet. Toes are all still bruised , swelling mostly down. So I was told to expect up to 6 weeks in the boot , but I feel good enough to dump the boot. I'm relatively fit, was running 30 km a week and riding couple 100 km week before accident. If there is no pain when weight bearing or cycling, does this mean no further damage is being done and will healing continue properly if I start weight bearing etc ? My wife is furious that I've started walking around without crutches and am have been out cycling
     
  12. Luke

    Luke Guest

    I fractured my 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th Metatorsel's. I am now 10 weeks out from surgery and barely walking. So more than two months non weight bearing my muscles have atrophied a lot. I walk maybe a quarter a mile a day. And do physical therapy but I cannot walk noaly yet and put too much pressure on my toes or front of my foot because it is not strong enough yet. Just trying to strengthen muscles all around my foot ankle and leg. Really bad break, worse the doctors ever seen
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I fractured several bones in my foot. I'm not even sure which ones (the Dr was not specific with any of my injuries. He just said "several fractures in your foot". I had several other injuries as I was in a motorcycle accident and then had my foot ran over by a car.

    I still have a fair amount of pain daily. They didn't say I injured my ankle but I'm having daily pain in it. When I got my boot cast off I wasn't able to move my foot up and down at all. (My knee was also locked due to wearing a brace preventing me knee from bending. (My knee was split wide open and I cracked my knee cap)

    Is my ankle pain likely caused from the boot cast or did the Dr miss an injury? I was not happy with my hospital experience at all. I kept telling them that my foot hurt and they ignored me. My mother pushed the issue and they finally xrayed it again and found all the fractures.. They said that from the angle they took the xray they were unable to see the fracture.

    Thanks,
    Dan
     
  14. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I broke my 5th metatarsal 6wks ago. He said transverse but didn't specify avulsion or Jones. He put me in an aircast for 3 wks and had me come back. 3 wk x-rays showed no healing (which he didn't expect anyway)-he was just making sure the fracture was still in place. He said I can walk on my foot in the aircast sans crutches if it doesn't hurt. It took me until the end of week 4 to actually do this completely without crutches only because I was afraid it would hurt but it didn't. I've been walking short distances on it for 2 wks with no pain. I go back today for my 6 wk check up. Do you think the bone is healed?
     
  15. smatchett3

    smatchett3 Guest

    My sister broke her ankle, had surgery (two pins and a plate) 6 days after the injury. She was put in a boot instead of a cast. Was told to stay off of it completely for 3 days and then she was told she could put minimal weight on it using crutches or a walker. She went to the doctor 2 weeks after surgery and he told her to "drop the crutches", keep the boot on but walk on it. She was even told she could drive. This all seems odd that after this short of a period of time she was given the okay to walk on it (boot on).
     
  16. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I broke 2,3,4 metatarsal day 3 dr gave me a boot way too big told me not to use crutches and use boot all the time. Immediately told him I can't walk in boot standing was excruciating. He said of course you have three broken bones you'll get used to it. I said so I can work? He said you'll know when you can't I cried leaving the boot was crushing my bones as I walked, with crutches, got to car foot was swollen immediately. Needless to say I called dr Friday said you need to see me my foot keeps swelling completely purple the nurse says non weight bearing now stay in bed see me monday. Even in bed with boot swollen as soon as I try and get out pain is excruciating. Has anyone else had this experience?
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi I had the same experience 3 mid foot metatarsals were broken too.. I just got my cast off 3 days from now. When I had my cast for 6 wks it was no weight bearing until it was removed. I am about to have my physical therapy tomorrow but I already started dorsiflexion for my foot. I m still waiting if I will be having partial weight bearing from the ptherapist.i still feel stiff on my injured foot with bruise and pain on some areas of my foot from the cast. But from the broken bone itself I dnt feel same pain at all. Hoping that I'll start to walk again soonest possible maybe aftr 8 visits from therapist. I do hope so. Good luck on yours.
     
  18. Almost 6 werks since I broke my 5th metatarsal with sligh dislocation and a little chip bone. Nothing fancy. Just stepped wrong cleaning my house. Was put in a boot cast ( moon walking boot). The pain was bad during first 2 weeks, but from my twisted ancle mostly. Once ancle ordeal was done I was ok. Was walking no crutches within 2 weeks in my moon boot. Week 4 I could go use a bathroom at night with no boot. Went to my x ray at 4 werks. Fracture us still there. No healing, but no furyhet displacement. Dr said keep wearing the boot and come back at 8 weeks. I was barying all weight starting day 7. Exercise 20 min in station bike and lifting weights. Can't wear nromal shoes since it gives me some pain, walking boot doesn't. All I am hoping for to be back in my zumba class in 4-5 months posy injury. Also want to hear from others whose Drs said put all weight right away, as after tones of research seems I got it easier with handling day to day. 40 y.o. Active. 3 kids, so no weight baring would be a killer. Quick recovery everyone. It still sucks!!!!! Weight gain, borring and let me tell you how tired I am from gym clothes not being able to sweat them enough. Being always on high heels having a second snicker on my foot would make me a fashinista.
     
  19. kmc

    kmc Guest

     
  20. Mrs Ray's

    Mrs Ray's Guest

     
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