Broken meta-tarsal

[fivecupsoftea]

Has anyone got any advice on caring for a broken meta-tarsal? It's my fourth meta-tarsal, the break was fairly near to the toe. I did it 5 weeks ago, I have been walking in a boot since then, I don't know when I can take the boot off. I was sent home from the casualty with the boot and the advice that bones take 6 weeks to heal, and no offer of follow up. I don't really know whether to wait till 6 weeks and take off the boot and start to walk on my foot normally, or whether I could actually start to do that a bit now. At the moment if I take the boot off I shuffle around so as not to bend the foot. Or whether I should be cautious and still wear the boot at times after 6 weeks?

[SlB09]

Normally with these fractures and boot you can be 'touch' weight bearing for the six weeks then you would have follow up in fracture clinic - very strange you have no follow up, Id contact GP and ask them to arrange follow up for you, oit will need re xraying to see if any further treatment needed or if you can move onto full weight bearing.

[fivecupsoftea]

Thanks for your reply. I kind of assumed that a broken meta-tarsal might be like a broken rib - you just let it heal - they don't usually follow up broken ribs as far as I'm aware. I was also thinking that it's because the NHS is so cash strapped that I wasn't offered any follow up.

[MinesaPinot]

I had a minor fracture at the base of my fifth metatarsal last year. Luckily I didn't need a cast or a boot, just strapped up with tubigrip and advised to wear trainers/supportive shoes for about a month. Our local walk-in centre provides what they call a "virtual fracture clinic" whereby they send x-rays to the fracture team at the local hospital and they decide whether any further treatment/follow up is needed. I wasn't offered any follow up appointments which surprised me, especially as I still get a bit of pain now and then. Just figured that they knew what they were doing, but you do still wonder...

[fivecupsoftea]

Thanks minesa Pinot, I do wonder too. I also think that having x-rays is not actually that good for you, so maybe it's best not to have it re-checked.

[MozzchopsThirty]

I fractured mine running in January falling over drunk nye

Didn't even get a boot, I dragged it round for a few weeks, pain was hideous, followed up in fracture clinic who said it would just heal on its own
It seems ok now 3 months on, haven't gone back to running though