Broken metatarsal

[KittyMcKitty]

In after anyone else’s experience with this.

I have a spiral fracture of my 5th metatarsal following a fall from a height. I’m in a Walker boot (how uncomfortable are these!!) and am back at the fracture clinic on Friday (which will be 2.5 weeks after the accident). The pain seems to vary greatly from day to day - this morning it’s quite bad.

I made the mistake of googling and all I got were stories of how these never heal. Tbh I’m feeling a bit down about it all. Just wondering if anyone has had the same fracture and what their experiences were.

Most of these do heal tbh, it’s only relatively rarely that they don’t. Why haven’t you been seen in fracture clinic? Or did you only recently get seen in A&E?

The walker boot may not be fitted correctly so mention it when you see someone in clinic. It takes six weeks to heal up at which point you can go into good hiking or walking boots with a rigid sole and good insoles. Some people take a big longer to fully heal but it shouldn’t be too problematic. Are you keeping your foot elevated enough and not doing too much walking around?

They do heal but usually take longer than a hairline fracture.

I had a cast for 6 weeks and then a boot for another 6. The initial pain was awful but I cannot recall any pain after the cast went on. After I had the all clear my leg (not foot) ached if I walked/stood for longer than 20 mins but it gets better. Do your physio exercises to strengthen you calf muscles when you are out of the boot. I booked a private physio session as this wasn't available on nhs but really you can google/youtube it.

My sympathies, it's a total fucking ball ache.

Thank you.

I was seen in minor injuries a few days ago. I initially went to a&e but there queue was many hours long so I was told to make an appointment with gp. Gp told me couldn’t have an appointment for 10 days and minor injuries wouldn’t see me. After few days of pain I went to minor injuries anyway and they x rayed told me I had a fracture and gave me a bag containing a boot, told me to go away and that tge virtual fracture clinic would call me.

They called yesterday and seemed surprised that I wasn’t given crutches, shown my x Ray or told anything about my break. They gave me an appointment at the real fracture clinic for next Friday.

As a result I’m feeling a bit shaken about the whole thing and have no idea what’s going on. Dh is away so I’m on my own with the kids. I have been given no advice about how much I can walk / elevating my foot. All I’ve been told is that it will take a while to heal but I don’t know how long a while is!

I know it’s pathetic but I really just want a good cry.

Uh what now?! They gave you the bag containing the boot? That is completely unacceptable. They requiring fitting properly so you don’t lever your shin forward whilst you’re walking and are correctly sized. Honestly complain. If they cant manage a bread and butter fracture appropriately then they should have referred you onto their overseeing hospital.

5th metatarsal fractures are sore but invariably heal. Spiral fractures are better as there is a greater degree of bone to bone contact and the blood supply is fine. Very few don’t heal and those that don’t only a small number require an operation (unless massively displaced on initial XR).

It takes six weeks for bony union to occur but people usually feel much better at four weeks or so. Whilst you can walk on it, we usually give crutches so that people are more comfortable. I would keep it up for most of the time - that means your foot needs to be higher than your hip. Most footstools are to low so if you want to sit on the sofa get a dining room chair to rest your foot on. Alternatively lie down on the couch with your foot on the armrest. I’d get up and potter round the house but no long walks (difficult obviously with kids to look after). If you smoke, try and cut down as bone healing is affected by nicotine.

On the plus side, you are already 2 and a half weeks down the line so only 3 and a half to go! You’ve done the worst bit already!

Moreisnnogedag thank you so much helpful- I’m guessing you work in medicine I don’t think the boot was tight enough around my calf so have done it up tighter.

I’m hoping the x Ray this coming Friday will show that things are improving- I’m assuming the fracture is stable which is why they’ve not plastered it. Things will be easier when dh is home anyway. I’m finding the sitting with my foot up thing mentally stressful- I’m normally a very busy active person and I must say the dog is very unimpressed!!

One very good thing is that I finished my work contract 2 days after the accident so have a couple of months until I’m working again.

I’m just sooooo cross with myself it’s such a stupid thing to have done!

One question- can I wiggle my toes around or is that a bad thing?

Absolutely you can. You can also take the boot off if you’re sitting and resting and do gentle up and down movements of your ankle - that’s the benefit of a boot. It’s only if you’re up and about you should have the boot on.

Yip this is my job!

Thank you

I've been in a boot for 10 weeks.
make sure you get physio as soon as possible, private if neccessary. that makes a huge difference in the healing process.

I have had fractures on both my 5th metatarsals. They both healed fine and although its a PITA, the keeping it up helps alot with the pain. I also found ibuprofen worked on the pain much better than paracetomol. Getting the boot to fit properly is v important. You can also buy a “lift” to strap to the bottom of your shoe on the other foot to even you out (Amazon).

bluerunningshoes 10 weeks in a boot- poor you that sounds awful! What sort of fracture? Hope you’re healed soon. Will ask about physio when I go to the fracture clinic- will see if our medical insurance will cover it.

I’m desperately clinging to the fact that it’ll be ok when we go on holiday at the end of the summer holidays (the magic 6 weeks from the fall).

SeaToSki
Good to know about the lifts - I managed to put my back out on the first day although I’ve found one pair of my shoes which despite being winter shoes evens me out.

in my case it was the middle one.
(twisted foot falling down stairs)

even paying privately for physio is absolutely worth it.

Mine was stair related too! Thought I was on the bottom step - as I was flying through the air I realised I wasn’t! - sooo cross with myself.

I hadn’t considered physio until after it had healed but will definitely find out and have no issues with paying for it if it gets me a better outcome.

I have just been told I have a spiral fracture of the 5th metatarsal. How has your recovery gone?