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Original poster

WHat on earth have i done to my foot?!!!

39 replies

PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 18:47

I seem to have pulled a muscle or something, but like how? what?

Just before christmas I walked a bit too far with then 3wk old DS, and seemed to pull some muscle or tendon or something on the right side of my right foot, towards the ball of the foot at the back, under the ankle. Hurt to put pressure on, got better after after a few days, but for that time, sore to walk on.

Then it went away and all was fine. Then, suddenly, this afternoon, after no particular exersion on my part, just pootling around home, then it started to hurt again. Found walking on tiptoes on that foot eases it, then, forgot to do it, and BAMM! the pain searing across my foot, into my toes, up my leg and into my calf made me almost fall over, not great when holding my newborn son! I had to get DH to hold him, and then hobbled to sit down!!!

DH said its probably nothing, just an evening sat on my arse to rest it will do the job, bu i have things to do!

What have i done to it?!

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 18:52

Pop to A&E, sounds like you may have had a march fracture, this is a slight fracture of one of the bones, caused by walking to much, it could have been healing but sounds like it's broken now, either this or an avulsion fracture where the tendon has pulled a bit of the bone away. Best to get an x-ray. I hope it's OK though.

Ignore DH, go to A&E.

Lapsedrunner · 04/01/2010 19:02

Could be Plantar Fasciitis although IME pain normally confined to under the foot from heel towards ball. Always worse in the morning when you first get up?

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 19:06

Just told DH that and do you know what he did? He tutted. He said 'help yourself, i am not dragging DD there' and I said 'what, with a painful foot I can't put pressure on?!' He can be such a nob sometimes!

I probably won't trouble A&E with it, we have a minor injuries unit here and the GP would no doubt send me there, so I will go there tomorrow and get it checked. What would they do to it if it is one of the things you suggest it could be?

I have looked online, also seems like it could be something to do with my tibialis posterior? or something like that? Means nothing to me, but the diagram outlining pain, and the description of pain appears to match...oh who knows, yes MIU tomorrow then suppose it is no different that hauling my backside to the Drs, and less actual sick people there!

OP posts:
Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 19:09

lapsedrunner no its not worse in the morning, today it was fine until this afternoon. Then it twinged, then it hurt a bit more, then it was excruciating! And the pain eminated to the toes and up the calf, and now aches.

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FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 19:12

See, the problem with leaving it is... if it's an avulsion fracture then it needs surgery. If it's a fracture then it's going to either need a plaster (as in a cast) ir surgery depending on the position of the bone. A torn ligament/avulsion requires surgery ASAP as it's like an elastic band, the longer it's snapped the harder it is to repair. Bear in mind I don't have x-ray specs nor can I see through the web so I may be wrong. It needs checking though. Google's crap by the way, it will give you a million and one conditions, none of which could be right. Your best bet is an x-ray, especially as you are unable to weight bear on that foot.

alypaly · 04/01/2010 19:15

you might have developed a calcaneal spurwww.patscotland.org.uk/medical_appendices/C/CALCANEAL%20SPUR.pdf

they really hurt and a classic sign is having to walk on tip toes. Do you feel as if you have a piece of glass in your heel

FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 19:17

Sorry, I should say it may require surgery. Depends how bad it is. I'm looking for some info for you.

FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 19:19

Sounds like somethings snapped alypaly, spurs are different, they are just a bone overgrowth.

alypaly · 04/01/2010 19:22

they might be just a bone growth ,but the pain from them is excrutiating....i know ,ive had one and i couldnt walk for 3 weeks.had to have a steroid injection

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 19:24

the pain is/was (am sitting down now) sharp, sudden and cold. And now it feels achey, vaguely sharp but still cold in particular a vague cold pain down to my little toe.

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 19:26

I can imagine, it must hurt like hell. They occur differently to a fracture though, a spur is normally a gradual pain rather then something that just suddenly happens IYSWIM

PixieOnaLeaf · 04/01/2010 19:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 19:32

Will be a hassle to go to A&E now though, have a newborn (well 5wk old) cluster feeding right now...but i guess if i wait a couple of hours to calm him first, it will at least be quiet there...I will also wait a while then try to see if can put pressure on it, it does not seem particular swollen or anything, although I have a limpet in the way!

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 19:36

It'll be quiet now, it's normally manic during the day because of the GP referrals. I've seen some ankles that are really swollen and out of place, I x-ray them and there's nothing wrong with them, I x-ray ones that look perfectly normal, no bruising, no swelling etc, look at the x-rays and there's a fracture there. Everyone's different. You should get it looked at though. Take the baby along with you if you have to, the radiographers will go all goo ga and will make sure your little one's safe from the x-rays.

You should go, especially as you can't walk on it.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 20:11

ok walked on it. It bloody hurts! I can stand, although painfulbut then walking it is too painful, unless i am on tipoes, then movement is ok. Can also put some pressure on it if it turned as far inwards as it can go.

DH said he can see a little bruising under the ankle, but no swelling (i can't see well enough to know if bruise is the light or not). He also said fluffy that you are just touting for business

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 20:21

No, the NHS is free and I don't work in your hospital.

Have you given it a prod? Where does it hurt the most? I'm still sticking with an avulsion fracture at the moment.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 20:41

He had no whitty comment immediately to that one, then after a pause, made a comment about future work for when conservatives get in...lame...but at least he tried!

To prod, it does not hurt that much anywhere, but feels bruised when I rotate it. I am prodding it now, and the pain, where there is any, is just under the ankle bone, slightly in front of it, rather than directly under it. The bruise, if that is what it is, is under and around the ankle (which is why it is hard to say if its really a bruise, the light might be causing a shadow?).

I just stood on it again, and it did not hurt immediately this time, then as I rocked on it gently, to see if it was ok, then it started hurting again, but not severe and sudden, although I suspect that if i start to walk on it, it will be the same as before as the dull ache is still there.

I will go first thing in the morning.

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 20:49

I'm looking for a job change (health reasons), I have not decided what to yet though.
Ok. Do you have something you can stap it up with? A bandage? Keep it up as much as you can. Is the pain on the outside of the ankle bone or the inside (if you pop a ball between your ankles is the pain where the ball is or on the outside IYSWIM). Is it all of your ankle?

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 20:56

It is on the outside mainly, well emminates from there, and spreads, into the ball of the foot mostly, then up the side into calf, into toes (all of them but mostly the outer ones, pain gradually fading into the big toe), and some pain on the other side of foot, but like transferred pain? The inside ankle does not hurt at all, and the actual ankle itself on the outside does not hurt, its under it.

Oooh i am not sure if I have something to strap it up with but have lots of pillows to prop it up and DS is loving to sleep on my chest at night atm so that won't be a problem to sustain my foot up all night!

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 21:21

Use anything, just to keep it as straight as you can. I do think you have an avulsion fracture, what happens here is that the ligaments are joined to the bone, which enable movement. Sometimes they can snap off the bone and normally take a bit of the bone away with them. It shouldn't be as painful when you move it but when it's moved the nerves detect a problem which is why it's so sore.

I hope you get it sorted in the morning, as I said before, I may be wrong though but it needs checking. Some Ibuprofen should help you with the pain.

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 21:27

i hope you are wrong, dont fancy any ops or plaster ot hobbling with a newborn and a 3yo!!

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 21:29

Fingers crossed for me being wrong! (feels odd writing this )

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 22:02

Thank you for your help!I shall go tomorrow regardless of what it feels like and see what they say, just in case

OP posts:
FluffyForLifeNotJustForXmas · 04/01/2010 22:03

Keep me posted. I hope there's nothing wrong with it!

Original poster
PavlovtheCat · 04/01/2010 22:05

ans at least i got out of doing some household chores this evening, got to sit and chill with my constantly feedng baby!

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