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Broken 5th Metatarsal - Advice On Walking

Discussion in 'Ask your questions here' started by welsh_Girl, Jan 27, 2009.

  1. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest


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    This is the worst medical advice forum I've ever seen on the internet foot doc your site is useless unless you actually say something other then i can't give you advice i don't know why you would put your time into this
     
  2. karenm

    karenm Guest

    Hi all. Im sitting here 5 weeks later with ice on my foot! Had an xray yesterday and was told my avulsion fracture not anywhere near started healing yet! This is bad news! I am a competitive runner which makes things frustrating for me! One thing I would say is it is virtually impossible to non weight bear, has no-one else found this? I have had to hobble in my cast/boot from the word go! 2 small cheeky children who think its funny to be naughty as I cant catch them! housework, etc even having a cup of tea you need to be able to carry it to where you are sitting. I'm virtually running in my boot now! On the plus side its nice having a bit of time off from work. I have also never done so many sit ups in my life and have been using that silly arm bike machine like mad down the gym. Oh the joys.................
     
  3. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hi I have a broken 5th Metatarsal, I was in a non weight bearing plaster to my knee for 4 weeks. Went to hospital, they removed plaster, they didn't x-ray it, is this normal? Then they sent me home with crutches, and told me to start walking on it, and discharged me. I forgot to ask the question, being diabetic with it take longer to heal, and should I have insisted on a x-ray?
     
  4. FootDoc

    FootDoc New Member

    Under nominal conditions, an uncomplicated fracture of a 5th metatarsal, other than a Jones fracture, should heal in about 6 weeks. The major consideration as to whether diabetes detrimentally affects healing revolves around how much, if any, peripheral circulatory impairment exists. But it makes no medical sense to remove a cast and discharge a fracture patient without haven taken and evaluated a follow-up x-ray.
     
  5. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Were you told not to weight-bear??? If you want it to heal, stop walking on it (if that's what your doctor said to do).

    In other words, follow the doctor's orders, get a knee-scooter if you need to.
     
  6. karenm

    karenm Guest

    Please don't tell me what to do. Yes, the doctor wants me to keep weight off it, but have you ever had two small children running around. Like I said I can't even take a cup of tea to the couch when on crutches. What sense does that make. It feels fine so whatevas!
     
  7. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Putting weight on it could be contributing to it not healing. I know how frustrating it is, I spent 9 weeks in a cast non weight bearing. Can you try using a office chair on wheels to get around a little easier. It is what I did to get a break from crutches and it allowed me to carry a cup of coffee or a plate of food. It does help if you happen to have hardwood floors!!
     
  8. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    If you can rent a knee-walker get one ASAP!!! I have one as I just don't have the upper body strength to endure crutches for a long period of time & my podiatrist, although he gave me a pair, thinks they're just dangerous. My walker has a basket on the front & a cup-holder so I keep my phone with me at all times. It has been a Godsend for me!! If I had to rely on crutches I'd just stay in bed! :( You can rent them from medical supply or check online if you can't find one - they rent them that way, too. Good luck!!!
     
  9. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Wow! What a long thread. I broke my 5th metatarsal bone on the 4th of July by missing the last step and landing wrong. I went to the emergency room and they wrapped it and then saw a podiatrist on the 10th. They took another x-ray and the bone had a bad fracture but was in a good position for healing, so she gave me an air cast instead of plaster and told me I would have to be off my right (driving) foot for 6 to 8 weeks. I wonder if I should have got a plaster cast for a couple of weeks and then moved to an aircast as I feel like my foot shifts up. I'm scheduled to see her August 1st for a check up and all I am very hopeful I'm doing everything right to help the healing. I want this healed correct and fast.
     
  10. charlesb

    charlesb Guest

    Very entertaining forum. FootDoc, you've given the most valuable medical advice I've seen on the web - about compliance, about online chatroom diagnosis and especially about correcting posters' doctor-patient interaction. But that's not what these people come here for. They don't want your education, they want group therapy (doesn't matter how ignorant the advice is).
    To those who miss FootDoc's important point and resent his advice: there's a reason group therapy is not prescribed for broken metatarsals. But if you insist, save yourself some time and just ask the person next to you on the bus. Same thing as taking advice from an untrained chatroomer with too much time on his hands.
     
  11. VickieAnn

    VickieAnn New Member

    I fell off a new pair of shoes on July 20 and ended up with a Jones fracture on my left ft. Went to the ER, they xrayed and diagnosised, put my ft in a splint and said nwb for 6 to 8 wks and go see ortho. I saw him on the 21 of July, he removed the splint and replaced it with a boot, nwb, come back and see him on Aug. 4. He re xrayed and said that it showed signs of healing told me to do pwb. Scheduled me to see him again on Sept 1. He said I didn't need an xray at that time he could tell if it was healed or not. How can that be?? I am a slow healer on everything else, plus I have osteoporosis so I am concerned that he can tell it is healed by looking. Since I have done more weight bearing I am having more pain, at the break site and right behind my toes on the top of my ft. The swelling is down and bruising that was there has gone away. Anyone have any thoughts? I guess I am a little afraid after reading this forum. I don't want to get rid of the boot too soon and have life long problems.
     
  12. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I think the so called "foot doc" is a jerk. It doesnt matter if his answers are "solid". He can be a little more professional and compassionate in his answers. Why is he on here? Does he really have a practice? He preobably did at one time and lost his lisence to practice or just lost all his patients because of the lack of being able to talk to them like a human being. I think he gets a little kick out of making others feel stupid in his "field "of expertise.

    I think what happened is he thought that because the poster mentioned her parents were getting upset with the way she was walking. After reading that, he "ASSumed" she was a minor. She shot back that she was 28 years old. (YES DOC, 28 YEAR OLDS HAVE PARENTS TOO) And that is what started him getting his panties in a wad.

    I think "foot doc" needs to take some classes on manners..... I know alot will agree.

    good luck doc and even better luck to all the hurt people out there coming to this sight. I pray you all find the answers you were looking for and if he replies back, I hope he will take into considration that if we were doctors in this field we wouldnt be coming here, except for the ones that wanted to cheering up and still failed to get that.
     
  13. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I couldn't disagree more. The ONLY thing that matters is that his answers are solid. He has no personal relationship with the posters and most are writing in here because they didn't get good service and good information from the doctors they pay or they don't want to pay to see a doctor. Apparently you would prefer him falling all over himself with sugary talk rather than giving you the right answer. And I'm not the only one who feels this way. Read on:
     
  14. Does anybody on here have a healed 5th metatarsal? I'm wondering how long these take to heal. Thanks in advance (TIA)!
     
  15. VickieAnn

    VickieAnn New Member

    That is my questions also but no one seems to want to answer the question. lol I go to the dr on Thursday for my 6 wk check and I want to know if anyone has ever had this healed in 6 wks?
     
  16. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    Hey, I broke the same bone and I cannot walk at all. My Dr told me NO WEIGHT on the foot. I try with me heel but....I am 42 years old haha I am having surgery next week to have a screw put in it to fix it. My question is. I broke my foot 2 1/2 weeks ago. For the first 3 days, I worked on it (I am a cook). Now I feel like the top of my leg and my calf hurts on that same leg....any suggestions or reasons why? I hate calling my Dr with what I feel like are stupid questions.

    Thanks in advance for any response.

    Dor
     
  17. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    So you think THIS is the place for what you feel like are stupid questions??
     
  18. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    I broke my 5th met on 11th & April and it is still broken. My last xray on July 19th showed slight healing. I srill have pain in the fracture area. I would love to hear from others if they have had to wait so long before anything had been done. I have also posted under the user name of bubbles. Please look at my post and comment. Especially if anyone can relate to the xray image, is this a jones fracture. Thank you.
     
  19. Unregistered

    Unregistered Guest

    It is SO obvious and PATHETIC when foot doc submits anonymous posts in response to continuous complaints about his anger and rudeness to QUESTIONERS. Same writing style, use of CAPS, supporting his philosophies/issues. This post is so obviously written by foot doc who believes he can bully posters because "The ONLY thing that matters is that his answers are solid." Then there's his obsessive anger at giving "free advice." Read any thread involving controversy and you'll see the pattern...he posts multiple times in support of himself--how SAD is that? He is truly VINDICTIVE and DEMENTED, even admitting to making "sport" of bashing posters. He needs to see a psychiatrist.
     
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2011
  20. VickieAnn

    VickieAnn New Member

    I wish I had an answer for you. My first thought is your muscles are sore from walking different when your foot hurt. I am sure if you are trying to walk on your heel this could be using other muscles.
     
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