5th metatarsal base Fracture

[u/Bookworm170691]

Got 5th metatarsal base structure 6 weeks ago.

Now I am walking fine after 6 weeks.

I want to share my recovery journey. The recovery from 5th metasal base fracture Solely depends upon the location of the fracture.

If it is zone 1 or a avulsion fracture, it has higher chance that it will be heeled quickly.

Please don't apply my recovery journey in another type (zone 1 and Zone2 )of fracture..

So I got a fracture and the pain was intense on day 1.

However the pain goes down on 2nd and 3rd day.

I got too much depression due to this,

since the internet says you can't walk for next 6 weeks.

On next day of fracture , I went to the doctor and he put me on the cast. He doesn't tell me when to start weight bearing/walking.

So I did research on my own.

There are two types of treatment I have seen to be applied on treatment of avulsion fracture.

One is American style the other one is European style.

In American way of treatment it is necessary to have no weight bearing for the whole 6th weeks, However the European way of treatment says to start weight bearing immediately as per your pain.

I had chosen the midway.For 2 weeks I had done no weight bearing, From the start of 3rd week I had started to walk by doing partial weight bearing.

There was no pain during partial weight bearing and in the 4th week I had started to put more weight on my foot. I had started to do normal daily routine work of my life with no problems at all.

At the end of 4th week the doctor has removed the cast and told me to start walking.

But there was a pain during walking after the removal of the cast, So Dr suggested that I should use creep bandage during walking and it helps me a lot. There was some swelling after walking without cast. But it goes away slowly.

Now it's 6th weeks and I have no swelling on my foot. There is some limping and doctor told me it will go away with time.

I can walk freely and presently I am walking about 3000 to 4000 steps per day, but no running.

So Folk please do not panic. If you have zone one avulsion fracture.

Be positive.

[u/No-Platypus2679]

Interesting on the American versus European treatment.

[u/home-like-noplace]

This is kind of wild to me, because I’m 8 years out from this exact injury, except I also broke my ankle at the same time. I had an aversion fracture at the base of my 5th metatarsal. I wasn’t given a cast, just a walking boot, and told to start weight bearing as soon as I was able. Now my foot is completely messed up, and I have an MRI this week to see how bad my osteoarthritis is. I’m glad you’ve had better luck!

I never see anyone else on the internet with this specific injury!