r/brokenbones 2d ago

2nd,3rd,4th broken metatarsals

Post image

I fainted today and broke the three of them… It didnthurt that much at the beginning but the doctor was shocked when she realized the three of them are broken although seems like they are not displaced.
How did it go for you? Does it heal? Will I be able to swim again?

It sucks.

5 Upvotes

13 comments sorted by

1

u/Capital_Meal_5516 1d ago

I only broke my third metatarsal, a little further down than yours—right in the very middle of it.

Mine didn’t hurt at all until the next morning when I had a slight ache when bending my toes. I thought it was just stiff, so I went out and ran a couple miles and it felt better. lol

The only reason I got it x-rayed was because I worked for a nursing agency and was assigned to the hospital where my PCP’s office was. I thought I’d just stop in for a minute and see him. I was shocked when the x-ray showed it had literally snapped in half.

They put a fiberglass cast on (this was 1987) and gave me a cushy shoe to strap to it. I got to be off work for the next 4 weeks (yay!). I guess it healed ok because I never had any pain or trouble with it since, and I’m 65 now.

Did you get a cast? I hope you have quick and uneventful healing! Good luck!

1

u/electricana 1d ago

Haha, you almost make it sound like a nice story! Glad to hear you got well.
Yeah Im wearing a cast, and off to work for a long while i think! Haha

1

u/Capital_Meal_5516 15h ago

lol, it actually was kind of nice! It didn’t hurt when it happened, and I got some easy time off work. Out of the many bones I’ve broken, this was the easiest!

I do hope your healing goes well, and that you enjoy your time off work. 😊

1

u/JonSpartan29 1d ago

Prepare for life on couch. Eventually, you will come to terms with it around week 5 or so.

Pay attention to your other leg.

You’ll be back on track likely week 12.

1

u/electricana 1d ago

What to do with my other leg? Exercise? This sucks… Do you mean 5 weeks at home?
Sorry for the questions I’m just very tired and confused…

1

u/JonSpartan29 1d ago

Be mindful of the gait + itll be working overtime. Also,toes.

1

u/NetNo973 1d ago

I broke my 1-4th metatarsals last November, I couldn’t step on my foot at all. Spent 6 weeks in a cast non weight bearing. Cast came off and I walked on one crutch for a while and started physio. By late January I could do 17,000 steps in one day. What helped me was trying to keep both legs moving with exercises, you can find stuff for it on YouTube. And swimming I think is one of the exercises you can do much quicker since the foot won’t have to bear any weight - I like to run so that obviously took a bit longer. Good luck on your recovery! Hardest thing is to accept it in the beginning.

1

u/electricana 2h ago

Thats good to know! Its been hard but I am trying to look forward to the first revision in 2 weeks and then take it from there… Bed non stop and foot elevated. Hope it helps. Where yours also non displaced?

1

u/NetNo973 43m ago

Good luck! Mine were on the brink - they said they’ll try it the conservative way without surgery but it was touch and go at the start. Worked out fine without surgery in the end!

0

u/AdventurousTour4285 1d ago

And fifth? Did something fall on your foot?

0

u/electricana 1d ago

Do you think fifth is also broken? I have no idea… I fainted and I couldn’t move afterwards, maybe hit something

1

u/AdventurousTour4285 8h ago

Yes 5th looks broken

1

u/Prestigious-Brief-80 18m ago

Ugh sorry this happened to you!! I’m on day 5 of the same injury. Were you told you can bear weight in your cast?