So three weeks ago today I broke my foot snowboarding. Didn't know much at first, just that it hurt, but I did feel something snapping or breaking when I fell. I boarded down to the lift and then walked about a half mile or more back to the lodge. After six hours I couldn't walk, so I went to a tiny little hospital in West Virginia and got an x-ray. The doctor saw nothing, but the radiologist the following morning said I had a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metatarsal. When I asked where I got a "honey, where does it hurt?" in the most country twang imaginable. I got the x-rays on CD but saw nothing. Of course, I'm not a doctor, but I can look at x-rays online and see breaks just the same as anybody else.

One week after that, I visited my doctor, who referred me to a podiatrist. More x-rays were taken, and the podiatrist (and I) could see the fracture. Pretty minor as far as I can tell, but in an area with poor blood supply so healing takes longer.I know there were some threads on here a while back about these things (and I also know the insanity of asking any sort of medical questions on GD), but I thought I'd try.

Basically, I am completely confused as to the pain involved. Jones fractures (assuming that's what it is) are supposed to have pain where the fracture is. I (and the podiatrist) can pretty much squeeze the hell out of the fractured bone all day long, but it hurts like hell in another spot. Here's an image:



The blue circle is where the actual break is (not my x-ray, but very close), while the red circle is where pretty much all of the pain is (from the side and bottom of the foot).

Anybody had anything like this? Makes no sense to me and the doctor doesn't have an explanation either.

Dibs on ammo

referred pain?

Thought of that. Thought it could be a separate injury (maybe a sprain, which wouldn't show up on x-rays), and the fracture is more related to the fact that I supinate and run 30-40 miles a week, meaning I stress that a ton.

I also thought that maybe pushing there for some reason stresses the fracture more than pressing directly on it. I really have no idea.

Dibs on optics and precious metals

Teh AIDS don't show up on X-rays. Sorry.  But at least they picked up on that fracture, so a little bit of good news along with your AIDS.

Does it hurt if you push on the back of your heal?

I don't have anything pertinent to add, but I'm pretty sure I broke my foot last month. Except I think my break is somewhere along the instep toward my big toe. I figure if it hasn't fallen off yet, it will  probably be ok. I've kept mine wrapped with that KT elastic compression tape and it's slowly getting better. Hell, If Chinese girls can hands broken feet why can't I?

It'll buff out.

Seriously though, just give it time and it will be fine.

I've broken bones in my feet a few times.  Not much you can do other than wait it out and let it heal.  Had to wear a walking boot when I broke my heel, tied my shoe laces tighter and toughed it out when I broke a bone in the side of my foot, and taped a couple of toes together when I broke my pinky toe.

All of them hurt pretty bad but the pinky toe seemed like it took the longest for the pain to go away.

Where in VA are you?.... I'm in Newport News....

I also broke my foot last year and I have awesome insurance.... They sent me an electrical pulsating devise that you put over the break, and it heels MUCH faster...

I was told that the electrical pulses going to the break, tell the brain to heal that area faster.... something like that... if you can pick up or pay the shipping to you, and back to me when your done, I'll send it to you....

it's made by ORTHOFIX   P/N 653202-0015

In the box with everything needed.....

Just let me know, glad to hook up a fellow arfcommer....

Stay off it for a week. I bet you sprained your foot, hurts like mfer. I broke my foot like that, I was skiing in a week.

Drink more alcohol.

I've been off of it for 16 days, not even trying, just using the crutches I got from ski patrol. It still hurts when I put down that one part (underneath the right pinky toe).

No bone stimulator, though I hear those things work like magic. Thanks to Obamacare I now have shitty insurance (my employer offers nothing but bad HSAs) so they cover basically nothing.

From what I've read it's six weeks or so of no weight, followed by 6 weeks of partial weight, followed by rehab - all because of poor blood supply. Blows.

[advice]In the future, you should avoid injuring yourself. Pain is a common complication associated with injuries.[/advice]

No info to help, but enjoy my last x-ray. Shattered 5 mid-foot bones and destroyed my ankle. Still not good.

Amputation is generally best in these situations

Moot point, you see the crack as well as anybody else can.

Jones fractures do not heal well, I am sure your doctor already told you.

If you do not believe him, go see another doctor and get x-rays from different angles.

Stop pinching, squeezing, or whatever they do in WV on broken bones. Your doctor does not sound too swift.

Also, raise your feet and keep the swelling down.

The first week after my break the crack actually grew. Keep the weight off.

I think Jones fractures are 6 weeks.

How much range do you have?

Minimum 6 week recovery time.

The wife had a jones fracture and was out for longer than that. Absolutely keep your weight off of it.

Get one of these.

I have all of the medical stuff down. At least I think anyway. The ER doc in WV, a DO, did a cursory examination along with x-rays and the EMTs there gave me a fiberglass heel splint. I was told to keep my crutches, which didn't need to be stressed (not like I had any choice). The PCP in Woodbridge back home did a cursory exam along with more x-rays and sent me to the podiatrist. The podiatrist, after seeing the x-rays, did a manipulative and comparative exam to try to induce pain (figuring out what was hurt and where). She was confused when the fracture, which had (as another poster said) become more visible in a week, was not tender.

She suggested a cast and six weeks minimum of crutches with no weight bearing, and I'm 23 days in right now. The pain is substantially reduced, though I can't walk on it (or at least I haven't even thought of trying). I'm going to let it heal properly, though I declined a cast. I am in a walker boot as long as I'm awake.

What I really wanted to know is if anybody else had pain in a completely different spot from their fracture and, if they did, if they had any idea what caused it.

You might actually have an avulsion fracture of the 5th metatarsal.