Question
Hi I'm a 23 year old female. Almost 7 weeks ago I went over hard on my foot, hearing the crunch and feeling the pain I went to my A&E department where I was told I have a displaced break of my 5th metatarsal, the doctor wasnt sure if it needed pins as she was a locum and the fracture docture was on holidays so basically they plastered me up and sent me home to return in 10days.  I saw the xray which the bones were clearly not aligned and the break was not straight accross but more diagonal.

On going back the doctor decided to leave me in a cast for a further 4 weeks and then get checked out again.  I did so and last tue i got the cast off, however the doctor said he would have hoped for more bone growth at this stage (looking at the xrays) and something about a lack of calcification?

He then told me to put a little weight on it and come back in 4 weeks...  As you can probably tell the local fracture department is somewhat of a conveyer belt so i was unable to ask many questions and he offered me little advice!  What i want to know is, should I try walking more or less without the crutches - am i doing more damage if i put my whole weight on it?  Would it have been better to have gotten the bones manipulated into place? And happens if it doesnt heal? I want to get back to work as soon as possible (Im a primary teacher which required good mobility) but i dont know what is advisable.  

Just wondering if anyone has any advice? Should i seed a second oppinion?

Answer
Hi Emma,

If your fracture is significantly seperated or displaced then it will not likely heal or will heal in poor alignment.  At 7 weeks you should be very close to complete healing.  If you put pressure on a fracture that is poorly aligned and not healed you risk damaging the area and causing a non-union.  This occurs when the bones stop healing with no repair of the fracture.  I would absolutely seek another opinion.  You may be able to get a bone stimulator to try and encourage healing.  If it seriously out of alignment your best option may be to have surgery to align the fragments and hold the area with screws.  You are too young to not have this heal properely.

So get another opinion.

Good Luck.

Sincerely,

Marc Katz, DPM
Tampa, FL
Advanced Podiatry
www.thetampapodiatrist.com
www.tampacryosurgery.com


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