health update (still very interested in hearing others’ stories)
The orthopedic surgeon and I decided to try to get this fracture to heal “on its own” (I’m getting a bone stimulator, which insurance won’t cover but fortunately I have the financial resources that this isn’t a problem) for a bit. We will re-check x rays on June 16. If they do not look good, they will put a pin in my metatarsal on June 22.
I obviously have a boot and crutches.
In the meantime, I need to avoid micro motion as much as possible, which means no more swimming. This is okay with me; a couple weeks of no exercise to potentially avoid surgery is a very small cost with a huge potential benefit.
I was diagnosed with a Jones Fracture, which is a fracture between the base and the shaft of the 5th metatarsal, last Tuesday. The orthopod I saw today recommends putting a pin in it surgically. I’m getting a second opinion later this week.
It sounds like, healing-time wise, it’s probably worth it to put a pin in it… apparently these don’t heal well on their own, so I could try 6-8 weeks of a boot + crutches and make very little progress, versus surgery that it sounds like would improve the chances of healing in about that same timeframe.
The orthopod said two other things,
apparently sometimes the pin can break (a stainless steel pin?! has anyone had that happen?)
another potential option is a surgery that would break the ankle bone to rearrange all the bones in the foot and take some of the pressure off the 5th metatarsal (THIS SEEMS VERY EXTREME)
I guess I’m mainly leaning toward the idea of putting a pin in it.
Can anyone comment on that for this specific fracture, or other foot or leg fractures that they’ve had?
For the record, I’m already beating myself up a lot about having acquired another stress fracture (I’ve had several) so please, please don’t add to it … I really can’t take that today. Thanks.
I broke my 5th metatarsal late 2019. It was a spiral fracture, vs. your Jones Fracture. But in the big picture, the treatment and recovery are probably similar.
I have a fantastic podiatrist, and she surgically repaired mine with only screws. That worked because of the significant overlap. In your case you will probably need a plate. Probably not a huge difference.
If memory serves, I was totally offline for about 4 weeks after surgery for the incision to heal. Then I resumed swimming but I did not push off the wall for a long time after that. I resumed running very cautiously about 8 weeks after surgery, and I was back at mostly full volume about 10 weeks after surgery.
I was worried that I might feel the screws during exercise or that the surgery might be a weak spot. The doctor assured me that it would not be weak. It has been about 1.5 years, and I have never felt a thing in that foot, and except for a small scar on the top, you would never know.
I was diagnosed with a Jones Fracture, which is a fracture between the base and the shaft of the 5th metatarsal, last Tuesday. The orthopod I saw today recommends putting a pin in it surgically. I’m getting a second opinion later this week.
It sounds like, healing-time wise, it’s probably worth it to put a pin in it… apparently these don’t heal well on their own, so I could try 6-8 weeks of a boot + crutches and make very little progress, versus surgery that it sounds like would improve the chances of healing in about that same timeframe.
The orthopod said two other things,
apparently sometimes the pin can break (a stainless steel pin?! has anyone had that happen?)
another potential option is a surgery that would break the ankle bone to rearrange all the bones in the foot and take some of the pressure off the 5th metatarsal (THIS SEEMS VERY EXTREME)
I guess I’m mainly leaning toward the idea of putting a pin in it.
Can anyone comment on that for this specific fracture, or other foot or leg fractures that they’ve had?
For the record, I’m already beating myself up a lot about having acquired another stress fracture (I’ve had several) so please, please don’t add to it … I really can’t take that today. Thanks.
There are many variables and I believe it is still currently off-label, however, a bone stimulator e.g. Exogen and booting may be a viable conservative approach for Jones. I would at least ask your M.D. about it as a discretionary option.
There are many variables and I believe it is still currently off-label, however, a bone stimulator e.g. Exogen and booting may be a viable conservative approach for Jones. I would at least ask your M.D. about it as a discretionary option.
There are three separate types of fractures of the base of the 5th metatarsal. The one I wouldn’t want would be the Zone 2 or Jones fracture. If your doc wants to fix it surgically, the literature would easily support that. As Larry the Cable Guy would say, “Git 'er done.”
There are three separate types of fractures of the base of the 5th metatarsal. **The one I wouldn’t want **would be the Zone 2 or Jones fracture. If your doc wants to fix it surgically, the literature would easily support that. As Larry the Cable Guy would say, “Git 'er done.”
I suffered a Jones fracture on my left foot in… 2004? A while ago, anyway. No surgery, just boot and crutches for 8 weeks, then I could get on the trainer (seated only) for another few weeks. It seemed to heal up fine. Surgery wasn’t even considered, but I honestly don’t remember if it was a completely separated fracture.
I suffered a Jones fracture on my left foot in… 2004? A while ago, anyway. No surgery, just boot and crutches for 8 weeks, then I could get on the trainer (seated only) for another few weeks. It seemed to heal up fine. Surgery wasn’t even considered, but I honestly don’t remember if it was a completely separated fracture.
That’s great that yours healed with just a boot and crutches!
Same injury here the first week of September 2020. 8 weeks in a boot and crutches. Then started on the bike. All good. Surgery was talked about but I decided against it as I too was wary of pins breaking. Good luck!
Screw implanted on Valentine’s Day
Two weeks in splint and crutches
Four weeks in boots
Four more weeks till start running
Early fall before I felt running normal
18 years later no adverse issues
.
Screw implanted on Valentine’s Day
Two weeks in splint and crutches
Four weeks in boots
Four more weeks till start running
Early fall before I felt running normal
18 years later no adverse issues
This is pretty good to hear. I think I have a deep, really big fear that this will never heal and I’ll never run or walk normally I’m sure that’s the deep fear part of my brain talking, not the rational one.
Can you say more about “early fall before I felt running normal”?
Same injury here the first week of September 2020. 8 weeks in a boot and crutches. Then started on the bike. All good. Surgery was talked about but I decided against it as I too was wary of pins breaking. Good luck!
Thank you.
I’ve been incredibly impressed by the fact that a stainless steel pin can break. (why don’t they use carbon fiber or something stringer?)
Thanks for sharing your experience. How long did you just bike before you ran again?
During the time I was in the splint and boot, I lost muscle in the calf and the little muscles of the foot. It just took time for me to build those muscles back. I also had to regain trust in my mind that the foot was ok.
Same injury here the first week of September 2020. 8 weeks in a boot and crutches. Then started on the bike. All good. Surgery was talked about but I decided against it as I too was wary of pins breaking. Good luck!
Thank you.
I’ve been incredibly impressed by the fact that a stainless steel pin can break. (why don’t they use carbon fiber or something stronger?)
When I worked at the ad agency, one of our clients was a company that made surgical implants I have the most intriguing job of editing videos of surgeries, for use in sales promos and trade show demos
I remember they used a lot of stainless steel & titanium; plastic on moving surfaces
CF may be stronger but too flexy, so that’s why they go with metal?
I’ve been incredibly impressed by the fact that a stainless steel pin can break.Tagging on to RandMart’s post, I would research a broken fixation. I think “pin” is a generic term many people use for a bone fixation, and broken fixation devices are a fringe case. The gist is that they are only doing something during healing. After the bone heals, the fixation devices are no longer needed and sometimes removed.
The other vernacular thing is that “broken” could be generically used when a fixation device is no longer performing its duty. For example, people could use the term in a case where a wire wrap loosened or a screw backed out. Again, those could be fringe cases, not an issue for the healing, and not actually broken. (Though, no doubt they would probably be a big inconvenience if an unplanned 2nd surgery was needed.)
So, if someone has a truly broken pin, that means they broke it while the bone was still healing. That means they probably did something pretty severe that resulted in some pretty major pain. Someone with a broken pin probably knew what they did and when they did it.
I’ve been incredibly impressed by the fact that a stainless steel pin can break.
Tagging on to RandMart’s post, I would research a broken fixation. I think “pin” is a generic term many people use for a bone fixation, and broken fixation devices are a fringe case. The gist is that they are only doing something during healing. After the bone heals, the fixation devices are no longer needed and sometimes removed.
The other vernacular thing is that “broken” could be generically used when a fixation device is no longer performing its duty. For example, people could use the term in a case where a wire wrap loosened or a screw backed out. Again, those could be fringe cases, not an issue for the healing, and not actually broken. (Though, no doubt they would probably be a big inconvenience if an unplanned 2nd surgery was needed.)
So, if someone has a truly broken pin, that means they broke it while the bone was still healing. That means they probably did something pretty severe that resulted in some pretty major pain. Someone with a broken pin probably knew what they did and when they did it.
Thank you. I think I had envisioned the metal screw snapping or breaking like, well, a bone can. It sounds like that’s more rare, and the result of something severe, and the more common case is the thing moves around when it’s not supposed to or whatever.
I’m sure that’s the deep fear part of my brain talking, not the rational one.