Post-Jones Fracture... Does Footwear Need to Change?

Triathlon Forum
1

I gave myself a Jones Fracture five weeks ago. Snapped the 5th metatarsal of my left foot. Been on crutches and in an air-boot since. :frowning:

It happened trail running (which I do all the time) - I turned my ankle, rolled over the outside of my foot, and down I went. I now have a nice titanium screw holding my 5th metatarsal together and am starting to be able to put some weight on my foot.

My question is regarding shoes.

My feet are pretty darn flat, and I usually wear either my orthotics or Sole insoles (which I really like) inside motion control boats (size 13). Recently, I had been experimenting with some lightweight (for me) shoes. When I broke my foot, I was running in Mizuno Wave Precision 9. I bought them because they were pretty lightweight. Now that I think of it, that was the third time during that run I had rolled. Both feet had rolled a little previously, but this one was the biggie.

My question/issue: I have a philosophical predilection for lightweight/minimal shoes, but I **really **don’t want to do go through all of this again.

Is foot rolling something that happens during a drastic change of shoe? Is it more typical for flat-footers to roll their feet? Can I go back to attempting to minimize my shoe, or am I just asking for trouble?

In the meantime, if you’re looking to beef up your triceps and delts, crutches are definitely one way to go. I bet my double poling for XC season will be dynamite!

2

bump

if you’re lucky, rroof will chime in with his expertise in the field of feet and shoes and fractures. He’s a foot and ankle surgeon.

3

I have really flat feet as well. I do not think you need to change any thing. I think you were just really really unlucky.

4

Sorry to hear. Glad you had the single lag screw, they do better than simply waiting for these notoriously slow fractures to heal.

Actually, people with high arched feet are more prone to a Jone’s fracture than a pronated foot since they are almost always associated with an inversion foot/ankle injury. Sounds like some good, proprioceptive training is in order (wobble board, etc.). The Wave Precision is a neutral shoe, but still has a pretty sig outsole/flare, so I doubt it was the shoe - probably just luck. Problem is, you may have found out the hard way that not all of us are made to “run barefoot” or in Vibram 5’s or whatever the latest craze is, despite what you read or want to believe.

Best of luck.

5

Thanks for the bump and the feedback.

I normally have pretty good proprioception.

As I think about it, I wonder if if might be something else. I occasionally get IT pain and have been trying to keep my feet more relaxed when running. I bet those ‘floppy feet’ may have been the contributor. That *and *bad luck.

I’ll do some wobble work, too. One more thing.

Getting old is hell, but it beats the alternative.

Thanks!