If you've ever broken your foot...

[Anonymous]

Silly question I know. But, if you've ever broken a bone in your foot, were you able to walk on it, albeit painfully, before getting a boot.

The pain in the side of my foot has been getting progressively worse and I can no longer rest my foot a certain way without being a 10/10 on the pain scale. Walking produces a 5/10. We are leaving for vacation tomorrow and I'm trying to determine if I should go to the ER. DH says yes, I say no. Even if it is broken, what more are they going to do but give me a boot to wear? I think it's just a sprain or strain which means there is really nothing
That can be done.

[Anonymous]

Exactly what bone in your foot are you talking about, and how did you break it?

Recommended measure will vary considerably depending on the details.

[Anonymous]

Go the ER. I broke my ankle and it was casted, with no weight allowed on it. This is dangerous and nothing to mess around with. You could have also damaged a tendon which could be even worse than a broken bone. Go now.

[Anonymous]

Go to the ER. I kicked a curb once by accident (running in flip flops), though I just hurt it super-badly, proceeded to walk on it that night and went to the doc later. Many, many years later + 1 surgery, my foot still hurts. Who knows if it's because I delayed, but there is NOTHING to gain by waiting.

[Anonymous]

If I had to guess based on pain and google images of my foot, I'd say my 5th metatarsal or cuboid bone. metatarsal seems more likely from where I can pinpoint the origin of the pain (it radiates out).

I had a couple of falls last week, nothing major. Was taking care of my friends cats who need meds and tripped on them and fell a couple of times. Pain started on Thursday.

[Anonymous]

Go to the er. You might just need it wrapped and rested for a few days or if you do get a boot it will make walking easier

[Anonymous]

You don't need to go to the ER, but you need to wrap it, RICE it, and no matter what, it will be pretty darn painful to walk on for a week.

Week 2 is easier.

Week 3 is loads easier.

But Week 1 will make you feel like you'll never get back to normal. I don't think you need a boot for the location, but you will need shoes that have LOADS of room, because the swelling will remain for a while.

[Anonymous]

Broke my 4th and 5th metatarsals as a kid. Walked around on it for about a week (x-ray misread). Was in a cast for about 6 weeks after that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Broke my 4th and 5th metatarsals as a kid. Walked around on it for about a week (x-ray misread). Was in a cast for about 6 weeks after that.

Similar story- broke my 4th and 5th metatarsal about ten minutes into a 45 minute martial arts class. Finished the class on a badly broken foot. It hurt, but because I was able to walk, I thought I had just bruised it.

Cast for 6 weeks. Get an X-ray!

[Anonymous]

OP here. To the two pps, how bad wAs the swelling? I have minimal swelling which also have me pause. Getting ready to head to ER though as my foot has started to tingle

[Anonymous]

You need to go to the ER. Walking on it could make a clean break a break that needs surgery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. To the two pps, how bad wAs the swelling? I have minimal swelling which also have me pause. Getting ready to head to ER though as my foot has started to tingle

Martial arts PP here. Mine was swollen, but only in one small area. And it was tingly and numb feeling. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

The swelling won't be like softball sized, but enough that you won't be able to wear your regular shoes.

When I fractured my 5th metatarsal, I couldn't wear my regular shoes (even regular sneakers) for 2 weeks. At 3, I could wear them for short periods. 4 weeks was more comfortable and the swelling was almost totally gone.

If you were staying home, I'd say tough it out for a few days. But I wouldn't go on vacation tomorrow. If you go, getting it checked out at the ER now is probably a good idea. But still bet on not doing much besides sitting all day, every day for most of your vacation.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all!
Pp fortunately, I plan to have my butt parked pool/beach side for the next 5 days broken foot or not!

[Anonymous]

There is no such thing as "just a sprain." In most cases, a break is much easier to recover from.

I rolled my ankle and the ER told me it wasn't broken...just sprained. When I still couldn't put any weight on it 3 weeks later, I followed up with an ankle specialist. It was "just a sprain" but an MRI revealed 3 severed ligaments and a large tear in the tendon. Technically a grade 3 "sprain" but it required surgery, 8 weeks in a cast, and 4 months of PT before I could walk on it relatively normally again.

Definitely have someone look at that ankle.