Can you break your metatarsal

Put a thin cloth between the ice and your skin. Prop up your foot on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down for the next 3 days. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling. Cast and splint care If your foot is in a cast or splint, follow the cast or splint care instructions your doctor gives you. If you have a removable fibreglass walking cast or a splint, do not take it off unless your doctor tells you to.

Keep your cast or splint dry. If you have a removable fibreglass walking cast or a splint, ask your doctor if it is okay to remove it to bathe. Your doctor may want you to keep it on as much as possible. If you're told to keep your cast or splint on, tape a sheet of plastic to cover it when you bathe. Or ask your doctor about products that can help keep a cast or splint dry. Water under the cast or splint can cause your skin to itch and hurt. Never cut your cast or stick anything down it to scratch an itch on your leg.

Call your doctor or nurse call line now or seek immediate medical care if: You have problems with your cast or splint. For example: The skin under the cast or splint is burning or stinging. The cast or splint feels too tight. There is a lot of swelling near the cast or splint. Some swelling is normal. You have a new fever. There is drainage or a bad smell coming from the cast or splint. You have increased or severe pain. You have tingling, weakness, or numbness in your foot and toes.

You cannot move your toes. You will likely be advised to stay off the foot for weeks or even longer until the pain subsides. After a period of healing, you may begin a slow return to activity. There are some metatarsal fractures that benefit from surgery. These include fractures that have poked through the skin, and any fractures that are so separated that they do not line up well enough to heal or work properly afterwards.

This is especially true for fractures involving the first metatarsal. If surgery is needed, the bones can often be realigned and held in place with temporary pins. These pins may then be removed in the office in about weeks. Sometimes, a cut will need to be made on the top of your foot to realign your bones, and the bone will be stabilized with metal plates and screws. There is a particular fracture that happens near the base of your fifth metatarsal the bump on the outside of your foot halfway along your foot that warrants special attention.

It is called a Jones fracture. This fracture occurs where the fifth metatarsal bone decreases in size from its wide base to the narrower shaft. This fracture can be caused by a twisting injury.

Some foot shapes may increase the likelihood of this fracture. Surgery is usually recommended for athletes or those who need to return to demanding physical activities in a short amount of time. Non-surgical treatment can also heal a majority of these fractures. You should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of operative vs. There are several other types of fractures to the 5th metatarsal that are not Jones fractures, and these heal well without surgery. This is a discussion for you and your physician.

If surgery is needed, you will typically need to stay off your foot for at least weeks to allow your fracture to heal. Treatment of Toe Fractures Fractures of the toe bones are almost always traumatic fractures. Treatment for traumatic fractures depends on the break itself and may include these options: Rest. Sometimes rest is all that is needed to treat a traumatic fracture of the toe. The toe may be fitted with a splint to keep it in a fixed position.

Rigid or stiff-soled shoe. Wearing a stiff-soled shoe protects the toe and helps keep it properly positioned. Use of a postoperative shoe or bootwalker is also helpful. Buddy taping the fractured toe to another toe is sometimes appropriate, but in other cases, it may be harmful.

If the break is badly displaced or if the joint is affected, surgery may be necessary. Surgery often involves the use of fixation devices, such as pins. Treatment of Metatarsal Fractures Breaks in the metatarsal bones may be either stress or traumatic fractures. Treatment of metatarsal fractures depends on the type and extent of the fracture and may include: Rest. Sometimes rest is the only treatment needed to promote healing of a stress or traumatic fracture of a metatarsal bone. Avoid the offending activity.

Because stress fractures result from repetitive stress, it is important to avoid the activity that led to the fracture. Crutches or a wheelchair are sometimes required to offload weight from the foot to give it time to heal. I mmobilization, casting or rigid shoe. A stiff-soled shoe or other form of immobilization may be used to protect the fractured bone while it is healing.

Some traumatic fractures of the metatarsal bones require surgery, especially if the break is badly displaced. Follow-up care.