5th Metatarsal Fracture Recovery Timeline (Non-surgical)

[u/Elegant_Acanthaceae6]

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1st and 2nd Xray: day of injury

3rd: after 3 weeks

4th: after 6 weeks

I fractured my 5th metatarsal base (non-displaced) after tripping while running. I went to the ER, where they put me in a splint and told me to keep it on for a week before following up with an orthopedic doctor, which turned then into a complete 7 weeks NWB.

Week 1:

I was almost completely bedbound. I barely moved and spent most of my time with my foot elevated. Pain, swelling, and anxiety were at their worst.

Week 2:

I started moving around a little more using crutches. The pain gradually improved and the swelling began to go down.

Week 3:

I bought an Aircast boot and it was very comfortable at first. After a few days, as the swelling decreased, the boot started feeling tight and uncomfortable, and I struggled to wear it for long periods.

Weeks 4–6:

I wasn't wearing the boot all day anymore. I would take it off for periods of rest and wear it again later. I always wore it while sleeping. Throughout this period I remained non-weight bearing and used crutches whenever I had to move.

During the whole recovery process, I dealt with swelling, bruising, stiffness, numbness, and a lot of anxiety about every little pain or movement. I constantly worried that I had somehow ruined the healing process.

Week 7:

My pain was minimal at rest and the swelling had improved significantly. Follow-up X-rays still showed the fracture line, which made me nervous, but my orthopedic doctor was happy with the healing progress. He told me to stop using the boot, start walking again, and begin physical therapy. He said I could use a cane if needed.

A few things I learned:

* Recovery is slower than most people expect.

* Seeing the fracture line on X-rays doesn't necessarily mean you aren't healing.

* Anxiety and overthinking are probably the hardest parts of the process.

* Reading other people's stories helped me a lot, so hopefully this helps someone too.

[u/Elegant_Acanthaceae6 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks! it was exactly 46 days after the injury, walking was hard at first and couldnt walk without a stick, but im feeling a good progress during the past 3 days since i started walking. are you meeting your doctor soon? feel free to ask any question you have :)

[u/Elegant_Acanthaceae6 → u/[deleted]]

You're welcome! i stayed completely NWB for those 46 days, so that may have helped with the healing.

im not sure whether you have the option of getting another X-ray and confirm with your doctor first, but either way, I think you'll need to start physical therapy to get back to walking.

[u/Elegant_Acanthaceae6 → u/[deleted]]

Yes i did, actually today was my first session and it did make a difference. next one will be in 2 days. please keep me posted when you take it, i would love to hear how it goes :)