Bruised or Broken Heel Bone Experience/Wisdom?
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The condensed version is I blew a piece of gear and fell about 20 feet landing on a slanted ledge. Both of my heels were injured but the left hit the hardest. I hobbled out on one foot and after numerous beers and a bag of ice donated from the bartender I slept great, awaking unable to bare any weight on my left foot. |
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Josh Brown wrote:The condensed version is I blew a piece of gear and fell about 20 feet landing on a slanted ledge. Both of my heels were injured but the left hit the hardest. I hobbled out on one foot and after numerous beers and a bag of ice donated from the bartender I slept great, awaking unable to bare any weight on my left foot. Medical Experience:\ - Day 2 : Went to ER next morning. Attending Doc took x-rays, said he didn't see a break and sent me home with a small script for Vicodin and crutches " till able.". - Day 11: Went to my regular doctor who ordered more x-rays saying he was concerned it was more than a bruise since I was unable to bare weight nearly two weeks later.Referred to orthopedic doc. - Day 15: Appt sceheduled for two weeks out (Aug 5th.) Concerns: 1.) I'm a father to a five year old and by necessity I am walking on my left foot using only my toes ( like a drunken hooker). If I can move with minimal discomfort this way am I hindering recovery? 2) I've read other MP forums stating it is hard to diagnose a break via x-ray until it is 4-5 weeks into the healing/calcification process. Could my heel be broken? 3.) Does anyone have other advice about what I should request/ ask at my ortho appointment. Thanks in advance for any thoughts. Our season was off to a great start until this.Can you afford to get a CT scan? |
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Mark E Dixon wrote: Can you afford to get a CT scan?I have great insurance, I'll encourage the ortho to request a CT scan. Thank you, any info about how to best use this appointment is helpful. |
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Josh Brown wrote: I have great insurance, I'll encourage the ortho to request a CT scan. Thank you, any info about how to best use this appointment is helpful.See if you can get the CT before the Ortho appt so he/she can give you the best advice then. Otherwise there's a real risk the Orthopod will just say "get a CT and come back." |
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rest. pedal a bicycle lightly for 20 min at a time, this will push the blood into the injured area and stimulate healing. This happened to me once. I couldn't walk for two weeks, then all of a sudden in two or three days it was better. |
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Experience: |
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You could buy a padded heel cup to wear in you shoe |
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I broke my calcaneous ("heel bone"). There was no doubt that it was broken...none. X-rays were vague and swelling was HUGE. But my point is that there was no question in any ones mind, especially mine, that it was fractured. Weight bearing on that foot was literally impossible. If yours is broken, consider yourself lucky if you are able to bear weight on it...meaning that it can't be that bad...hopefully. |
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Thanks for all of the insight, I really appreciate it. |
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I could bear weight, and also thought it was just a bad bruise or bone bruise. |
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Did you see this thread on "Broken Heel Bone"? |
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amarius wrote:Did you see this thread on "Broken Heel Bone"?Yes I did, thanks. I actually bought the Dorco heel wedge because of that thread, although it is still too painful to walk with that. The info here has been greatly appreciated. Hoping to try to bike for 20 minutes tonight. |
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I would get the CT scan I just got a CT of mine done on 7-27. Found 7 breaks in there from my accident I had 7-23 the x-ray i had doNE the day of the accident only showed a few of the breaks. On 7-28 they went in and put k wires in 3 of my toes and a external fixatior on the metacarple of my big toe. I'm so lucked to have raised an awesome 8 year old daughter who is helping me tremendously when I need something and I'm still laid up from the injury. Here's a pic of my x-ray and the CT. the CT shows a a lot more detail and is much clearer except for the fact I took the picture of the screen with my phone. |
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dave jr wrote:I would get the CT scan I just got a CT of mine done on 7-27. Found 7 breaks in there from my accident I had 7-23 the x-ray i had doNE the day of the accident only showed a few of the breaks. On 7-28 they went in and put k wires in 3 of my toes and a external fixatior on the metacarple of my big toe. I'm so lucked to have raised an awesome 8 year old daughter who is helping me tremendously when I need something and I'm still laid up from the injury. Here's a pic of my x-ray and the CT. the CT shows a a lot more detail and is much clearer except for the fact I took the picture of the screen with my phone.Damn Dave, what did you do to shatter your foot like that? I'm stuck on the CT scan since it would be an out of pocket expense at this point and beyond my means. I'll probably print this thread out and take it to my ortho so I remember to ask all these great questions! |
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I was out on the dirt bike looking for a camp spot out at the canyon we climb in and took a turn to fast. I ran off the road and impacted the side of a hill where the road was cut out of it and my foot found the one rock protruding from it and my foot got smashed between that and the foot peg at somewhere between 50 and 60 mph. |
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dave jr wrote:I was out on the dirt bike looking for a camp spot out at the canyon we climb in and took a turn to fast. I ran off the road and impacted the side of a hill where the road was cut out of it and my foot found the one rock protruding from it and my foot got smashed between that and the foot peg at somewhere between 50 and 60 mph. I hope your heel turns out to be minor and you can get back on the rock soon. I'm gonna be jealous cause im 6-12 months from climbing again.Ugh, that would do it. No wonder it was smashed up so bad |
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Just to be helpful for any other folks experiencing similar injuries in the future, the outcome of my orthopedic appointment (which actually turned out to be a podiatrist who specializes in surgery for foot trauma) was a diagnosis of at least two fractures in my calcaneus. He ordered a CT scan to make sure there were not other injuries involving the joint. In the meantime I'm in a non-weight bearing cast and on crutches for 4-6 weeks. He said if the CT shows it is just the two fractures I would be able to ice climb this winter without issue. |
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Glad to hear your on track to be out on the ice this winter. Just be careful not to push yourself to early and aggravate your injury and have to start the healing process all over again. |
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I just did the same thing but blew a nut and fell 30ft. By some miracle I didn't break my heel, or anything else for that matter. It is just bruised. I wasn't given any medications or anything for pain, which for the first 3 days was pretty miserable. I've been soaking it in Epsom salt and 4 days later its bearable to fully weight. Lucky for me I don't remember the fall as I was knocked out cold so I won't be scared to go back and give it another go! lol |
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The Saga Continues... experiences of your own appreciated. |
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I didn't even fracture mine, and every morning I still limp around once I get out of bed because it's so sore from the previous day. I think they just take a long time to heal |