Broken 5th Metatarsal

Broke my on Saturday, jumping down 18" and forgetting to remember there was a step below me. A very lame way to end a ski season.... cue the crutches.

Hopefully this is a simple shaft break, and not a Jones' Fracture. I see the orthoped this week.

Any other pinky bone fracture stories out there?

Clipped a rock while doing some DH mountain biking this fall - foot never came off the pedal (I wear flats, not clip in) and resulted in some pretty looking colors and crushed metas. Broke 3 and 4, and 3 is still not showing any movement at the first joint.

Took a few weeks off climbing, then borrowed a shoe that was 2 sizes too big. I'm down to my regular comfort shoes (barracudas) but can't get into my muirras or katanas without pain.

Sucks, but I'm glad it wasn't the big toe - I hear that is as bad as breaking a foot...

good luck

Years ago I bailed off the top-out of the straight up V0 at the Upper Y on Flagstaff on my first day ever climbing outdoors. Missed the crashpad by about 6 inches and broke three metatarsals on my left foot (pinky included) and fractured the calcaneous of the other foot. Surprisingly it took only about 6 weeks to heal and I have no residual issues with foot pain or tight shoes.

Wishing a speedy recovery.

Not a pinky bone story, but how about a second metacarpal story?

It was my worst climbing injury and it happened in the gym of all places (the old Paradise). My left hand was kind of wrapped around a little nubbin undercling and I proceeded to pull hard on the hand and push hard with the legs. The POP was heard by all since the gym was uncharacteristically void of loud music at that particular moment. It sounded like a champagne cork. I proceeded to fall and thought a hold had broken. Until the pain kicked in about three and a half seconds later. Everyone was convinced that it was a tendon, even the chief ER doc (who also happened to be a climber) who I was compelled to visit several hours later because the pain had gotten so bad. He was so convinced, he didn’t even take an X-ray (!). Sent me home with a bottle of Tylenol. It wasn’t properly diagnosed until three weeks later at which time the surgeon scheduled me for immediate surgery. Prior to this, the hand was so swollen, you couldn’t see that the broken end of the bone was poking up into my skin making a little bump. I now carry two well-placed titanium screws in that hand.

Epilogue: My insurance at the time allowed me to pay a co-pay for the ER visit. Several weeks later I got a letter from the hospital saying that I had to pay the full cost since it wasn’t an urgent injury. You can imagine the letter I fired back…

Use hydro-therapy for a speedier recovery. Either 3 minutes in hot water, followed by 30 seconds in cold, alternating for ~20 minutes 2 to 3 times a day, or just 20 minutes in cool water, slightly below body temp. Also, you should go to a health food store and find a comfrey salve, this herb is nicknamed "bone knit" for a reason.

Yep, did the third and fourth, this usually happens kicking something, anything(bedposts at night and stuff) BASE jumps. PM me if you have ankle problems that accompany this Andy.

You can break my leg, "just leave the toes alone"! I've always said that.

P.S.- Tell the Dr. you're in agony and need more meds, ALWAYS!!!! This should be an MP policy. Stock up when you can folks.

P.S.S- This last P.S. was not approved by anyone.

I was downclimbing a mountain when a (big) rock that had fallen 2,000 feet hit me on the top of my left foot. Severed the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th metatarsals and did a lot of other damage. 2 weeks in plaster, 6 weeks with the walking cast and I can still tell you when it is about to rain without looking out the window.

It's a Jones fracture. Ug. Variable outcomes.

In eighth grade, I was playing soccer and stepped in a hole. Broke my fifth matatarsal. I was no where near the ball, was just jogging back towards my position after a break. My coach told me to keep playing. My mom refused to take me to the doctor for two days because no one believed I could have possibly injured myself. By the time the doctor came back with the Xrays, I was secretly happy it was broken, merely for the "I told you so factor."
It's a stupid bone to break and reminder (for both of us, Andy) to always watch where you're stepping.

Having thoroughly screwed up my 5th met (never detach your peroneal brevis if you can help it-full detachment feels like a minor sprain), and now being in the foot health industry, I suggest you give it the full mend time for a fracture, and then find yourself a really good PT-quality of post trauma care can make a huge difference-I lucked out into a very athletic/climbing orthopedic group & PT. Iceing is critical. Consider a low volume/narrow shell orthotic fastened into your rock shoes; it can be used in other footwear, & can be a huge help- mine corrects the supination from hell I have in my left ankle. Good luck.

My new foot... (ok, not mine, but I have a screw just like it :)

The break point on this xray looks alot like mine. except right foot.
I "discovered" my 5th Met was broken whe I was 6 months into trainging for my 1st marathon at age 30. I was having pain after 2 miles of running but then it numbed away. I soon started having compensating pain on the ball of the same foot. but the pain numbed away after 6 miles or so.
I Saw both a ortho and ped. CT scans showed a separtion with "gristle" in between. they seem to think it was like this from birth. the ortho reccomended cutting off the end and replacing the missing piece with a piece of my calcanus. the pediatrist reccomended simply lopping off the bad end and repairing the tendon attachments. I opted for the second and was in a cast for 6 weeks. I still run and without pain on any part of my foot.

By the way i did the surgery AFTER the marthon.