Bone Bruise?

sarahkanzalone

My left foot got slammed in a door at work in December and docs initially thought it might be fractured but second extras made them decide it was a bone bruise to likely 3rd metatarsal. I thought it had healed pretty well after sometime in a boot. I just started exercising this week and some pain has returned.

Has anyone else had bone bruise? What was recovery like for you?

Side note have previously fractured 5th metatarsal about 4yrs ago (pain is not in that area)

SonyaCele

i have bruised bones and they can take months to heal. It depends on the severity of the bruise.

sarahkanzalone

SonyaCele wrote: »

i have bruised bones and they can take months to heal. It depends on the severity of the bruise.

Have you found any type of cardio less painful or did you hold off on that

lorrpb

I bruised my shin bones and it was very painful. It was months before I could touch them, but fortunately it didn't affect my workouts.

CassidyScaglione

@sarahkanzalone Could you try swimming? Since it is your foot that is hurt, this is the only thing i can think of that will not put weight/pressure on the foot.... i suppose you could try cycling as well...

jimmmer

I bruised my heel once. Took about almost a half a year before it was fully right. It just got less not-right and more right as time went by.

Just avoid anything too plyometric (jumping, etc) and avoid activities where there is a likelihood of jamming the bone hard against something (kicking, etc).

Also, be aware that some pain (up to 3/10) is normal on return to more strenuous activity. If the pain is worse the day following the activity (say 4-6/10) then you probably did an activity that you were not ready for yet (or went to hard at one you could have managed at a lower intensity). If the pain remains no worse than a 3/10 and actually feels at least the same or no worse the following day, then you're on the right track. Make slow advancements in volume/intensity of activity and keep honest with yourself about how you are reacting.

If you have an exercise journal, chart an orth index of how pain feels before and after an activity and how it tracks over time out of 10 (0 being praise jesus healed and 10 being jesus, I'm gonna pass out...). You'll spot patterns on how you've increased intensity too quickly or done stuff you're not ready for yet. That'll be good data for honing smarter decisions to speed you on your road to recovery.

Personally, I'd avoid painkillers, since they mask useful feedback data from the injury as it heals. Good data = good choices = good rehab.

jmgj27

I bruised my shin bone quite badly (by slamming it into a metal pole that forms my pram's suspension!). The bruise took nearly 3 months to fade completely. It hurt like a mofo for the first month and then ached for another couple. It was still tender to the touch nearly 5 months later!

I also fractured my ankle last December but didn't realise (thought it was a sprain and carried on- only realised when I did, in fact, sprain it again in January and had it X-rayed). I was able to walk on it the same day and although it ached for 6-8 weeks it was nothing like the bone bruise and, as long as I wear an ankle support, it doesn't give me any bother now.

Neither injury seriously impeded my workouts (which are mostly walking/jogging as I have to do them with kids and a pram in tow).

Hope that helps some!

sarahkanzalone

Thanks everyone for the feedback... I've tracked pain levels and as far as cardio goes I think treadmill will not be in my rotation for a while. The elliptical and bike seemed a lot less painful. I figure I will build up the muscle and try treadmill in a month or so and assess levels again

brb_2013

I bruised a finger bone when cutting it once. The cut has long since healed but the bone still hurts when I bend it. I'd vote for swimming or cycling.

SonyaCele

sarahkanzalone wrote: »

SonyaCele wrote: »

i have bruised bones and they can take months to heal. It depends on the severity of the bruise.

Have you found any type of cardio less painful or did you hold off on that

It was my knee, i had an mri and it was badly bruised. i could barely put weight on it . so there was no cardio for me for a while.
but another time i bruised my hand and i could still run, but it took about 8 months to heal because i kept banging it on stuff and reinjuring it.