Fractured my foot, when do I know it's ok to run again
littlemoron
Posts: 36 Member
Hello MFP people! So... I fractured my foot (specifically, a metatarsal bone) on August 25. About two weeks and an x-ray later, my doctor said it would be about six weeks until my foot was ok, provided I wear boots that keep my foot pretty flat and immobile. As of today, it will have been six weeks since the fracture. So I'm going to go out for a run this weekend.
If any of you have gone through this, can you let me know what I should be looking out for? I obviously don't want to re-fracture my foot, but I'm getting insanely tired of not running. What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Thanks! :-)
lm
If any of you have gone through this, can you let me know what I should be looking out for? I obviously don't want to re-fracture my foot, but I'm getting insanely tired of not running. What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Thanks! :-)
lm
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Replies
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I fractured my 5th metatarsal the end of June and I still have not been able to run! I'm not sure if I'm able to but I still have pain in my foot just from walking so I'm afraid to try running... I would also like to know when you are ok to run after a fracture! My orthopedist just told me to go by how it feels but it's hard to tell what that means... I have been doing a lot of low impact exercise, but I am also itching to run again...0
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As a general rule, after I break something (or have something surgically repaired), I resume activities after my doctor clears me. Call me crazy, but since he's the one that performed the procedure, examined the labs, and is responsible for my care, I think his advice trumps that of internet randoms.
I'm being a little bit snarky here (just a wee bit), but seriously, there's no setback as bad as re-injuring something by returning too soon. You have a doc, so ask your doc. Especially when it comes to foot injuries.0 -
As a general rule, after I break something (or have something surgically repaired), I resume activities after my doctor clears me. Call me crazy, but since he's the one that performed the procedure, examined the labs, and is responsible for my care, I think his advice trumps that of internet randoms.
Exactly.0 -
I'm going Rebel here. The last two bones I broke (one of them a metatarsal) I didn't even go to the doctor. Mostly because they charge $1,000 and give you a cast..and then tell you to have surgery and rehab. .meh, I can do the homemade cast, I've never agreed to ortho surgery, the rehab is instinctual, yadda yadda.
Told you I was going Rebel.
But the metatarsal took a really long time to be able to do high impact - I think it took mine about four months, but I'm sure there are different levels of fracture. You can try it, if it hurts, stop.
That will be $250, please.0 -
What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Pain? Pain probably means stop.0 -
You really should get the advice from a doctor when you should resume running.0
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As a general rule, after I break something (or have something surgically repaired), I resume activities after my doctor clears me. Call me crazy, but since he's the one that performed the procedure, examined the labs, and is responsible for my care, I think his advice trumps that of internet randoms.
Exactly.
+1000, have your doc clear it first, then start slow and do not try to pick up where you left off...you will have lost fitness in 6 weeks and you don't want to replace 1 injury with another.0 -
I don't stop until I see bone poking through, anything less and you might as well not even waste your time exercising if you are going to quite so soon. Bro up, lift that bone back into place with some titan power squats and then drink an entire container of protein powder in one sitting, you'll be fine.0
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What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Pain? Pain probably means stop.
^^^In general this should apply all the time. Pain is your bodies way of saying STOP.
Specific to the OP, this is another question for the Doc, pain in this case, in the same area, probably means "too late, should have stopped a few minutes ago", but ask the doc, they will probably have some input on what types of discomfort you may have and what is ok and what is not.0 -
When I had a stress fracture in my fibula last year, the doctor only said to come back if I had a problem and to take 6 weeks off from running.
When I started again, I didn't jump right back in where I was before. I started by doing the Couch to 5k plan over again. Just as a way to force myself to take it easy. I also made a point to stick to softer surfaces, like a track or grass or treadmill, for the first few weeks.0 -
There is a lot of advice here about waiting until your doctor clears you. It's sound enough advice but be aware that the doctor is just making an educated guess based on what he knows. You know your body better than he does so just use your common sense and start very very slowly. I recently had meniscus surgery on my left knee (10% of medial removed, 5% of lateral) and I was running again after 5 weeks (biking after 1 week). Just listen to what your body is telling you. If you're in any pain, slow down or rest some more. If it gets worse, head back to the Dr.0
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What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Pain? Pain probably means stop.
^^^In general this should apply all the time. Pain is your bodies way of saying STOP.
Specific to the OP, this is another question for the Doc, pain in this case, in the same area, probably means "too late, should have stopped a few minutes ago", but ask the doc, they will probably have some input on what types of discomfort you may have and what is ok and what is not.
Hmmm my sarcasm transmitter doesn't seem to be working...dang it0 -
I had a metatarsal stress fracture last year. With the Dr's approval I started runnning again after about 4 1/2 weeks. It still hurt a lot. The Dr. told me that the pain was normal and would go away in time. The pain faded gradually but it was about 12 weeks before I ran pain free.
I had to start with short runs at a slower pace than I had been running before the break. It took around 10 weeks to build back to where I had been before the broken foot.0 -
What sensations mean BAD STOP RUNNING, and what sensations are ok to ignore?
Pain? Pain probably means stop.
^^^In general this should apply all the time. Pain is your bodies way of saying STOP.
Specific to the OP, this is another question for the Doc, pain in this case, in the same area, probably means "too late, should have stopped a few minutes ago", but ask the doc, they will probably have some input on what types of discomfort you may have and what is ok and what is not.
Hmmm my sarcasm transmitter doesn't seem to be working...dang it
you may want to see the doc about getting that fixed. if you don't have coverage i'll be happy to look at it for you0 -
There is a lot of advice here about waiting until your doctor clears you. It's sound enough advice but be aware that the doctor is just making an educated guess based on what he knows.
Well, one would hope that four years of medical school, residency training, including the ability to listen to a patient, the power to order X-rays and MRIs, not to mention seeing thousands of patients would make him or her more knowledgeable than a layperson.
I have on occasion told friends to seek out doctors who were more on their wave length but no one has ever questioned the idea that a doctor would know more.0 -
I'm going Rebel here. The last two bones I broke (one of them a metatarsal) I didn't even go to the doctor. Mostly because they charge $1,000 and give you a cast..and then tell you to have surgery and rehab. .meh, I can do the homemade cast, I've never agreed to ortho surgery, the rehab is instinctual, yadda yadda.
Told you I was going Rebel.
But the metatarsal took a really long time to be able to do high impact - I think it took mine about four months, but I'm sure there are different levels of fracture. You can try it, if it hurts, stop.
That will be $250, please.
If someone doesn't have insurance, I well understand the need to conduct triage in deciding whether to visit a doctor. That's really scary because you don't know if you're risking permanent physical damage to avoid financial damage.
But anyone who has insurance and a suspected fracture who doesn't use his or his insurance should be seeing another kind of doctor.0 -
I fractured my foot back in March....I didn't wear the boot and walked around on it like I shouldn't have.
To this day, if I workout on it, it cramps up and gets sore. It will never be back to normal.
Running on it could very well do the same thing to you. Just be cautious.0 -
I fractured my foot in 3 places in June. I wore a boot for 4 weeks and then took it off (because I also tore open the top part of my foot and got a really wicked infection from the sore being in a boot). I didnt run again until August, and then it would hurt every now and then. Especially running hills. I had to be super dedicated to stretching. i also did the stick on the scar itself, which hurt like $#I#O#, but I found it really helped.
That being said, I did it on my own. My husband is military and the getting back in to see the doctor to get a referral BACK to the foot doc was taking an act of Congress. Go SLOOOOOOOW, dont be ambitious. Stretch. And stay off hills for a while. I would probably do a run walk combo for no more than 20 minutes and build very slowly from there.0 -
SO I broke and fractured my foot multiple times BECAUSE I DID NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DOCTOR CLEARED ME TO EXERCISE AGAIN. Evry time the healing took longer and longer. listen to the dr.0
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I broke my foot too, I hobbled on it for about 2 months. I run now and my foot sometimes hurts but overall I think running on it is helping the muscles around my foot to heal by working them. Get some good running shoes though, it will make a big difference.0
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I broke an ankle and had to have it surgically repaired four years ago, and it can still give me trouble. It can be hard to know what is causing pain; I had to go to 3 physiotherpists and 2 doctors before I found out I have tendinitis in that ankle. Have you considered starting with walking and seeing if that aggravates it?
Incidentally, I still can't wear heels higher than 2 inches. Giving away all those shoes made me sad.0 -
Just wanted to thank everyone for their feedback. Especially the non-sarcastic feedback, which was more helpful, obviously, than the sarcastic stuff. Incidentally, when I saw my doctor the first time, SHE said that I should be good to go after six weeks. I moved in that time - to another province - and have started a new job and and haven't found a new doctor yet, or a walk-in clinic that I can attend during my work hours. So given my current situation, and the advice from my doctor when she assessed the fracture (wait six weeks then start running again but go easy at first), starting to run without seeing another doctor isn't the worst idea ever.
From what I understand, some pain once you begin running again is to be expected. But there's pain, and then there's PAIN, so I was hoping to hear from people who have gone through this kind of thing.
Again, thanks for the input. :flowerforyou:0 -
When your doctor says so, duh?0
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Yeah, walking is just fine. Like, no pain at all. I haven't worn heels, though, and I don't think I will for a while. I'm sorry to hear you had to give yours away :frown:0
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yep.,,,,, you have to wait, be smart!0
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As a general rule, after I break something (or have something surgically repaired), I resume activities after my doctor clears me. Call me crazy, but since he's the one that performed the procedure, examined the labs, and is responsible for my care, I think his advice trumps that of internet randoms.
Exactly.
common sense suggests ^^^^^0 -
Maybe you should try walking first and then walk a littl faster and see how the foot feels before you run
Basil0 -
Just wanted to thank everyone for their feedback. Especially the non-sarcastic feedback, which was more helpful, obviously, than the sarcastic stuff. Incidentally, when I saw my doctor the first time, SHE said that I should be good to go after six weeks. I moved in that time - to another province - and have started a new job and and haven't found a new doctor yet, or a walk-in clinic that I can attend during my work hours. So given my current situation, and the advice from my doctor when she assessed the fracture (wait six weeks then start running again but go easy at first), starting to run without seeing another doctor isn't the worst idea ever.
From what I understand, some pain once you begin running again is to be expected. But there's pain, and then there's PAIN, so I was hoping to hear from people who have gone through this kind of thing.
Again, thanks for the input. :flowerforyou:
Common sense and basic prudence suggest that you should not exert yourself without seeing a doctor first. It's so obvious that yes, I and some people have been a tad sarcastic.
The very fact that you're posting the question shows you have doubts. If I had broken my foot and seen a doctor, I would not be seeking the advice of laypeople on the Internet.0
This discussion has been closed.
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