Fractured tarsal bone
I saw a podiatrist who took an xray of my right foot for pain at the ball under my big toe. He saw that the one of the 2 bony “lumps” (don’t know what they’re called) on the bottom of my 1st tarsal bone was broken in two (right behind the big toe). He told me it would heal in 6 weeks and not to exercise (stress fracture). I had been having terrible back pain from walking out of alignment to avoid the area. I called him back and asked how it would heal if I’m walking on it and he said it could take “months” and gave me an Aircasat to be “aggressive” with it. The aircast has me walking more inbalanced and hurts my back worse. He warned me poor healing could form a bone spur. My question is do I really need the aircast and if I suffer through just walking with a limp, how long will it really take to heal? Is there anything I can do otherwise to speed healing?
1 Comment found
Vivian Abrams DPM
I think from your description you have a fracture of one of the sesamoid bones under the first metatrsal head. Most of the time, these heal in a non-union, but it is painless. Only occassionally does this condition require surgery. As far as the immobilization, I use a cast boot on some of my patients. Others do ok with a Silipos universal gel pad. This is an excellent cushion. You should discuss the problem you are having with your doctor. I can not tell you that it is better to limp. I think life is too short to limp.