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Sharp Shooting Pain following severe heel trauma

Sharp Shooting Pain following severe heel trauma


  Last January I fell and fractured my heel. Following x-rays and a CT scan, I was told at that time that no surgery would be necessary,  so they casted it for 6 weeks.  Severe pain continued after cast removal.  Underwent extensive physical therapy and pain continued. I forced myself to walk on it following doctor's advice completely.  I finally convinced them to do an MRI in May and was told I had a torn peroneal tendon.  I had surgery in June to repair the tendon.  Following surgery I was told to walk on it and continue to stretch it out.  Pain continued.  I changed doctors in August.  Had two cortisone treatments.  Pain continued.  He finally concluded that he thought I had a subluxating peroneal tendon (after tendon surgery?) and referred me to another orthopedic surgeon who just does ankles.  Upon examination, this new doctor concluded that I had no ankle stability and said I had a torn ligament as well as a subluxating tendon.  Had surgery this past mid-November, have been casted since that time.  I was allowed to begin bearing full weight about 4 weeks after surgery and have had extreme sharp shooting pain as well as a burning sensation since that time. I probably had it prior to that but was making every effort not to move my foot. The doctor said it was transitional pain, I just needed to get used to walking again.  I am scheduled to have the cast removed next week. This is not mere stiffness in my joint nor is it simply tired or sore.  The pain is extreme and sharp upon certain movements of my toes or foot.  Whenever I tense my muscles in my foot (like making a fist with my toes) it hurts. And also when I stretch my little toe out tightly to the side.  The entire outside of my foot is involved. After much research I am wondering if I have some sort of nerve entrapment or damage. Please respond. I cannot stand this pain. Thanks.    
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Thanks for your question.  It is difficult to comment on the actual cause
of your current pain, because we do not have access to the surgical records,
thus the detailed knowledge of the corrective procedure.  The symptoms
described in your message can indeed be caused by an entrapment of peripheral
nerves by the scar tissue from the surgery or from the initial trauma, however
the most likely cause is still the injury suffered by the soft tissue.  It
appears that one could improve upon your pain management issues, without
completely masking the warning signs that pain can usually give the treatment
team.  An imaging study, such as MRI of foot and ankle, would be more
difficult to interpret when compared with the initial trauma because it is
difficult to distinguish soft tissue damage of the initial trauma from the
surgical intervention ones.  Please contact your surgeon regarding the
possibilities/issue discussed above, since he/she would be in the best
position to determined the cause of your pain symptoms.
I hope this information is helpful.  Best of luck.
This information is provided for general medical education purposes only.
Please consult your doctor regarding diagnostic and treatment options.





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