Cuboid Stress Fracture

About a year ago I had intense pain in my left foot. After seeing a podiatrist and having a bone scan it was determined that I had a stress fracture in my cuboid bone. During that time I was in the Army and had already been diagnosed with plantar fascistis,  heel spur, bone spur in my ankle, and possible osteoarthritis in my midfoot. The doctor said that I could just wear a boot for 3 weeks and then it would be fine. I got out of the Army a few weeks later and when I returned to the States I saw a podiatrist at the VA as I was still in pain. In March they did a bone scan, which showed that I still had a stress fracture in my cuboid bone and he had me wear a walking shoe for a few months. In May I was told that it was healing properly and that I didn't have to wear anymore. About a month ago my foot started hurting so badly that I could not walk at all, so I put the shoe back on. It still continues to hurt badly and I am unable to stand for more than an hour, running is out of the question, and I am barely am to walk. The only tests that have been done are repeated bone scans. Is it possible that the treatment I'm receiving is not enough? Is it normal to have a cuboid stress fracture for almost a year?

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without an evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of the foot pain in your case. This may be related to the fracture, plantar fasciitis, spurs or other degenerative conditions. It is possible to continue to have a stress fracture over months when it is not given due attention and appropriate care. Conservative management of stress fracture should aim at movement restriction and non-weightbearing for atleast 6-8 weeks, while stressful activities should be resumed gradually after 12-16 weeks. The duration of rest would also depend on the severity of the fracture and the healing response. For severe or non-healing fractures, surgery may need to be considered. At this time I would suggest a re-evaluation by an orthopedician to look for other possible causes of foot pain and an appropriate management.
Hope this is useful.

Take care!

[achilles2]

I too had a stress fracture. I am wondering with the boot and all if you are walking correctly once you quit wearing it. (Can you find a good chiropractor who will check your spine and hip?) The boot messes up everything. I had hip and lowback issues because of wearing a boot. Also another that helped my cubiod heal was to make sure I was getting plenty of vit d. You might want to get you levels checked. Despite what labs say the ranges are, you should be around 50. (If you do get it tested be sure to get your actual results.) Another I have seen people on this forum mention is a bone stimulator.

I hope this helps,
achilles2