Stress fracture

[Hattie246]

Hello,

I have been reading the various emails submitted by folks with cuboid stess fracture and I certainly do appreciate the sharing of stories. I have been in pain of the left foot for about a month now, but do not remember when I "hurt" it.  I finally went to the foot doctor today (7/8/09) and the doctor took Xrays and found nothing.  But, he did locate the "pain" and said  it may be a cuboid stress fracture.  At the doc's suggestion I will go for a 3-phase bone scan of the foot ... is that like an MRI?  If I do have this cuboid thing ... what happens next?   I appreciate your response, Thanks.

[livin4JC]

Help!! For 10 months my stress fracuture in the cuboid of the left foot went undetected. Mainly because it didn't show up on xray and they just kept telling me to come back in a month if it still hurts. In may 2010 I started getting pain in my second toe on the same left foot, so they sent me 4 a bone scan. then mri, and passed me off to a podiatrist.  The pod seems perplexed, he thinks that I have a tear or hole in my plantar plate and that the tenden to the knuckle joint is torn. So the toe is kinked at the joint and is swollen 24/7.  I had a boot on 4 a few weeks then he told me I should try n walk on it.  A few weeks went by and 5 days ago my foot got so swollen I couldn't move my toes. The pain became 9 out of 10. So I saw the pod on Monday and he put me in a cast. I got an mri Monday and in addition to the bone fracture I have abnormal fat in my bone...whatever that means. Do u know what that means? Aqfter the cuboid heals...possibly 6 weeks from now, I'm looking at surgery for the plantar plate, and the pod wants to cut the longer tendon in the toe and wrap it around the joint to pull down the bone so it doesn't look like a hammer toe.  It just sounds really wierd and I don't know if I want him doing that procedure. Does that sound like the right way to fix it? I need some advice and encouragement...thank you!

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

Good to know about your surgery. I wish you luck for your recovery.

Remember do not exert yourself and use the boot initially till a proper recovery and healing.

After that you can start in a phase wise manner all your activities, follow up with your orthopedician regularly for any issues.

Take care!

[Hattie246]

Thank U for your valuable information.  After much "pain" and no more shots to the foot, my foot doctor decided I needed surgery.  So, on March 16, 2010, I had surgery done.  I acutally had several things that needed correction ... a painful bunion, (2) hammer toes in addition to the stress fracture.  So, as of today, I am still wearing a boot, still in a some pain (especially at night).  But, the worst part is over .... and I am praying my new foot heals quickly so that I can back in a shoe.  Right now I am alternating between a boot, a slipper & a slip-on.  My doctor says I am healing rapidly.  So anyway just wanted to say  ... Thanks again!! for your encouraging words.  Hattie, 3-14-10  

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

If it is an old stress fracture then it is important to see if the vascularization (blood supply) is present in the concerned tarsal bone or there is necrosis?

If there is vascularization present then you would need a boot and try to heal the bone with rest followed by physiotherapy.

If required surgical interventions will be discussed with you by your orthopedician: Go for a 3 phase bone scan and MRI if required.

Take care!

[traci295]

I have had foot pain in my right (on the outside) starting around 9-1-09.  I finally went to the foot doc and same thing was mentioned by Hattie.  Nothing came up on the X-ray so the pod. told me I needed a 3 phase bone scan.  I am wondering what will happen in I have a stress fracture?  It is old so will they cast it, put my in a boot?  Just wondering the next step after the 3 phase bone scan.  Could the pain be something else.  It is in one spot and when the doc touched around the tendon there was not a lot of pain but right on the bone there was shooting pain

[Dr Vinod]

If it is a stress fracture you have to let it heal with immobilisation and taking calcium and protein supplements in diet. If it does not respond you would need a surgical intervention. Take care!