Broken foot recovery?

[Dov]

I've mentioned elsewhere here that this is first year that I've been able to get back to work in over decade because of health issues, got the health issues managed enough I have been working for a school bus company, drive van not a bus.

On Fridays I do strength training at home (I've got fair freeweights home gym dumbbells up to 85 lbs plus Olympic bar & plates) plus physical therapy exercises with small weights (I do physcial therapy everyday with therabands) to control some of my chronic pain issues between my AM and PM shifts at work.

Today I finished the hard stuff Bench and Back exercise and was putting tiny weights on bench to do physical therapy exercises and as I was turning away from the bench managed to kick one of the legs of the bench hard enough to slightly fracture one bone on my left foot (bone pinky toe connects to). Think like roundhouse kick though I wasn't trying to kick it!

Only real pain was first few minutes from three smallest toes on that foot, thought at first that was the worst of it. I've stubbed toes many times over the years on the bigger dumbbells and it smarts but is fine within hour or two. I did my PM work shift without any real problems but noticed that I was pain free while driving but when I got out and walked felt mild pain when putting weight on injured area of foot.

So after trying & failing to get non urgent care appointment anytime soon decided to go to urgent care.

They took three xrays and diagnosed one probable small fracture only visible in one of the xrays.

I got a boot for the injured foot, will know tomorrow morning after I sleep tonight if the pain will stay negligible, I suspect it will. Chronic pain is part of my long term health issues, haven't felt need to take Tylenol or anything yet for the foot pain.

Not sure if work will let me work, Dr I saw in urgent care is not foot specialist and didn't want to fully endorse me working but didn't seem to think it was a terrible idea.

Just wondering if anyone has experience with something like this? I'm trying not to be stupid or testosterone poisoned, that's part of reason I went to a Dr to get evaluated I know pain isn't a good metric for me I've worked jobs with red and blackout levels of pain in past when I was younger.

I'm sure I can do the work if they let me pain wise, just don't want to do that if its going to make things worse.

We can afford me missing work if we have to, but it will eat into our reserves because gf had to quit her old career job because of harassment and real nasty shit last February, she took a big pay cut but is working in a much healthier environment. With both of us working, low stress jobs where we are appreciated, we are doing just bit better than breaking even while we figure out new careers.

We will be seeing our primary care Dr in less than 2 weeks, and if things get worse I'll certainly go to urgent care again.

[Jason M]

I had an acute Fx that required surgical repair. I believe the success of my recovery was due, in part, to eating a non-inflammatory, protein forward diet. From injury to return to work was almost 6 months to the day.

[RoyGBiv]

Is the bus an auto or stick?
Seems a bad left foot would be a non issue (unless the pain is a distraction) for driving an automatic transmission.

[AMC]

I broke the same bone on the same foot last April. This was coupled with a severe sprain of that ankle, which was significantly more painful. Was basically off my feet for 5 days, because I couldn't get in to see the podiatrist/orthopedist until then. Once I had the boot, life was much easier. Was in that for 8 weeks. Driving wasn't much of an issue with an automatic transmission....just a little awkward getting in and out of the car. If you can get one of the 'levelers', or whatever they're called, for the opposite side shoe I'd recommend it. I didn't and it resulted in some hip issues on the opposite side that I had to deal with. All of this stuff is harder at 56 than it would've been even at 46.

Do the therapy exercises the doc recommends once you're out of the boot! It will also speed recovery time.

As mentioned, if you're driving an automatic, you should have no issues.

[KneeShot]

Once the boot comes off and you are cleared to walk, it might be stiff. A few things that can help;
- roll out the bottom of your foot on a lacrosse ball
- “yoga toes” one piece rubber spacers that separate and stretch your toes
- if you have access to a pool, start at chest level water depth walking across the pool taking your foot through a full range of motion. Over time Work to shallower depth increasing load on the foot.

Stay in the fight!

[Dov]

Thanks everyone

AMC I hear you about the age, I've passed the half century mark as well.

I am actually driving a minivan, not a bus, its a lot easier than driving bus which I did decades ago right after college, it's automatic transmission and everything is power operated including the doors and the parking brake.

Pain has been mild and very manageable so far, think as these things go this is a very minor break. Almost everyone else I have talked to that has had similar issues had lot more pain than I have.

[Dov]

Is the bus an auto or stick?
Seems a bad left foot would be a non issue (unless the pain is a distraction) for driving an automatic transmission.

I'm actually driving one of their small fleet of minivans, the vans are newish for school bus companies didn't exist around here decades ago when I drove school bus out of college.

It's automatic transmission and even has power parking brake, wish my car had that right now.

While driving pain is total non issue, basically no pain when I am sitting/driving.

[Dov]

I had details in opening post slightly wrong, thought it was the 5th Metatarsal bone with the fracture (the bone the pinky toe connects to) but I talked to nurse on phone today when I was more awake and alert and its actually the Base of 5th proximal phalanges (Pinky toe where it connects to the foot) that has the likely fracture.

Which might explain why it doesn't hurt much, its the pinky toe bone not main foot bone.

link to image of foot bones https://cdn.britannica.com/07/99107-050-89EC4657/Bones-foot-tarsal-bones-talus-metatarsal-calcaneus.jpg

Thanks again to everyone for their responses and support.

[Flamingo]

I broke my foot in early August. It required surgery. It is healing pretty rapidly, but it has been a total crip in my style.

Good Luck. It sucks, but it should get better.

[Dov]

I broke my foot in early August. It required surgery. It is healing pretty rapidly, but it has been a total crip in my style.

Good Luck. It sucks, but it should get better.

Wish you a speedy recovery.

Agree with crip in style.

I'm still figuring out modifications to my daily Physical Therapy exercises to keep my chronic pain managed.

Also spent some time this morning figuring out upper body strength training I can still do with my home gym setup without aggravating the injury.

Just really frustrated that I will have to halt lower body strength training until this is fully healed, though my upper body has gotten roughly equivalent to my prime before all the long term health issues, my legs and lower back haven't. Was just starting to see hints of actual strength gains there and now this.

Very frustrating.

Working on staying positive, keep reminding myself I'm lucky with how little pain I'm getting from this compared to everyone else I've talked to that's had broken foot.

[Flamingo]

I am cleared by the the ortho to do some exercise now, but what I did earlier was a lot of one legged squats to a bench.

[Odin Bravo One]

I have been trying to limp by on a fractured foot for too many years and now I get to have part of my bones removed and the entire front half of my foot fused together. I don’t recommend leaving such things unattended for more than a few years…..

[Dov]

I have been trying to limp by on a fractured foot for too many years and now I get to have part of my bones removed and the entire front half of my foot fused together. I don’t recommend leaving such things unattended for more than a few years…..

Yikes, hope your procures goes well! Doesn't sound pleasant at all.

[Dov]

Well made it through a long chaotic week of work with no issues related to my foot.

Saw foot Dr Thursday and he said everything was looking good and said whatever weight lifting I wanted to do now for lower body was fine as long as it wasn't triggering pain past my tolerance level. Though he suggested starting lot lighter than normal workout weight.


Did short upper body workout this morning and that went fine.

From what he said about the healing stages, 2 weeks seems to be first milestone with bone fractures, I don't feel like trying lower body workout any sooner than that.

I'll probably wait till week 3 or 4 for light leg stuff. Thinking to start real easy either body weight lunges or real small bit of weight for lunges or single leg deadlifts, whichever seems easier on the bad foot, and see how it goes.