Does a small crack in the metatarsal of the bone not require surgery?
Patient: A week ago I fell on my left foot at a friends house. I could not put weight on my foot or move it. It hurt on the inside, the outside, on my big toe, and my ankle area. I waited a day to see if it would feel better but it didnt so I went to the orthopedist. They sent me to X-rays and did a weight bearing view and a top view xray. The doctors did not see any obvious fractures but they did see a small crack in my 4th metetarsal. They said it was natural and if didn t have to do with the injury. They decided that I had deeply bruised my foot so they put me in a walking boot and crutches. After a few days on the crutches, I switched to the walking boot and no crutches. Now, 2 weeks later, my foot hurts worse and hasn t improved at all. It hurts with the walking boot and without. My mom refuses to take me back to the doctor but I am becoming worried that it is getting worse. I am icing, elevating, and resting my foot but nothing seems to help. I need some advice about what to do and I was wondering about that crack in my bone that the doctors saw. Please help. Doctor: helloI think doctor may have advised to avoid weight bearing for 4-6 weeks and not to discard crutches to keep the weight off the foot on walk even when walking boot was borne, for which you may consult again with the treating doctor.In my opinion defer weight bearing for 2-3 weeks, keep foot elevated, apply local anti-inflammatory gel like voltaren and just do ankle and toes drill with foot off the ground , exercise for several minutes many times a day, it may settlethanks