LISFRANC FOOT

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I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS INJURY. SEPT 9TH O5. I HAD A LARGE METAL STOCK CONTAINER FALL ON ME. THANK GOD I WAS NOT CRUSHED, BUT I DID BREAK MY FOOT. AFTER HOSPITAL SENT ME HOME WITH A SO CALLED SPRAIN, I WAS CALLED BACK & SENT TO A DOCTOR & TOLD I HAD 3 BREAKS & IT WAS CALLED A LISFRANC FRATURE. I HAD SURGERY & 2 SCREWS BUT IN. AS OF THIS DATE NO MENTION OF REMOVING SCREWS. I AM HAVING A LOT OF PROBLEMS & WORRY ABOUT LONG TERM CONDITIONS THAT MAY COME FROM THIS. I HAVE READ ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED SUDECKS ATROPHY, DEGENERATIVE ARTHRITIS, & TMT JOINT??? I WAS TOLD BY THE DOCTOR I WILL ALWAYS HAVE A LIMP. I AM SUPPOSE TO BE GOING TO A CHRONIC PAIN SPECIALIST. WILL I BE CONSIDERED DISABLIED?? ANY FEED BACK WOULD HELP WITH MY MENTAL STATE THANK YOU. Rolling Eyes

k240 · Newbie Joined: 08 May 2006 Posts: 1

ambalish · Newbie Joined: 25 Feb 2005 Posts: 12

OK....I've noticed there's been a lot of talk since I last posted here. Let me offer some advice from my own experience....

In the case of the 70-year old mom, I would definitely encourage her to have the surgery. My specialist ended up removing my screws, but he said had I been older (like in this woman's case), he would have left them in. The reason for my encouragement is that, left untreated, a LisFranc fracture will most likely develop severe arthritis in the affected joints.

For the guest who wrote about their injury in Sept '05, a lot depends on your surgeon and your age. My surgeon removed my screws because I'm young and very active, however, he did caution me that after a LisFranc injury, there is a risk of developing arthritis in the affected joints even after surgery. If and/or when this happens, the only treatment at that point is to have the surgery again to reinsert the screws which will fuse the bones together. Granted, I will have a limp, but I won't have the pain of the arthritis in the joints. I feel your pain (quite literally) about the limping. It's amazing how much the foot flexes during normal walking.

Limping for several weeks along with the being off my foot for 9 weeks screwed up my back. I'm still seeing a chiropractor for that, but she's given me a better prognosis on the possibility of developing arthritis in my foot. Because we've been breaking down the scar tissue that built up while my foot was immobilized, I have more flexion and less pain overall.

Like the woman who had her screws removed several years after they were inserted, I too, have a bump on the top of my foot where I assume the screw pushed the bone up. It doesn't cause me any pain except occasionally when my nerve hits it just right. You all know what I'm talking about.

One of the things I wasn't prepared for is the pain and loss of mobility in my first joint in my big toe. Since my injury was with the first and second cuneiforms and first metatarsal, I wasn't able to flex my toe joints until after my screw removal. At that point, my toe joint had been immobilized for about 5 months. It's been almost a year and I have about 90% of my flexion back, but I still have chronic pain in the toe. Strange, since you'd think the pain would be where the initial fracture was. I massage my foot a lot these days and find it helps more than anything else. I also have my chiropractor periodically adjust the joints in my foot which hurts like a SOB when she's doing it but the relief is immediate.

To give everyone a little hope, though, I am now able to jump, run and dance again. I can't do any of them for extended periods, but I'm mostly able to do things I could do before the injury. I find the hardest thing is stooping because of the angle your toes are bent when doing so.

I hope all of you enjoy speedy recoveries and regain the mobility you have lost.

Blessings,
Anne

Kelly2006 · Newbie Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 78

Hellllpppppp..... I injured my foot on Feb 20 and am still in a lot of pain while walking with "my foot" as I call it. Has everyone had weight bearing x-rays for diagnosis? I've had numerous regular x-rays and a CT scan for diagnosis. I've worn a cast for 3 weeks and "my foot" for the rest.

Things I know for sure..... 3 year old boys and broken feet do not go well together.

Does the pain eventually die down so that you are able to walk on it or should I just decide to get used to it.

I'm still not functional but doing much better when I compare myself to 2 months ago.

Any experience you can share with me would be appreciated.

Cheers everyone, Kelly

SKH · Newbie Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 46

Hello, I can so related to the Lisfranc problems......
I fell April 27th and broke my foot, I heard it pop and felt extreme pain. The emerg room Dr. told me to call an Ortho Surgeon the following Monday. The following Monday I had XRays and a MRI, told me I would need surgery as I had a Lisfranc Midfoot Fracture. The following week I had the surgery May 10th, the DR. put 3 screws in my foot. The pain followng my sugerty was soooo very painful. I saw the Dr yesterday and he took out the stitches, I am still experiencing pain in my foot. The swelling has gone done some, but I still have some burning and tingling. I am now wearing the boot, which is fine. I did not want a cast. I have to wait another 4 weeks until I can put weight on my foot. By the time I walk, it will be almost 8 weeks without walking. I have a toddler, and I am very must used to be on the go.... so sittling around is tough! I'm still off work, as I find it helpful to elivate my foot thru out the day. SO, anyone who has gone thru this Lisfranc injury..... I so understand. It's a very painful NOT FUN thing to go thru. My Dr. is not going to take out the screws, unless the cause me problems. We'll have to wait & see. I also hear I might have life long problems from this injury. I'm looking forward so much to walking again, but I'm scared for the pain. :

Kelly2006 · Newbie Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 78

Finally, I can see some light! It doesn't feel like I'm walking on a balloon that is just constant pain. I've had to stretch my muscles/ligaments out as they were starting to seize up. Ice is good too!

SKH I'm still curious, did you have weight bearing x-rays where they made you stand on your foot to identify displacement or could they see it in the regular x-rays?

Welcome to the rare lisfranc club! Aren't we lucky?!?!....

I'll try to post some websites that I have found that explain more about this injury.

Keep your foot up, Kelly

SKH · Newbie Joined: 24 May 2006 Posts: 46

It's nice to know I'm not alone here with this pain & suffering. I'm really trying to stay postive, some days it's tough. I'm so looking forward to walking again. I'm counting down.... I have 4 more weeks.

I had the weight bearing X-Rays to see the extent of the displacement, I'm pretty sure it was somewhat visble in the regular X-Rays, though on my second opinion the Dr. was not going to do surgery until he had the chance to see my MRI, as it showed more damage.

Did you have surgery? Are you now walking? Have you had any type of thearpy?

I'm on my third bottle of pain pills, just very discourged about the amount of pain I still have.

Take care,
SKH

Guest · Guest

I had my whole foot dislocated Aug 2004 while playin football (american). I say whole foot because all the metatarsals ( plate ) was sheared off, and all the little bones surrounding were dislocated. If not for my playing shoe the big bone at the base of my big toe would have shot through my foot. I had K wires at first because docs here ( UK ) were not sure if the damage could even be repaired because it was so bad. They said it was the worse foot injury they have ever seen. The wires failed, and in Feb 2006 I had some bone fusion done. I have had severe and chronic pain since day 1 of injury, so bad that I take Oxycodone everyday for pain management. I have and will always have a limp, a severe 1. I have now been in cast this second time 14 weeks, was 12 the first time. I was told I may have the only injury like this in all of the UK. I just hope that I can have some pain relief from this last OP, thats really all I can hope for. I have read other articles and replies and I now see that arthritis lies ahead Crying or Very sad

Doc said that there is a 40% chance that this OP may not take and I will need further surgery. For those who have minor injuries and such, count your blessings, it could be a lot worse Laughing

Life can be a bitch Confused

Crzyasme · Newbie Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 3

the lisfranc fracture/dislocation i sustained to my left foot occurred on Apr 20th. i am a police officer and got injured during training as someone that my partner and i were working with fell on top of me. i had surgery on May 1st. i've been in a cast for 5 weeks with absolutely no weight bearing allowed. my cast will be removed in approx 2 1/2 weeks. until i was injured, i had never even heard of this type of injury. my doctor said that the surgery went better than he expected it to and instead of having to put screws or pins in, wound up only putting staples in, which i will not have to undergo another surgery to remove. my major concern is being able to enjoy walking, running, or even wearing heels in the future as i am fairly young and can't even imagine not being able to walk freely. some of these posts have helped a great deal. some of them have also made me depressed, but i'll have to see how my particular situation developes.

my personal experience:
after surgery, i was put in what my doctor called an "after surgery wrap" which is actually the heaviest oversized soft cast you can imagine (done this way to allow for post-surgery swelling). after the nerve block that was placed in my leg for surgery wore off, i felt as if the top of my foot was on fire and being branded. i'm very tolerant of pain, but i have to admit that i enjoyed taking my pain pills, 4 -6 a day, for two days straight, after that surgery.

post surgery, my doctor informed me that surgery had gone better than expected and that no screws or pins had to be placed in my foot. he only wound up placing 3 staples, which will not be required to be removed. i was then placed in a cast with instructions for elevation and no weight bearing.

i am still in a cast and getting around with the help of crutches. my cast is scheduled to come off in 2 1/2 weeks and then i believe i will be going into a "moon boot". i have not had any weight bearing x-rays, but have had normal x-rays taken every 2 weeks when i get my cast changed out.

LISFRANC FOOT

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