Is full recovery possibe from a lisfranc fracture?

Hi had severe lisfranc surgery almost 7 years ago. To this day I have good days pain of 2 or 3 and days where pain is a 10 or 12. Last year i took up running 5k's. Have lost weight(almost 40lb) and it has helped with pain. Still have days that are 10 or 12 but not as many. I cant run much fearther then 5k but i am om with that. Every surgery is different. I was told i would never run! Well I did

It has been ten years since my injury. I dislocated all 5 joints by 2 inches. I was diagnosed right away and had surgery that night. Following a long period of non weight hearing and two painful infections, I began physical therapy. Everything was a slow process. Ten years later, I still have pain every day. I am able to do any activity I want, but it's always accompanied by pain. Uneven surfaces are difficult to walk on and after a long time on my feet, I'm in so much pain. I WAS doing a job that required me to stand--no way I could continue that. Now I have a job where I can sit when needed. I partipate in an exercise class and was initially concerned that my pain would be unbearable, but it's been the normal level. So....there are good moments...but this injury has changed my life and I have had some degree of pain everyday for the last ten years.

Hi Catherine, I'm JB, 53 yo active female, washed-up athlete, mother. Skipped a stair and changed my life forever in one split second -- Not to be melodramatic, but I would cut off my entire left hand to get that moment back. Just to take those stairs more slowly and think ... instead of rushing for a f*****g doorbell, and guess what, it was Mormons coming to spread the word.... Argh. Anyway, I have one of the best surgeons in Los Angeles, he treats Lakers and Clippers and this is his pretty smart take on the constant question of "take hardware out?" or "leave hardware in" -- His observation was thus: for older or more sedentary people for whom the first (or second, or third) surgeries have been rough ... the mere thought of another surgery to take the junk out is just too much for them and they would rather abstain and leave it. For younger types or athletes or folks obsessed with the fact that there is hardware in there, he says let's take it out. It's honestly pretty personal. For those who say you can "get on" with the hardware in there, don't forget that Peyton Manning just won that SuperBowl with 6 screws and a thin plate in his foot which utterly freaks me out because my two greatest fears are 1) uneven surfaces/terrain, and 2) torque/twisting/pivoting -- three things a QB does on every snap. I'm 2 years post initial injury, 20 months post first surgery, and 10 months post revision surgery to replace a cracked plate, an ejecting screw and a cracked screw. Definitely a life changer. I am fit and healthy and a busy working mother and I am not a negative person. But this changed my life completely. I will never walk comfortably or happily or without a care ever again. I battle pain, swelling, numbness at night, severe cramping in the dawn hours which throw me from my bed to stand on a hard floor as soon as possible. I have a permanent handicap placard and I honestly meant what I said above about giving up my left hand. f**k hands. Man, we are homoerectus -- our feet and all of their beautiful, complex, brilliant metatarsals were meant for standing and walking. I've lived a happy life for 50 years with two hands, I would toss my left one in a NEW YORK MINUTE to get my foot back. No one who hasn't suffered this injury followed by multiple surgeries has any idea what we're talking about. I'm so bored and exhausted even writing about it again. Sorry, here we are among friends and there you have it. Onward! I do kick-ass Bikram yoga 3x a week and lift weights and do some core stuff. That's what I'm up to these days. Don't let yourself crumble and get fat and awful. You can do this. Do it with me. Love and peace and strength. Do fascia rolling, do marble work-outs with your toes, get PT, do PT. Swim. Do yoga, stretch, lift weights. I'm so sorry. xx

Do you still have soreness at the top of your Midfoot? I'm 6 months postoperative and mine is sore. However I have 3 screws in my foot and is to be permanent.

I broke two bones of my foot after my trip to New Zealand on January 7th and suffered a Lisfranc fracture. The hospital told me it was a sprain so I tried to walk on it the next few days until I went and got a CT scan because the swelling was abnormal. The doctor told me that I had to get surgery and implant screws and plates in my foot. Recovery was expected to take a year and people with these types of injuries may not fully recover and run properly again. They told me that a lot don’t even walk properly again. Tears came down my eyes. I was thinking about my parents having to look after me and the thought of my life changing like that paralysed me in itself. I hopped on crutches out of the doctors room and went home. It was a rough time for my parents, they’re so loving and they do everything for me to make me feel better. They helped me from showering to just general movement around the house. The more they helped, the more upset I got. The dependence on them broke my heart. My girlfriend was doing the best she could to help as well. I had never prayed so much in my life before. I asked for a miracle. I had lost myself and I kept questioning why such an injury would happen to me. It was just from walking down 3 steps of stairs and my foot landed in an awkward angle and snapped at the midfoot. It was so ridiculous. It was my left foot so I was still able to drive. I was driving whilst questioning it, and the word ‘patience’ popped into my head. I then said to myself, maybe this injury is teaching me a lesson about patience. Then I thought back to Les Brown, someone else’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality. One night I said to my girlfriend just before we slept, I told her that I am not getting surgery, I will not be needing surgery. I had two upcoming appointments with two different surgeons. My girlfriend replied, I don’t want you to have false hopes, you just have to accept it. I replied back, no surgery will be needed. I had never felt so close to God before. I felt his presence everywhere. I knew Jesus was with me. I went to the first surgeon and I was nervous as hell. I looked to my right, I saw mum and dad there sitting there, afraid of what the surgeon might say. Then I looked further to the right and I saw Jesus sitting to the right of Dad. He smiled and said ‘all your bones and flesh shall be healed’. I had a sense of calmness and serenity walking into the surgeon’s office. He inspected my foot and he twisted and turned my foot and asked if there was pain. I said no. Previously I couldn’t even touch it without screaming. Here he is yanking at it and twisting almost like he wanted it to break more. He had a very surprised look on his face. He wanted me to get another Xray standing and applying pressure to the foot. I did so immediately in the next ward and results came back fine. The surgeon said this is a very unusual case and he said had never seen it like this. I’ve broken both bones around the joint but somehow everything was still stable. He said that I could either get an MRI or he’d take me under to operate and test the joint strength in his operating room. I took the MRI option. A few days later I saw the second surgeon while I was waiting for the MRI report. The second surgeon did similar stuff but he was a lot more certain, he was one of the best in Australia. The way he spoke, you could tell it was by experience. He told me ‘you won’t be needing surgery, but however in 4 weeks see me again and if it doesn’t heal properly then, we may need to operate’. I was finally in a moonboot after 2 weeks of letting my foot dangle around with 2 broken bones. The first surgeon called back a few days after that and told me good news that I won’t be needing surgery. Its been almost 5 months post injury and I am back up and running (literally) with no troubles at all. Someone elses opinion of oyu does not have to become your reality.

Hi to the person from Alabama. I fell through a roof and dislocated my Lisfranc badly and broke 4 metatarsals. Most pain I felt ever and that includes a fifteen foot fall onto my back and head. Its been five months since your post just wondering if all good now?

I just noticed the dates are screwed up on this site. Most of the posts say they are from a few minutes ago in actual fact say five months ago. Just wondering if searching about lisfranc has helped anyone. After searching myself for the last couple of months Ive decided that there are good outcomes out there and bad ones. It just depends on factors either beyond your control or not. One thing is for sure it takes a long time to come back from and the time seems to go past slowly some of us will get a good recovery and some won't. Another thing is don't compare your recovery time to those in the NRL have a team of experts looking after them and a truck load of money being thrown into getting them on the field again. Not to say you won't get better however don't depress yourself on lot of the stuff you read. So life has thrown you a curve ball I spent to much time in self pity and its not fair. Now to the future unknown for now but most things heal on to some degree and I will probably always get jealous of people with two good. Feet but life goes on.

So I guess to make things clear the actual date today is the thirty first of May 2017. I am just wondering who else had their doctor tell them you will most likely never get over this and be in pain and suffering for the rest of your life. Just before they wheeled you in to get a hardware store placed through your foot. After I was told this prayed to die in surgery. Never heard of this injury before never want to again. Now after finding out more about it seems you can get back sometimes. However as far as most tell it don't rush things and this will help recovery and hope you can bounce back.

To anyone who has suffered a lisfranc injury take time to get over it if you are in the early days it is a long journey but you will get there. Listen to your doctor and you will be fine. Don't dwell on the negative and if you spend most of your day looking up lisfranc on the internet. Then word to the wise find something better to do. It will become additive and will get you down the fact is it won't heal you only time and good treatment will do that.

I'm crying as I read your post. 3 weeks ago I suffered a lisfranc injury to my right (dominant) foot (along with a sprained right wrist and fractured elbow) while on the first day of what was to be a 5 week European vacation for me and my family of 5. 4 days later we teturned to the states, and I am now just over a week out from surgery. 10 screws, 1 plate-pretty severe Lisfranc injury. I am overwhelmed by the enormity of these injuries. I have been a flight attendant for 27 years and I am scared sh*tless that I wont be able to return to my job, and that the healing process will be much longer than the 6 months the doctor has advised. She did tell me that she anticipates that I will be able to jog again as the dislocation went back "beautifully" during surgery. I am usually a very positive person and I can't stand whiners, but I am so overwhelmed by emotion right now I cant stop crying. I feel like I am in a constant struggle to keep the dark side at bay. I still cant believe that one false step may have changed my life forever. Trying to stay strong and praying for a good outcome. Almost everything I read about Lisfranc is awful. This is going to be one hell of a fight.

Don't panic.. I only had 4 screws in my surgery, at age 40.. but screws out and walking fine 5 months in.. jogging 6 months in.. Dunking a basketball and running fully 8 months in.. 5 years later, I rarely consider it.. Just a little sore and stiff in the morning, but at 45 most of my joints are sore and stiff. :)
The most important thing is to not let your foot touch anything for the 4 months it heals, so the bones stay aligned and meshed tightly while the ligament scars over.. And eat healthy, no alcohol, no smoking, lots of sleep.. to maximize a strong healing process.. Then do the rehab to strengthen all the little muscles in your feet and legs.
And find the best doctor you can.. someone who works on professional athletes if possible. Even if you have to drive far!
Good luck!

Hi all,

I just had lisfranc surgery yesterday and the pain seems unbearable. I'm on hydromorphone and extra strength tylenol. I tripped and fell while hiking. I didn't break any bones but tore the ligament which began to move the bones. They put in screws which they said will be permanent. I go back to see the Doctor on July 18th. I'm terrified. The pain is so bad and I know I shouldn't be reading all these horror stories but at 28 I feel like this is the end. I'm not huge on pain so the thought of having pain for the rest of my life is a lot to take right now. The worst is the nerve pain shooting up my leg and the toe twitches that come and go. I'm just hoping and praying that I'll recover and be able to walk again without horror stories of pain every single time.

Scared Silvia

Dear Sadmelissia; I wish I could tell you it is gonna get better but I can't. Sounds like we both suffered this injury the same way. In may of 2014, I had a car wreck where the breaks gave out completely. So I hit a tree at 40 mph. I too had emergency surgery. My orthopedic surgeon is awesome though....he was straight w me from the beginning. I have a plate and 10 screws in my foot. Honestly, I couldn't wear high heels if life depended on it. That is what I was worried about... Not the surgery. You are more than likely to developed arthritis...I have. I still have pain but not on any pain meds but maybe need to be. I have talked to my Dr. About fusion surgery but honestly if you have it you won't have very much movement in ur foot or toes BC the bones are practically "glued together"....I would not go down that road myself. I'm about your size but gained a lot weight on my down time after surgery so be very careful w that. I was board so I ate a lot. Anyways is been 3 years, still hurts when it rains and gets cold. The shooting burning pain will stop when u fully heel. I am not sure how bad your is...mine broke all the metatarsals. I have to wear a insert in my shoe BC now my leg is shorter then the other. The wreck ultimately jammed my hip. I'm not suppose to be barefoot, wear flip flops, or for that matter any cute shoe. But I'm am completely flat footed...and I hope your not. What little arch I did have was crushed....I have back problem too as another result. The BEST advise I can give you is not to put any weight on it at ALL..until fully healed. This is where I messed up. Listen to your Dr. But if he is an a** don't be afraid to get another opinion! Sorry to have to tell u all this but it could be a lot worst...that's what I keep thinking. Hope I helped u some...I know I didn't cheer u up much but just being straight w u! Sorry Melissa!
Sincerely...brokenbrooke

You're young and no broken bones.. you should be good. Just dont let your foot move or bear ANY weight or pressure for the 4 months it takes to heal up. Toughen up! It's a shitty 4 - 6 months but then you should be okay.

I'm 51 and overweight (additional reason I'm concerned). I stepped off a 2" step I didn't see wearing flip flops. I totally understand the poster who keeps reliving that moment:( Uggg.

I'm on week 5. 1week in a splint for the swelling to go down which it didn't and then the last 4 weeks in a cast. I don't know how far apart the dislocation is I forgot to ask. I was told by my Dr. that he fractured his worse and healed with no surgery. He gave me the option and I chose no surgery.

I've been no weight bearing for all 5 weeks and I've obeyed with the exception of one small slip getting used to my crutches. ouch. I have almost no pain, every few days I will get a light pain in the arch or ball of my foot but after the first 2 weeks I've been somewhat painless.

I'm staying pretty sedentary and my foot elevated so when I do get up and around my foot swells up and my toes turn a light purple.

I go back to the Dr. on July 24th. I'm sure I will get casted again but I'm going insane. One can only watch so much tv.

Tips while on crutches and no weight bearing:
1. For ladies wear a short dress and no undies, it makes bathroom use easier (sorry for TMI) the balancing act is hard for me:)
2. Wear dresses that have pockets - I carry my phone, glasses
3. I use a barstool in the kitchen for cooking/light cleaning
4. I carry around a small tote (the handles fit in my hand easily on my crutches) for carrying things like a can of water or snack from the kitchen back to my chair.

Please pass on any of your tips because I think I will be down for another month or so.

Oh and a question I have. I've read that I shouldn't reduce calories as I'm healing is this true? I'd like to lose some weight even 10 lbs over the next month will help when I can eventually walk.