Lis franc fracture healing without surgery

Thats odd that they think it can heal without surgery! I am not speaking for everyone of from a medical standpoint, but I don't know how it can do that. When I injured my foot, the top half of my foot was about two inches to the left of the rest of it! I had surgery and had to be non weight bearing for 13 weeks...talk about hell. I would go and get a second opinion.

Yeah, I guess some specialist that everyone thinks knows everything about feet, suggested either fusion surgery or leaving it alone and seeing how it heals on it's own. My own doctor recommended leaving it alone. It's weird, because I broke my knee cap in 1993, and so did a coworker, around the same time. They casted my knee and it did heal up, but they did surgery on hers. Re my foot, all I can guess is that it's more stable than the average person's is. I think I'll take your advice and get a second opinion. Thanks, somethingmore. Take care, Katiemart

Good luck! Maybe your injury is somehow different...after all I am not a doctor...haha.

Hi, somethingmore. Yes, I'm going to call an orthopedic surgeon today and make an appointment. I belong to an HMO and sometimes, their care isn't 100% topnotch, although I'm relatively satisfied. My hubby has a pay for care doctor, which means it will cost more, but I'm going to call an orthopedic surgeon who was in with my ortho guy, before he retired. The former partner was the one who worked on my broken right kneecap, so wish me luck! Katiemart

Hi Katie,
Just to let you know, I suffered a lisfranc on Feb 28 2008, misdiagnosed at first, then Dr. decided p.t. should work. I was dead set on rehabbing. Well exactly half a year later I am scheduled to have tightrope surgery in 2 weeks. The p.t. just did not work. My biggest fear is arthritis, however the dr. just did an M.R.I. and said I should be good to go. Best of luck to you.
P.S. I hope the people on this web site is made up of a fraction of a percent of people who suffer lisfranc injuries, mainly because it seems like no one is getting better...

Hi, well I did see a local foot and ankle doctor and he agreed with my HMO; apparently it has a lot to do with the degree of separation in the fractures. Mine is small enough that surgery is not required. I have not done well as far as not "weight bearing" because life is hard if you can't walk at all. I just hope I haven't blown it completely. Thanks for writing! I hope my story will be more successful than some. My husband may be going on strike Thursday 9/4, so I need to go back to work! 8-| Katie

h Hello Katiemart,

I just now realized how old your post is. I am certain your bones have knitted and healed as it is now 2012.

However,did they heal correctly and  are you  now fully recovered w/ no residual damage,pain, or gait issues? This is undeniably the most IMPORTANT concern.  I will contine this reply to help any one else out there with a recent similar injury. 

I am a nurse and also suffered a Lisfranc fx on May 10, 2012 due to a crush -torsion injury from a stirrup after my horse fell and trapped my left leg underneath her. This injury is named after the physician in the 1800's who treated this  injury on soldiers riding in battle. 

DO NOT TAKE THIS INJURY LIGHTLY!!! Your  feet take care of you daily, working, shopping, recreationally, and  experiencing  your world. They  perform tirelessly and CANNOT BE asked to bear weight while they are healing w/o long term damage. PLEASE< PLEASE< DO NOT weight bear with this injury. You will cause further damage. 

I have been on the sofa, in bed, or outside on a chaise lounge for  5 weeks nows. I have 3 weeks to go before my hard cast and ORIF pins are removed. I did have surgery and I keep my leg level w/ my abdomen as much as possible. I am eating high protein{eggs,meat], calcium[greek yogurt , ice cream, milk}potassium{banana,pineapple} and go outside for 1 hr for vitamin D assimilation. I also do floor exercises for my good leg , abdomen for core, and hand weights to keep my muscle tone and strength due to my inactivity.

Get a second opinion if they do not take this injury seriuosly, the mending process must heal correctly, or you will always have pain, uneven gait, or limited mobility. 6-8 weeks is nothing compared to a LIFETIME of problems. I am a super active women;riding, jogging, swimming, landscaping, and working as a busy floor nurse. i want my original life back with all my interests to enjoy.And I am willing to be immobile for a short while to get it ALL back. Hope this helps someone out there. Karen  

 

Hi Karen, how are you making out now after your surgery ect.

I am a Nurse also. with a LisFranc fx and ligament tear. two metarsil fx's and a peroneus longus tendon high grade tear.



I injured my foot back the end of JUNE...2012... tuning too quickly at work. Hurt like hell and couldn't put foot down for a good while, then was able to weight bear on heel. so finished out my shift .drove home uncomortable and needing to break with left foot. So went to see a podiatrist the following day. had MRI ect, and saw PA to the ortho surgeon, he was on vacation. I had already been walking in a CAM boot by the time I saw the actual surgeon. he made the decision to keep me in the CAM boot till the end of august, and re xray the foot at that time. Oh I;m well over 60 yrs of age. and not that physically active.

although I work busily on a heavy care inpatient unit.

I have continued to work, in the CAM boot.

have some throbbing at night, some nights worse than others, but I think the foot is actually better now than weeks ago. I stay off of it with it up when Im home.

My injury is complicated by cystic arthrits. so if this doesn't heal Im looking at potential mid foot arthodesis. and a good 6months + off my foot. From all I have read about this injury and I have gone into every ortho journal I could come across, its not as cut and dry as you are making it sound. There are variables that need to be taken into consideration. Arthritis can happen pretty quickly after any serious foot injury and especially this one or any that require surgical intervention. Its all a part of the side effects of this whole deal.

sometimes surgery may not be the answer for some people. sometimes rest, ice, PT and slow healing is a better choice. it just all depends on the person, their age, condition, other illness's and other varialbles. I hope you heal without any problems and can return to your Normal Life style. Im hoping the same for myself. and I hope Katiemart found her answers. don't forget Geo locat also might change up the time frame and way in which this injury is managed.

Mrsrn59

karenrider, Thank you so such a great post, I really need to hear all of this. I recently suffered a lisfranc injury and had surgery two weeks ago.. I am super frustrated about not being able to shop, workout etc.. but your right. Gosh I really need to hear that. Thanks..

it is now 9/13 2012. I went for more xrays the end of august. two of my fractures have healed. the lisfrianc of course has not come together. however it is no worse, so he is calling it stable at this point. Im still in the Cam walker, and have an appt to get an orthodic on the 4th of october, I will then try to transfer into a supportive walking shoe for short periods at a time.. Im still working as a NURSE on a busy inpatient unit. I return at the end of October for more xrays and further evaluation. Im praying this non surgical mode continues to work/hold out for me and I don't have to go for arthrodesis of the mid foot.No Im not without pain . I have pain at times when Im up on my foot for extended periods. But its do-able with some motrin, elevation and rest. I also have ankle pain secondary to the peroneus longus tendson tear. which they say is a high grade tear. ....sometimes the poisoin you know may be better than the poisoin you don't know. each individual injury has to be seriously evaluated and the persons circumstances , age, and so on also taken into consideration. Mrsrn59

THAT WAS SUPPOSE TO READ LISFRANC..sorry. I'm having issues with this keyboard ,

Hi Karen, I had lisfranc fracture in September. I had no weight bearing on my leg. After 5 weeks doctor has told me to put light weight on my foot? Please advice as you have gone through this?

karen rider
hi - fellow lisfranc-er and horse rider
would love to pick your brains re recovery SPECIFIC to horsey types
any info would be much appreciated

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thanks

Has anyone heard of the Arizona brace? Two of my friends have suffered with the problem of lins franc and finally one doctor diagnosed it as such ... now he is recommending the Arizona brace rather than surgery ... surgery would be the very last resort he said. One friend is awaiting the arrival of the brace and hopes it will do the job of recovery.