Lisfranc fracture--3 years later.

My husband suffered a Lisfranc fracture in May. We immediately called a podiatrist and he was seen that same afternoon. After waiting about a week for the swelling to go down, he had surgery which required 3 screws to hold the bones back together and in place. Lots of swelling, bruising, and some pain - his foot looked like Frankenstein's foot! 3 full months of non-weight bearing - which means not even touching the foot to the ground. Wore the boot just to protect the foot from falling objects - including himself. Even used the handicapped cart at the store! Kept ice on it alot! Luckily, he works from home and was able to keep the foot elevated for several hours a day. After the 3 months, he was able to slowly start putting weight on it - in the boot and using crutches to help support himself. After another month or so, he was fitted for orthotic inserts and now can walk wearing sneakers (untied on that foot) and without crutches. He has a limp, still has some swelling on occasion, and does have some pain if he's on his feet too long. We keep the ice pack in the freezer and he uses it when he notices additional swelling. He has an appointment tomorrow to get an idea of when the screws come out. That's another OP surgery, but doesn't sound nearly as bad as the first. We were told right up front that it takes about a full year to come back from this injury. He was surprisingly compliant with Dr.s orders, which also helped. We're pretty optimistic that he'll be fine without lifelong complications. However, we were lucky that the break was correctly diagnosed the first day. I hate to see that so many people are having long-term problems. Good luck! Don't be afraid to get a second or third opinion - we used a podiatrist instead of an orthopedic surgeon, which may have made some difference.

Three and a half years ago I suffered a Lisfranc fracture and dislocation when I (stupidly) jumped from a high height off of a catamaran boat into the sea and landed in shallow water. I was in Venezuela on vacation and the catamaran had no first aid kit, no meds, just ice and straight dark rum! My friends fed it to me telling me it was rum and coke as we watched my foot swell beyond recognition and kept putting ice on it until we could get back to the mainland, 2 or 3 hours later. We were sent to a free clinic (scary place) where they told me that my foot was not broken because they couldn't see it on the x-ray but that I probably tore ligaments (I did, but that was not all). I was given a half cast, wrapped in bandages and a prescription for some super strong pain killers. Had to figure out how to get crutches... our Spanish vocabulary was not that advanced at that point. Our hotel kept sending us towels when we needed a wheel chair. Ended up flying back to Bogota, Colombia (where I lived) teaching English, about 3 days later and spent the next day in the hospital there. I was lucky enough that a Harvard trained foot surgeon was on staff that day and he took my case. He told me I had a Lisfranc fracture dislocation after examining, doing weight bearing X rays (killer) and CAT scans. I had crushed my foot and my 1st and 2nd metatarsels were in pieces all around the cuniform bones. THings had shifted (dislocated) as well. He said I probably tore ligaments and since I didn't receive proper medical care immediately, my foot had become so swollen that it cut off circulation to my toes. I now have nerve damage to my big toe (no big deal, but annoying when you step on a cold floor and it zaps you!).

So, I was told I would probably need surgury but at the time I was 26 and scared out of my mind to go through that living in a foreign country without my family nearby. I was already wondering how I was going to manage. So my doc let me opt out of it. I had a non-weight bearing cast from mid April to the beginning of July that year. Thank God for good friends! Teaching was a challenge, let me tell you! In July, I flew back to Canada and saw an orthopedic surgeon here. He removed the cast, put me in a walking boot cast and told me that I still might need to have surgury in the future. I was in the boot cast until September and then wore only orthopedic running shoes until December of that year.

I haven't been able to wear heals, don't trust my foot to move properly if I have to run across the street, and I have definite aches when it is about to rain or it is cold. I am pretty good though! I can walk and I've been going to the gym, on the olyptical. Everyday life is good without having the surgery. If I am standing or walking for a long time, my foot hurts. I do think I have arthritis in my foot. It is VERY stiff in the morning and it is hard to walk down the stairs. I think the shape of my foot changed as it is hard to find shoes that fit my high instep. I don't know if having surgery would have been better - I've heard horror stories from that too. It's obviously not better even after 3 and a 1/2 years but I'm not sure having surgery now is the best option either. Fusing bones together seems pretty drastic and I DO NOT want to spend another 3-4 months in a non-weight bearing cast!!! THAT was horrible. (I got good biceps though!)

There are very few posts out there with people who haven't had the surgury, so I thought I'd tell my story. Hope it helps. If you have any advice for me I'd also appreciate it!

15 yrs ago I sustained a lisfrank fracture to my right foot. Luckily I live close to the Cleveland Clinic and the surgeon I had did a great
job. As far as pain goes, you will always have it. I am at the point now where I have no cartilage left in the foot at the lisfrank joint and I will need to have it fused. I was non weight bearing for 4 to 5 months after the initial surgery 15 yrs ago. I was told that it will be about the same this time around. Recovery was easier back then, being in my 20's and no kids, now I am older with a family and I am on the go constantly. I have a very high pain tolerance due to the fact that 90% of the prescribed narcotics have no effect on my body. I get very "wired" like drinking a few pots of coffee all at once, they do nothing for pain for me just cause me to be wide awake. I am not looking foward to the surgery for the fact of having all the pain and nothing to make is go away. I was told by the surgoen that after the fusion is done, it will get rid of about 90% of the everyday pain I have. I am very active, I play softball, paintball, golf basketball ect... I was told after the fusion that running is not advised. Of all that have had this done, what is the pain like after it is done? Does it truely reduce the daily pain by 90%?? Will running be out of the question??

fractured lisfranc and cant believe the extent or the time involved to heal this injury. this is truly life changing and no one seems to understand that the foot has the finest bones in the body. think chicken bones and that is the idea. my question is does anyone have rehab info for therapy to increase mobility?

I had surgery 1 year ago, - 5 screws in my left foot.  I totally obeyed Dr.'s orders for all 6 months of the post-surgery, and now I can walk for short periods with no problem (in lace - up boots or sneakers) - I'm afraid to try any other type of shoe.  Lots of Iburophen, I'm doing OK, but will never be quite the same.  The time off my foot was some of the worst time of my life.  Good luck and stay off the foot until it's healed. That's the best you can do for yourself. The hardest part is how people don't understand that it's not like a regular bone break that heals in a few weeks - I think people decide you are complaining or being a baby; I just wish everyone understood this injury.  My job performance suffered last year, but I'm pretty much back to 90% at work.  Good luck to you all!

I broke my right foot 8 years ago did not have surgery cause doc said I spider webed my bones and screws wouldn't hold .....after a year and half of terrible pain it started to ease and return to some what normal .....two years ago I broke my left foot pretty bad had two screws and two pins put in and I can still barley walk and suffer from extreme pain daily doc told me I needed a fusion surgery now but I'm just about done with surgery . Doc even said fusion surgery might not help ...so if I had to do it again I would not have done surgery to left foot

Mine happened 15 years ago. No issues until recently. Noticing bones shifting in foot now.

I am 2 years post-op and have the same opposite knee pain. Injuries were the result of a car accident but the opposite knee pain has gotten markedly worse.

I had a Lisfranc injury over a year and a half ago and it took six months to have surgery. During the six months before I had surgery, I got a little better but still was barely able to bare weight. I had six screws placed in my foot, I was non-weight-bearing for 3 1/2 months in a cast and then a boot. I'm now one year out of surgery and remarkably better. I still have pain and my foot still swells but there are times when I don't even remember that it was hurt. I think it's not realistic to expect pre-injury form. Our feet will never be the same. But I look back at where I was before I had surgery and I am so glad that I did have surgery. I'm able to get up and walk across the room. I'm able to stand on my feet. Stiffness and pain after sitting is the new norm. My foot still swells every day. I can't fit into my old shoes yet. But I'm going to have a positive attitude and remember where I came from with this injury. I remember sitting in a cast just hoping and wishing and wondering if I'd ever be able to walk across the room again and now I can. I did have some complications and had bone removed. I've also had my screws removed, but I still remain positive. I'm able to walk. That's the whole point, I can walk!!

I had my lisfranc injury in 2005 but it wasn’t diagnosed until more than a year later. I’ve had 3 surgeries since then. In December 2006, December 2013 and July 2014. My pain has never gone away! I’m still having significant issues with my foot. The ball of my foot hurts constantly when I walk and the top mid foot always hurts. My foot looks deformed. I’m very discouraged! I’m seeing my surgeon next week, November 2, 2017. I’m VERY opposed to another surgery but I don’t know if I’ll have any options. My surgeon is a foot and ankle specialist at University of North Carolina Orthopedics. This is a terrible injury!

Yes funny you should mention that! All of my screws and plate are only around the lis franc fractures, but I do get pain underneath my lateral foot too now since the surgery. I am 2 years post fusion. One physio suspected weak ligaments from the injury, so the metatarsal heads 'drop' causing pain on weight bearing. Haven't found a solution yet.

Hi
I had a lisfranc injury wakeboarding 2 1/2 years ago, torn tendon from the bone disloged the 1st metatarsal at the midfoot not as extreme as some people ..thank god! However if it wasnt for my partner( a work friend suggested i look up my symtoms) I would have a had a mis diagnosis and would have been off work for more than the six months! the story: was up the dam wakeboarding stacked it extreme pain didnt want to ruin our families easter weekend so put up with it sat aroud drove the boat for everyone and could move on it at all we were camping at the time...2 days later went to emergency at the hospital doctors gave me and xray couldnt see anything told me to come back when swelling went down 2 weeks after in that time I researched and found it needed to be a load bearing xray went back 2 weeks later doctors said "couldnt see anything wrong well put you in a moon boot for 6 weeks come back then....." I said '' are you sure its not a Lisfranc injury as I have read it needs to be a load bearing Xray to determine" ..he then went to confer with a another doctor cam back and said '' well get a load bearing Xray ''. Got that done yep Lis franc injury scheduled surgery asap! I researched everything about a Lisfranc injury past problems plate breakages screw sizes recovery periods post problems etc..
Among other mis information I had from another doctor my foot still swells a little bit on long drives or flights and dont laugh..alcohol specifically red wine or port makes my foot swell dramatically also heavy leg workout my foot becomes achy as well. At work my foot is in a workboot all day 12hrs and its fine no swelling at all if Im on break for a week and go to put my foot back in the same boot its a tight fit..so at the moment Im trying to find out why it still swells after 2 years.... Im sorry if I got off track but my point is
Get as much information and educate yourself as much as you can get 2 or 3 opinions dont settle for 1 its your body and your decision. Workout the pros and cons I personally am glad I had the surgery the screws and plates are out now I can do everything I did before, if I didnt have the surgery I think it would be still a big problem more than just some swelling and aches.. I also think you definately will have arthritis later cold weather makes it worse too, warm climate works well for me. I hope this helps good luck .

My doctor told me i had to have the surgery due to Lisfranc fracture otherwise i wouldn't be able to walk properly and the midfoot would collapse. Had the surgery its about 18 months at least i can definitely walk, it does get sometimes painful, but i watch what i do and am careful, luckiy I can work from home. I would not want to go back in and have another surgery, unless it is absolutely necessary. I think you need to be careful but get a second opinion, you need to be able to walk again but the foot will never be exactly the same again.