Hello, I wrote a while ago, then my computer crashed! So I am writing now a new topic due to my NOT having surgery for my Lisfranc injury. Let me start at the beginning... I fell, in early june 2006, down my back steps. My foot rolled and I collapsed, ever so gracefully, i had a great dr. in the urgent care who pointed out the injury and sent me to an orthopedic dr. The orthopedic did not diagnose it at first, but i pointed it out to him and then he sent me on to a podiatrist specializing in sports injuries. She informed me that due to my injury(dislocation) being just under1.8mm I did not need surgery. she said surgery is reccommended for dislocations of 2mm or more.
Well, I wore a cast for just under 11weeks, 5 non-weight baring, and 6 gradually inceasing the weight I put on it. Durring that time I had my cast changed 3 times and x-rays taken (3 views, flat, side, and kind of twisted) each time the cast was removed. I then wore the immobilization boot for three weeks, 2 weeks at all times and 1 wee only if I was going to be on my feet for a long period of time.
So, here I am 16 weeks later and I am in quite a bit of pain. I can only wear shoes with good arch support, my foot swells to an incredible size at the end of the day, and I had to buy all new shoes to fit my noe 1 1/2 size bigger foot. I am just beginning physical therapy for turning my bad foot outward when I walk, a bad habbit I formed when trying to keep from bumping it when it was so tender.
Get to the question you say... well I was wondering if there is anyone out there in my predicament? What is the prognosis? my dr tells me it will be at least a year before I will know how well my foot heals....AARGHHHHH!
Well, I wore a cast for just under 11weeks, 5 non-weight baring, and 6 gradually inceasing the weight I put on it. Durring that time I had my cast changed 3 times and x-rays taken (3 views, flat, side, and kind of twisted) each time the cast was removed. I then wore the immobilization boot for three weeks, 2 weeks at all times and 1 wee only if I was going to be on my feet for a long period of time.
So, here I am 16 weeks later and I am in quite a bit of pain. I can only wear shoes with good arch support, my foot swells to an incredible size at the end of the day, and I had to buy all new shoes to fit my noe 1 1/2 size bigger foot. I am just beginning physical therapy for turning my bad foot outward when I walk, a bad habbit I formed when trying to keep from bumping it when it was so tender.
Get to the question you say... well I was wondering if there is anyone out there in my predicament? What is the prognosis? my dr tells me it will be at least a year before I will know how well my foot heals....AARGHHHHH!
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Welcome to the Lisfranc club! Follow these links for a lot of information. The first link is 14 pages full of information and the second link is because the first link got too full.
Some weblinks state that only 1 out of 55,000 persons present with a lisfranc injury so we're a rare breed.
https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/lisfranc-foot&name=LISFRANC_FOOT&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/lisfranc-foot-fracture-thread-part-ii
Kelly
Some weblinks state that only 1 out of 55,000 persons present with a lisfranc injury so we're a rare breed.
https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/lisfranc-foot&name=LISFRANC_FOOT&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
https://www.steadyhealth.com/topics/lisfranc-foot-fracture-thread-part-ii
Kelly
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I hurt my foot August 28.2008. Thought it was gout but 11 weeks later I was xrayed and diagnosed with an obvious Lisfranc dislocation. After reading about the horrible surgery I will not even consider it. I have almost no pain now and just the slightest limp. No way I'm letting someone HACK into me! I had "orthopaedic surgery" on my little finger years ago for a bad sprain. After surgery the joint was PARALYZED at 90d egrees and very ugly for life. I wont do that again for some money hungry surgeon who likes cutting people.
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It's nice to see that there is actually another person who has the same injury with no surgery..
I broke all my metatarsals, the cuboid, and my 3 middle tarsals playing rugby August 2007. I had a lis franc injury but I went to a doctor that specialized in Lis Franc in Boston and he said I should try my best to heal without surgery. I was in a cast from August 28th-January 1st, then a walking cast for 3 months. I have arthritis in my foot and lots of hip pain from the way I limped (and tried to drive with my left foot..) And muscle atrophy. Not to mention I gained 50 pounds. UGH. Well, I still have pain, two years later, every single day. I can't run for more then small increments at a time, it is weak and painful, which sucks because I was a very athletic person.
It's hard to say if it will ever get better because it's hard to find someone with the same injury who didn't have to get surgery. How is your injury now?
-Liz
I broke all my metatarsals, the cuboid, and my 3 middle tarsals playing rugby August 2007. I had a lis franc injury but I went to a doctor that specialized in Lis Franc in Boston and he said I should try my best to heal without surgery. I was in a cast from August 28th-January 1st, then a walking cast for 3 months. I have arthritis in my foot and lots of hip pain from the way I limped (and tried to drive with my left foot..) And muscle atrophy. Not to mention I gained 50 pounds. UGH. Well, I still have pain, two years later, every single day. I can't run for more then small increments at a time, it is weak and painful, which sucks because I was a very athletic person.
It's hard to say if it will ever get better because it's hard to find someone with the same injury who didn't have to get surgery. How is your injury now?
-Liz
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I am 61 years old and have a lisfranc dislocation and 3 non-union fractures since 4/07. I was against surgery and was in a cast, non weight bearing for 8 weeks. My pain level is about a 2 and I do not limp or have any restrictions. I'm glad I never had the bone fusuion surgery that was recommended by 2 doctors from NY.
Jz
Jz
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JR
Did you really wear the cast boot for 8 weeks? You noted that you had a lisfranc without surgery and still able to walk without a limp. I had the same injury without surgery but I'm on my 6th week and for some reason, I can't fully weightbear. It's still painful when I try to put weight on it so I'm not even going to force the issue. My question is do you think it's too early to try to walk on it or I should really wait the 6 to 8 week duration to do strengthning exercises?
Any suggestions would be very helpful...
Rommel
Did you really wear the cast boot for 8 weeks? You noted that you had a lisfranc without surgery and still able to walk without a limp. I had the same injury without surgery but I'm on my 6th week and for some reason, I can't fully weightbear. It's still painful when I try to put weight on it so I'm not even going to force the issue. My question is do you think it's too early to try to walk on it or I should really wait the 6 to 8 week duration to do strengthning exercises?
Any suggestions would be very helpful...
Rommel
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JR, I also am in the sixth week of a non-displaced lisfranc injury. Have a surgeon who I trust and who did weight-bearing X-Rays with different views to confirm that this is a stable injury (i.e. no dislocation). The foot still feels sore but I feel there is improvement every day (I am learning to be very patient:-) and despite a strenuous job and meetings with clients I intend to not weight bear until the doctor allows me to. Also, I feel like the pain in your foot is an indication if it is the right time to start bearing weight. From all I've read there is no upside in bypassing the surgeon's instructions as the ligaments need time to heal to hold the bones together. Also, due to low blood circulation in the foot, it seems that the healing time in bone fractures and foot ligaments vary and it is tough to estimate early on. Thus far I've found the Chinese medicine Zheng Gu Shui Liniment to help with pain and I think it helps fractures heal faster as well as help blood circulation which helps the ligaments to heal. You can order it from Amazon, it is all based on natural Chinese ingredients. Hope this helps you relieve some of the pain and I am hopeful for successful and fast recovery for you. Cheers.
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Rommel, previous email was supposed to be for you, sorry mixed the names. I hope you are doing better every day!
I also am in the same situation. I am in the 7th week of Lisfranc injury, no surgery. No dislocation fortunately (!), partially torn plantar lisfranc ligament, and non-displaced fracture on 4th metatarsal, cuboid, and medial cuneiform. Went to the ortho surgeon this week - 3rd set of XRay to confirm that injury is still stable and healing. He recommended I start putting weight with the booth as pain tolerates (said "we've been very conservative with 6 weeks non-weight bearing), but it still feels like the fractures have not healed because the places where the fractures are still hurt. Plus the metatarsals and the lisfranc bones feel very fragile although improving every day. Doctor said don't go anywhere w/o the crutches but start slowly weight bearing - slight discomfort is fine but no sharp pains should be allowed. I tried full weight bearing, it was fine for the first couple of hours and then the pain from the fractures told me to reduce the level of weight bearing. I decided to do something like 30% partial weight bearing this week, 60% next week and 100% the week after if the pain level allows it. Doctor wants to see me in 3 weeks and to put me in sneakers then with L400 (Lynco) Shoe Support (~$60 roughly) for a month or so depending on progress then. Also, he prescribed physical therapy. I found someone who has seen and worked on this type of injuries before and will see her next week. PT should be without any weight bearing outside of the booth. I asked about swimming, he had a smile of discomfort and said let's wait and in 3 weeks we will decide. Also taking bone supplements and anti-inflammatory supplements prescribed by my accunctorist in the hope that this will boost the immune system. It definitely is a slow process and I am trying to keep the patience and good spirits at all times. This is especially challenging for someone who is very athletic and has a busy life. I prey for all affected by this injury and trust that with time, patience and good care the body helps itself heal especially if there is the benefit of early diagnosis and proper treatment for the ligaments to heal. Good luck.
I also am in the same situation. I am in the 7th week of Lisfranc injury, no surgery. No dislocation fortunately (!), partially torn plantar lisfranc ligament, and non-displaced fracture on 4th metatarsal, cuboid, and medial cuneiform. Went to the ortho surgeon this week - 3rd set of XRay to confirm that injury is still stable and healing. He recommended I start putting weight with the booth as pain tolerates (said "we've been very conservative with 6 weeks non-weight bearing), but it still feels like the fractures have not healed because the places where the fractures are still hurt. Plus the metatarsals and the lisfranc bones feel very fragile although improving every day. Doctor said don't go anywhere w/o the crutches but start slowly weight bearing - slight discomfort is fine but no sharp pains should be allowed. I tried full weight bearing, it was fine for the first couple of hours and then the pain from the fractures told me to reduce the level of weight bearing. I decided to do something like 30% partial weight bearing this week, 60% next week and 100% the week after if the pain level allows it. Doctor wants to see me in 3 weeks and to put me in sneakers then with L400 (Lynco) Shoe Support (~$60 roughly) for a month or so depending on progress then. Also, he prescribed physical therapy. I found someone who has seen and worked on this type of injuries before and will see her next week. PT should be without any weight bearing outside of the booth. I asked about swimming, he had a smile of discomfort and said let's wait and in 3 weeks we will decide. Also taking bone supplements and anti-inflammatory supplements prescribed by my accunctorist in the hope that this will boost the immune system. It definitely is a slow process and I am trying to keep the patience and good spirits at all times. This is especially challenging for someone who is very athletic and has a busy life. I prey for all affected by this injury and trust that with time, patience and good care the body helps itself heal especially if there is the benefit of early diagnosis and proper treatment for the ligaments to heal. Good luck.
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Wow! Sounds like your orthopedic doctor is following up on you pretty good. How's your weightbearing status? Do you feel like your foot is torn into pieces when you try to put pressure on it? Sharp pains? Well, I started weightbearing last week with my air cast boot. I'm able to walk on it but I had to put an extra ankle support inside the boot to help with the swelling on the ankles. Now, I'm trying on regular shoes with the ankle support and I have been able to walk on it with minimize pain. The only problem is I'm walking with a limp. I'm not putting too much pressure when stepping off but damn, I can still feel pain. At least you're seeing your doctor quite frequently. I'm not going to see mine until the end of the month and my employer is planning on sending me back to work with modified duties. I would like to be able to just walk normally and return to my normal activity. I'm active as well so this injury really puts a halt on all outdoor activities. Hope your recovery is going well. It's nice to know that someone out there is in the same boat...
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Bluer126, glad to hear you are progressing albeit at a slow pace. From what I've read it does not seem unusual so hope you can keep your spirits elevated. I know it is tough but this should get better with time, I hope. My walking in the booth is not pain free (and this is week 7 since injury). I think where it hurts most is where the fractures are (were) - close to the base of the 4th metatarsal. Also, the first metatarsal is very sensitive and feels wounded since this is where I landed. Silly me, but last night I discovered that I was not inflating both sides of the booth which was causing more pain than it should. Fixed that issue and am slowly trying to put some weight on it as pain allows. I still have the feeling that I could hurt the foot with walking, i.e. the pain is unleasant like "don't walk on it with full weight for now" - dull pain with potential for sharp pain if I push. Think I will go with the crutches to balance for now to make sure walking is pain free. This just does not seem like something you can walk off. A friend who is a cardiac surgeon said that I should try walking with the crutches first without pain in the mornings and allow the foot to rest in the afternoon - again should be pain free (perhaps only minimal discomfort). Granted, she is not a foot surgeon but conservative enough to know the right treatment. I know it is really tough with work, I am working from the office mostly these days and wish I did not have to show up with crutches every day but I try to remember that if you are healthy your work will get the benefit from your efforts in the best way so try to heal first before rushing it. As far as seeing the doctor, it seems that this treatment requires baby steps and you see the doctor once you've allowed enough time for healing. I go there with questions and try to ask them all. Also, it is important to see a good ortho surgeon who has reputation for treating lisfranc injuries given how rare these seem to be (it is not true that surgeons want to just operate on you). Did you have fractures or a partially torn lisfranc ligament? Your ankle seems to swell which is a bit different so I wonder if you have affected the ankle as well in the injury? How long are you in the booth for since non-weight bearing?
As to outdoor activities, they are out for now but I try to see friends for brunch, see movies, as well as do dinners outside. This helps me stay positive and enjoy the world outside of work these days. I am hopefull that you will see changes over the next few weeks and months as your foot heels!
As to outdoor activities, they are out for now but I try to see friends for brunch, see movies, as well as do dinners outside. This helps me stay positive and enjoy the world outside of work these days. I am hopefull that you will see changes over the next few weeks and months as your foot heels!
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My lisfranc fracture is more of a ligament tear between the first and second metatarsal. There are small bits of bones on the second cuneiform that came off but everything lines up from the 2nd to 5th metatarsals I was in the boot for a good 4 weeks until I started putting weight on it. Feather weightbearing just to see how the pain would go when I tried to stand up. I would suggest using the crutches with the boot. It helped me a lot when I tried walking. It was depressing in the beginning but it got better after the 5th week after I was able to put weight on it for two steps. Right now, I'm trying to keep positive. I just bought a house and got injured a week after so I need to go back to work. I'm a nurse so thankfully we have good sick leave benefits. Goodluck on the recovery. Until the next step.....
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Thank you Bluer126. Glad that you are starting to feel more stable walking. It does better week-by-week although I think it is tough to see the progress on a daily basis. I am gratefull to my husband who is here to calm my anxiety and reminds me that it is a slow process but will heal eventually. I hope you have access to good ortho surgeon in your hospital to check on you and guide your recovery! Wanted to mention that Zheng Gu Shui really helps me with the pain ($7 if you order online from amazon) and I read somewhere that Castor Oil ($10 for 32 OZ bottle) helps the ligaments and other tissue heal so have ordered from amazon to try overnight bandages. Sending you my best wishes for solid recovery and please take it easy while your ligaments strenghten!
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how bad was your injury, they said mine is complex and i sure don't want surgery. i am 76 and would not be able to live in my house if i couldn't put any weight on my foot for over 9 weeks..
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How is your foot doing now? My son 16 has a very similar injury from soccer misdiagnosed for 3 months and now looking at manipulation under live xray to see if screw is needed to stabilize. looking at having it done next Friday 25 JAn 2013 very nervous mom whose decisions are going to affect the rest of his life.
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hi i'm 65 and fractured 4 bones in lisfranc. been in boot for 5 weeks and now in a hard cast for 4. going back monday to see whats happening. it happens to be my right foot so driving is out of the question. does anyone know the next step when i go see the dr. and when do you think i can drive.
going crazy
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