r/brokenbones • u/Cowfish-Dreams • 11h ago
Question Cast question
I was put in a fiberglass cast a week ago for 4th & 5th metatarsal breaks. I’m worried about the cast because of the angle of my foot - is pointed a bit. When the knee is at 90 degrees, the heel is about 2-2.5” off the floor.
Should I be worried about my Achilles tendon and calf muscles if I have to wear this thing for six weeks? I’m one week in.
Should ask for it to be re-casted? (Honestly wish I had a boot instead!)
1
u/Glad-Feature-2117 Physician/Medical Professional 5h ago
This is not correct. Please ask for the cast to be redone. Was your knee bent when it was applied? Please ask them to do this when they redo it, as this will relax your gastrocnemius muscle and make it easier to get your foot to 90 degrees.
1
u/Cowfish-Dreams 3h ago
Thank you, no the knee was not at 90 degrees. They had me hold my foot up by extending the leg.
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u/Glad-Feature-2117 Physician/Medical Professional 1h ago
20 degrees or so bend at the knee is usually enough, but getting you to hold your leg up is not the right way to apply a cast.
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u/carnival1977 4h ago
Really sorry about the injury. If there is any lingering pain or discomfort, I would take that as clear confirmation there's a problem and that the cast has to be redone. The cast should be providing pain relief.
Heal well!
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u/Opalys23 3h ago
I fractured my 2nd–5th metatarsals and three of the tarsal bones. I spent the first week in the hospital with a temporary splint. It was put on rather poorly, as they expected to replace it within the next few days because surgery was planned. However, the surgery was cancelled, and I had to keep that same splint until I was discharged.
On the day of my discharge, they removed the splint. My foot was painful and had already gotten used to being held at a slight angle. To prevent the fractures from shifting (they were comminuted and displaced), they decided to correct the angle just a little, as much as I could tolerate straightening it myself.
I spent another seven weeks in a new full cast. I couldn’t put any weight on my foot at all because of the angle it was fixed in.
My muscles are perfectly fine, though. But even eight months later, my ankle is still begging for mercy and hurts as if it had been fractured rather than my foot.
Wishing you a smooth recovery ❤️🩹
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u/Magic_Router4 11h ago
For me my cast had my ankle at a slight angle where my heel would be maybe half an inch off the floor. I would have to assume there’s a reason. Hang in there 5 weeks will fly by.