Tendonitis from a 5th metatarsal head fracture

by Adam
(GuangZhou, Chnia)

Hi, Joshua. I'm from China, and I got this pain on my right foot for so long (17months) which really makes frustrated. So I came to the internet searching for help, and I got your website, and I thought maybe you can help me. Here is my situation of my injury: First, in 2003 I hurt my right foot during playing badminton, on the 5th metatarsal head. I jumped to hit the badminton, and when I came down, I reached the ground with the 5th metatarsal head first.

But that was my first time of this part getting injured, so I didn't really take any treatment, and it got recovered in 3 months.

So I don't know if there was a fracture or not. My foot was swelling, and it really hurt, I barely can walk for that 3 months, but as I said I didn't need any treatment to get recovered. I remember I did have some pills, but that's all.

And then, in May-2009, during the regular jogging--I did that every morning, I felt my 5th metatarsal head started to hurt, the pain was a real sharp one, like a pin pricking that spot. But I didn't take that serious, I just thought maybe I need to stop running for a couple of days, then the pain would just gone. I just did that--rest for almost a month , but the pain was still there, yet not that intense. So I made a decision----which turned out a really bad idea---continue my exercise, so after one and a half months with exercises, the pain became more serious. And I have to stop exercising and went to see a Doctor. And of course I took an X-ray examination , which was negative----that was that Doctor said, and later it turned out he was wrong. But anyway, it made me thought it was not a bone-broken case, so I didn't pay much attention on it. But I did have a long time rest, I think it was a whole month that I almost stayed on the bed.

And I did feel much better, yet unfortunately I had a work to do, so I started to walk again(the time is around October 8th in 2009).
But after a month working, the pain became worse again, so this time I went to see another Doctor, and I also got the same result that no fracture on my foot----later I figured out that maybe because the fracture was too small and the Doctors that I saw before were not experienced enough---but anyway, I trusted this new Doctor again, and didn't take any bone-broken treatment, just a normal rest. And after 2 months my sick leave was over,so I had to back to work again.

And I went back to my company, managed to work for a week, then I decided to take another sick leave, because I knew I was not ready to work. And this time I went to a bigger hospital, and I got a new X-ray examination, and that Doctor told me there was a tiny small fracture on the base of the 5th metatarsal head. But the problem is it was too long, so it was not easy to get recovered. And I also thought that since I didn't get the right treatment for that long, maybe there would be many other collateral injuries.

But I'm not sure, and the Doctor he didn't take that seriously, so I just got some herbs medicine from him and came back to rest.

And in May of this year(2010), my sick leave was over again. So I have to go back to work, and this time I managed to work for a whole month. But again, I noticed that my foot is really really in a serious condition, so I decided to quit my job to let my foot have a good rest, and that was in July.

So since July (it's 4 months already), I've been just resting my foot. And I do see a little progress, but I still have this serious pain that stops me walking normally.

And I started to think that maybe I got some other problems, like the tendonitis.

So here I am.

My symptom is:
The pain is not obvious when I lay down, sometimes I feel my right foot just like a good one.

But when I try to walk, then the pain comes, and the swelling as well. But after a night sleep, all the pain or swelling seems just gone(I mean not completely, but it will feel much better than last evening)

And I attached some pictures to illustrated the position of my injury.

(note:they are not my foot, just a illustration for my injury position)

(in the pain zone 3 picture, that squeeze is exactly the way that can tset my pain)

Sorry, I know it's a long stroy, but I just want make it as detail as I can, I think that will help you to understand my condition much easier.

Expecting your answer


Adam
China



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Joshua Answers:

Hello Adam. No, the more details the better.

So I'm curious if it's a case where everytime you step on your foot you re-irritate the fracture and keep it from healing, combined with nutritional deficiency that keeps your bones from being able to heal.

Due to the Pain Causing Dynamic that was already in place before you landed and felt the pain the first time, you definitely have a raging pain causing dynamic now. Muscles are tight, connective tissue has been shrinking down, the nervous system is freaked out and the Process of Inflammation is pumping pain enhancing chemicals into your tissue.

And the second you put weight on the bony structure of your foot, that spot gets extra force placed upon it that muscles should be shock absorbing but aren't.

Maybe you have actual Tendonitis, maybe not. But something's causing you pain.

See: What Is Tendonitis?

1. You need to get all that pain enhancing chemical out of the tissue. So learn How To Reduce Inflammation.


2. Make sure your bones have everything they need to heal. Probably you get enough calcium form your diet, but it's just as probable that you aren't getting enough Vitamin D and Magnesium, and possibly Vitamin B6.

B6 is required to utilize Magnesium. Magnesium and Vitamin D are required to utilize Calcium.

I'm curious what your Vitamin D level is.


3. If you rub your foot, what does it feel like? Are the muscles tight and sore? Is that spot of fracture painful if you press on it, or near it, or?





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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com