Surgery for Jones Fracture, Zone III fifth metatarsal fracture

[Rod Hagen]

Anyone have any experience with this surgery?  Recovery time?  According to this article, the patients were non-weight bearing on the injured foot for two weeks only post-surgery, was that your experience?  Anything else you have to share.  Asking for a friend.   THANKS!

Zone II and III fifth metatarsal fractures in athletes - PMC

WWW.NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV

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This study aimed to review indications, complications, and outcomes of zone II and III fifth metatarsal fractures based on recent literature.High rates of nonunion...

 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Rod Hagen

[+ nycman]

7 hours ago, Rod Hagen said:

Asking for a friend

I’m assuming your friend is a "high level" athlete or has had
nonunion and/or repeated fractures at the site?
Otherwise, I believe surgery isn’t indicated for these fractures. 
With a screw in place weight bearing at 1-2 weeks seems reasonable, 
but keep in mind they won’t be hiking mountains for a month or two.
 
I don’t know much more than that. I wish your friend the best. 
Unfortunately, foot fractures and foot surgery suck. 

 

[Rod Hagen]

2 hours ago, nycman said:

I’m assuming your friend is a "high level" athlete or has had
nonunion and/or repeated fractures at the site?
Otherwise, I believe surgery isn’t indicated for these fractures. 
With a screw in place weight bearing at 1-2 weeks seems reasonable, 
but keep in mind they won’t be hiking mountains for a month or two.
 
I don’t know much more than that. I wish your friend the best. 
Unfortunately, foot fractures and foot surgery suck. 

 

Surgery is recommended in his case, though I don't remember why.  I know Zone 3 is the most complicate place for this kind of fracture.  Anyway, we are hoping for just 2 weeks until he's weight-bearing (in a boot/Aircast).  Thank you.

They do suck.  11 years ago I shattered my calcaneus rock climbing and had an ORIF, ten pins, two plates and was off my foot for almost two months, and then only partial weight bering for some time afterward.

[Rod Hagen]

I'll tell you all what HIS experience with this was, and then briefly go into what it is for others.

The week before surgery he was non weight bearing and got around on a knee scooter.  After the surgery where a pin was put in, he was to stay home for two weeks, keep the foot elevated, and be non weight bearing using a knee scooter around the house.  He was in a hard splint, similar to a cast.  After two weeks they removed the splint, put him in a boot.  Initially he was only to use crutches outside his house, as he was returning to work then, and to walk carefully at home without the crutches as tolerated.  But, seeing how unstable he was on crutches, they switched to a walker all the time, at home and outside home, using the boot, for two weeks.  After those two weeks he was able to use the boot without the walker for two weeks, then switch to orthotic shoe for two weeks, and then, now, begin walking in regular shoes.    He should be able to drive next week.  That was his experience.  He needed two knee walkers (scooter), one for outside the apartment and one for inside the apartment, two walkers, one for outside and one for inside, two Boots, one for outside one for inside, and two orthotic shoes.  He needed a transfer table for the shower, side rails for the toilet, a wedge pillow for the couch and one for the bed, each one 10" high, and something that slipped under the mattress in a jerry-rigged side rail fashion to get in and out of bed safely, as well as a "couch cain".  For those two weeks post surgery, he was not allowed to shower at all, so we bough a supply of dry shampoo caps as well as shower wipes.  It's very expensive to be injured.

 

Now, his experience is not the only experience.  We read ALOT of case studies of Jone's Fracture Surgery recovery, and there are doctors who have patients on their feet, usually very athletic ones, just one week after the procedure, and we read of one surgeon, in Atlanta, who has them weight bearing the next day!  Now, both approaches make sense in their own way.  Weight-baring helps bones to heal, HOWEVER postponing weight-baring (is it bearing?) reduces the likelihood of reoccurrence down the way.  Thanks again everyone for your feedback.  

 

Oh, and yes, there are many who don't do surgery, just keep you off your feet for several weeks.  But, studies show that surgery helps reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence.

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Rod Hagen