I had a fifth metarsal break and my foot on that side became very swollen and extremely painfu. I went to a podiatrist and he put a cast on it for two weeks. The cast came off and foot felt normal. X-ray showed it had started to heal. Then he put a cam cast (or cam walker) on me. I took three steps with that - it threw my sacroiliac way out - and my hip has not stopped popping when I walk. I took off the cam cast immediately and went without it on vacation. When I came back, I had follow up with doctor. My foot felt wonderful so I was very surprised when he said the break had doubled in size and we would have to do surgery and then I could not walk on it for 3 - 4 months. Now - mind you - the opposite hip had been severely damaged by a car accident and remember - my SI joint was now out of wack. How I was supposed to get around was beyond me as I knew my hip would not support me. I could barely walk when I had both feet.
So - thought I would try a different podiatrist. Wonders!!!! He put a shoe of some sorts on my foot (surgical shoe maybe?). Sort of looks like a sandal. Pads were put in the shoe so to keep weight off tha fifth metatarsal as much as possible. Then I had something he called a Bone Stim (something about electric magnetic pulses or some such) and I had to use it 10 hours a day. Not a big deal as I could sit and work on the computer, watch TV or sleep. I was not to walk at all without that special shoe I had. It took about four - five months -- but I just received a clean bill of healed foot!! And no surgery!
The bone stim does NOT hurt - I would say you can't even feel it. It sure is expensive but I am hoping my insurance will pick up most - if not all - of it. They have just asked for x-rays showing if my foot has healed -- and also a letter of medical necessity.
But yes - you must go to a podiatrist -- but you also might want to try more than one just for a second opinion. That is what I did and I am so glad I did. |
