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April, 2025

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Double Avulsion Fracture

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Rparr
Posts: 5748 - Karma: 49,000
Hey Newschoolers, long time lurker here.

I broke my right fifth metatarsal on my foot in two places when I twisted my ankle outward pretty badly last thursday night. Two avulsion fractures. The ligaments/tendons that run across this bone became separated upwards from the bone due to the twisting, causing small bone fragments to rip out with them. I have two chip fractures, essentially.

I'm unsure of the severity. I'm in an aircast on crutches, not even a full cast. No surgery or pins. They didn't tell me much in the E.R. I would like to know if the chips simply separated from the bone and will grow back into the bone easily or if the chips came farther out/possibly need removed. I'm seeing an orthopedic surgeon very soon and will hopefully find out more. Walking seems like a distant prospect at the moment.

I'm wondering if any of you guys here have suffered an avulsion fracture on the foot before, I haven't found much useful information on the internet about avulsion fractures in the foot, and especially what kind of a downtime I am looking at for skiing. My season's obviously done, but I don't know how much I will be able to ski on my setup over the summer with this foot.

Any avulsion fracture experiences? Thanks
12 years ago
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1439 - Karma: 1,270
I broke my fifth metatarsal in June 2011 by twisting my ankle as well. It happened on the first play of a basketball game and I ended up playing the whole game thinking it was just a bad ankle sprain.

I didn't have bone chips though. My tendon that runs along the side came separated from the bone and snapped back into place. The snapping of the tendon was extreme enough to fracture the bone.

I was out for about 7 weeks. No surgery or pins or anything but pretty much had to wait for it to heal. Didn't try to push it as it was the first time I ever broke a bone so I just let it heal.

Sorry I can't be more helpful regarding an avulsion fracture. Sounds like they will leave the chips in there until they cause you enough of a problem to have to get them removed?
12 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
what sucks about feet is there's usually not much that can be done about injuries in them. if the bone fragments aren't touching during the healing process then I don't think they'll attach back on. I'm not sure whether a few fragments in your foot is worth taking out though, so they might just leave them in and I doubt you'll notice much difference once it's all healed up again.
12 years ago
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teamdummy
Posts: 1189 - Karma: 2,607
In 1998 I shattered 1 - 4 metatarsals in 22 breaks and fractures racing motocross. I wrecked and the bike landed on my right foot. I ended up with a stainless steel plate and 6 screws to put meta #1 back together. And two more pins down the centers of 2 and 3. #4 was just fractured and left to heal itself. This happened in august and I was in a cast just past halloween. But by christmas I was skiing. Granted those were the days before rails and parks.....but I was skiing moguls and such pretty comfortably. Knock on wood, to this day i have zero pain or complications from that accident. I think this season in shot for you but im sure by summer you should be good. Once bones heal up good, you're usually good to go. Hope that helps at all?
12 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5748 - Karma: 49,000
Holy hell, that sounds gruesome. Gives me some hope considering that's about twenty times worse than what I've done to myself.

How strange did skiing feel at first? I'm very worried It will take me some time to get my skiing back up to par where it was before I fucked my foot. I'm talking calcium and drinking a shit ton of milk until I find out more. Thanks.
12 years ago
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teamdummy
Posts: 1189 - Karma: 2,607
The funny thing was my ski boots actually felt quite nice because your foot is pretty much immobile in the boot. Sort of Iike wearing a cast. I couldnt jog or play soccer but I could ski just fine. I think skiing helped my overall recovery because I was able to be active during the final healing process. I think youll be back to 100 percent by next winter.
12 years ago
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Shza.
Posts: 425 - Karma: 92
Good luck with the healing, OP. Luckily, when you are able to ski again, it probably won't cause too much complications due to the fact that your foot is pretty secure in the ski boot.

Vibes!
12 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5748 - Karma: 49,000
Confirmed morons at the E.R

Went to sports medicine today for my first follow up, they told me I had the avulsion fractures on two totally different bones than the E.R did. They're apparently on my talus and navicular. The chips are small enough to leave in, they said.

I'm now in a walking boot and already making progress, I can walk on crutches!

Thanks for all the input guys.
12 years ago
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freestyler540
Posts: 13226 - Karma: 20,344
Stay off your feet and wait it out. Stay stoked on skiing man!
12 years ago
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TK.
Posts: 268 - Karma: 220
I broke my 1st metatarsal at the growth plate last a couple years ago and they put me in a full cast for 4 weeks and when i went to get it off they put me in another cast for 4 more weeks
12 years ago
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