Run-Down Forums

[Dan]

Went for a run this morning (still up in Canada), and less than a mile in, hit some unseen item on the side of the road. Felt like a curb-type dropoff, but something off in the gravel and grass. Popped the $#@! out of my ankle and I couldn't put any weight on it coming to a stop. I've had more than my share of ankle sprains (like over 100, no kidding), and I knew this one was bad... I could feel something kind of clicking down in the midfoot area, which was a bit disturbing. It happened just shy of the main intersection along that road, so there was no shortage of onlookers to offer me a ride back. Just as well, because there's no way I would've made it (I turned down the first).

In all my dozens and dozens of ankle injuries, I've never visibly swelled (swoll?) or bruised, but this one instantly popped up and felt rock hard in the area of acute pain, then got no puffier after that, which was definitely a red flag.

After icing it down for a while, I decided it needed to be checked out. Went to the local ER and was greeted by the prospect of $300 out of country fee, $150 x-ray fee, plus doctor's time. The receptionist asked me what the problem was and I told her it felt like I snapped something down at the base of the fifth metatarsal. Remember, I know injuries like no one's business... I just can't keep myself healthy.

The doctor agreed I should have it x-rayed, but was hopeful it was just a strain of the ligaments that connect there. Got the results, and sure enough, I fractured the base of the fifth metatarsal. I'm now in a fiberglass cast for the next 4-5 weeks, followed by another month or so of light load-bearing activity. Next time, I'm just going to the craft store and picking up some plaster of paris and doing it myself.

We'll see what this does to my plans of driving home on Tuesday...

Dan
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[Dan]

When I was in the waiting room beforehand, there were 4 people there sharing injury war stories. One guy had just put 3x2" nails through his knee while breaking up lumber, and has previously shattered his fibula and put an axe through his shin. When I saw how much the visit would run, I was determined to discover I could walk it off, and the guys there were all telling me there's no way I could put any [assisted] weight on it if it were broken as I feared. I didn't have any luck explaining the concept of big bones and small bones...

Man, this vacation has been quite the week for health ... started with vomiting from something I ate, half a day of quad cramping from the drive up, then introduced a bout of neck spasms, and now a broken foot. We joked that at least I hadn't burnt the new house down yet, but I did manage to freakily light a frying pan on fire last night while preheating. I've never seen olive oil spontaneously combust into foot-high flames before. With luck like this, maybe it's best I stay off the road for a few days.

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

I don't know how it could get any worse!!! You need a wife to take care of you....no wait a minute. It could get worse.
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[Dan]

Went back to the hospital this afternoon to sign some more release forms, and I got a bit of good news -- the cashier agreed I shouldn't be charged the out of country fee, being as I'm a citizen. Stopped for lunch on the way home while the rain steadily picked up, then on the way up the front steps my left crutch slipped out from under me and I went down in an extremely painful pile. The pain is mostly subsided now, but I feared I may have dislodged the fracture.

At least I now know I can drive reasonably well, assuming this latest bout didn't add too much discomfort to working the clutch.

Dan
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[Micah Ward]

You fell on your crutch?

OK, maybe it can get worse.
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[Dan]

Not exactly on my crutch... One moment the crutch is holding me up, the next moment it's hydroplaning off to who knows where and I'm collapsing on an extremely sensitive foot. It just had to be the crutch on the injured side that skittered off...

Dan
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[AM_Runner]

Jeez Dan maybe you should just stay home in your house and not go anywhere... haha

I know how bad those ankle/foot pains can be for sure - had quite a few in my day the last one being a few years ago I think I mentioned playing basketball (see what happens when I do something othe rthan run) but yours sounds like one that I had in HS running XC up a hill and hit a rut that was partially covered with grass - I went forward my fott was jammed in the hole... sucked horribly for weeks and months...

Hope you will get better soon!
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[Dan]

I was thinking the same thing and decided I had to get home yesterday before more stuff went horribly wrong. Gut feeling that the bottom was about to drop out... Made the ~7 hour drive overnight and got in yesterday morning, pretty much exhausted and not wanting to get in a car again any time soon. I was so tired, I slept for two hours at a rest stop along the way, which is an interesting experience with a cast in a Miata.

Dan
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[AM_Runner]

Ugh that just does not even sound comfortable - Hope no one was driving by at the time could be an interesting Internet photo out there...

Kurt
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[Dan]

I was actually surprised how many other people were sleeping overnight at the rest stop. Had to have been 20-30 cars there when I pulled in at 2:30 am, and the bulk of them looked like they weren't going anywhere. I guess it's the suburban version of camping.

Dan
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[AM_Runner]

What kind of rest stops are you frequenting Dan... haha

Were there signs on them if the van is a rockin-don't come knockin
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The long run is what puts the tiger in the cat.

[Dan]

I'm starting to think you have different rest stops over on the left coast...

Dan
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[Indeurr]

[Dan]

As of yesterday, the pain is gone. Today marks 3 weeks. It's odd, the pain hasn't gradually subsided, rather it's died down in very distinct steps. Lots of twitching and spasming and then the next day it goes from sharp to dull pain, then a week or so later the twitching builds back up to near unbearable levels and the next morning is gone along with all the soreness.

It's an extremely strange sensation having no muscle control... I try my darnedest to curl my toes and they just twitch in place like a fish giving up the fight for oxygen. I didn't know muscle atrophy kicks in so fast.

Dan
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[Dan]

Continuing with the weekly updates, today marks 4 weeks. I got a rigid walking boot today from a friend, so I decided to bite the bullet and cut off the cast. I'm a bit itchy now from Dremel'ing through the fiberglass, but I eventually freed it up and carefully pulled away the cloth liner without removing too much dead skin. Pretty nasty... My left calf is about 1/3 smaller than the right...

Looks like the bump at the spot of the break went down, so that eases my concern there may have been more there unadressed. Right now, I'm trying to get my foot accustomed to the hard 90* angle of the boot. The cast was at about 110-120*, as that was as tight as I could cock the ankle when getting it applied, due to the pain.

Got my aqua jogger earlier this week, so maybe I'll start pool running by the end of the week.

Dan
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