Q: How to Rehab (and/or Survive) a Navicular Injury?
G’day Lauren,
I stumbled across this website and had a question regarding a navicular injury that I sustained. I shattered it, was in a backslab for 4 weeks until surgery, then I had a cast for 6 weeks and now i’ve been prescribed a cam boot.
I’ve found though that walking without the boot in a regular shoe is easier and much less painful, should I stick with the boot? Or just go with whatever feels comfortable? I’ve only been on my foot for 5 days now and I understand that muscles need to be rebuilt from atrophy, but how can i do that if i can’t put pressure on the leg? My patience is wearing very thin and I’m starting to feel as if recovery is slim. Got any advice?
Cheers,
Marko
A:
Hi Marko,
There is frustratingly little information out there about navicular injuries and what the best way to treat them is. I’m sorry you’ve joined the club, but I’ll tell you that since I had mine operated on in 2008, I’ve met several other world class athletes who have recovered well from a navicular fracture. We inevitably end up sharing war stories, and every person’s experience is different. That makes it pretty tough to give concrete advice to you.
Please, if you are reading this and have knowledge in this area, post it as a comment below.
I personally recommend you do whatever you need to do to stay patient, and treat your injury with respect. It does end some people’s careers, but all you can do is give it every chance to heal, and not take out your overall frustration on the foot.
There are very few Halloween costumes that incorporate a wheelchair. We did our best!
This was very very hard for me to do. After 8 weeks on crutches, then a scan that showed it still wasn’t healed, then surgery…I was faced with 10-12 more weeks between a wheelchair and crutches in a cam boot, and the frustration was unlike anything else. There was a possibility that I could do everything right and still not be able to return to running, which kind of made me say, “What’s the point?” You will be temped to be reckless with it as a reaction to act like you care less, but the fact is you DO care. VERY MUCH.
Treat your foot like its one of these for 8 weeks and you will thank me later.
Stay strong upstairs and keep summoning patience. Treat your foot like its a princess. You have a long road ahead of you to recover, and that sucks, but the key to getting healthy is accepting your crappy situation for what it is and developing a long term strategy to return to form. For me it took 20 months, but it was worth the wait, and now I never feel it. I don’t worry about it at all. I am truly cured.
The boot is meant to be uncomfortable because you aren’t meant to walk very much. If you do walk, it protects you, but you are still not meant to walk very much. You won’t get much increased strength from walking this way, so it is critical that you boost your rehab, especially in non-weight bearing positions. When you are sitting around, move it around like crazy, rub between all the bones and ligaments and tendons, develop the little muscles in your feet through various non-weight bearing motions, and work your calf and lower leg muscles with a theraband.
I recommend you get a good physical therapist on your side that understands your urgency to maintain as much strength as possible through your recovery period, and get that person to make you an aggressive but smart plan. I went to San Francisco for two weeks to work with Lisa Gianonne and her awesome staff at Active Care, and it gave me a great start as I transitioned out of the boot. I only wish I would have started with them while I still had the boot on…probably would have saved me months in the long run. DEFINITELY START YOUR REHAB BEFORE YOU GET OUT OF THE BOOT!
Hope that helps Marko. Stay positive. I’m living proof that you can return to form after this setback.
-L-Train
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P.S. Do you have expertise in this area? Personal experience? Navicular survivor? Victim? Please share your knowledge or links to helpful resources on here by commenting. There is frustratingly little available online about this subject and every time someone sustains one of these injuries, they have to go through a bleak, dark time with very little guidance. Thanks in advance.
I recently broke my nevacular bone fell down the stairs!!I’m in a boot case but the pain is excruciating! I feel the pain on my heel and the back of my ankle! It’s really painful anyone else experience this and for how long? I go back in two weeks to see if surgery is required! The doctor was in shock that I broke that bone! There is no information on this type of break!
Hi! I broke my navicular bone on August 29, 2016 had surgery on September 1st. My
Cast was removed 10/6 and I’m now in a cam boot. Still not bearing weight, doctor says not
At least December 1st. He has me starting NWB PT next week so we will see! I too have been told that
This is a very difficult bone to break and that it takes a long time to heal. It’s so frustrating,
We have to stay strong upstairs in order to heal … one thing this has taught me is patience. If anyone has any information about this type of injury and recovery please share. BTW I too fell down some stairs … two to be
specific. Unbelievable 🙁 I hope you are feeling better Mary! Please share your experience!!
Yalixa
Hey,
I hope you are staying strong! It’s a long and tough road to healing!
I’m doing well considering! I just got the go ahead to put weight on my foot
It’s painful but I’m glad I’m on my way! Started physio hopefully I can start
walking without crutches! My foot still very swollen but I’m glad to be
out of the boot for sleeping! Had so many sleepless nights! One day at
a time! Just staying positive! My foot and ankle is in shock doesn’t know how to move
Today I went to see my orthopedic surgeon … x-rays looked good from what they can tell.
Screws are in the place he placed them. Says I can be 25% partial weight bearing on 12/6. After a week of partial weight bearing he will X-ray again to make sure their is enough healing to continue to progress to 50% and so on. So I asked him, how will we know if it’s healed enough? And his response was, the screws will not break. I’m terrified!!! Please let me know how you’re doing with the weight bearing… on one end I can’t wait on the second I’m scared. This is such a tough injury! Hope to hear from you soon. Hope all is well!
Hey,
I hope you are staying strong! It’s a long and tough road to healing!
I’m doing well considering! I just got the go ahead to put weight on my foot
It’s painful but I’m glad I’m on my way! Started physio hopefully I can start
walking without crutches! My foot still very swollen but I’m glad to be
out of the boot for sleeping! Had so many sleepless nights! One day at
a time! Just staying positive! My foot and ankle is in shock doesn’t know how to move
Stay strong it does get better. I shattered my navicular into a it 7 pieces in 2011. It was so bad they couldn’t do surgery to repair it, but it healed itself up ok. Was going really good, able to run, no pain etc until this year when I had another crash riding motocross and re broke the same navicular. This time the pain is less and it seems to have fused differently.
Stick to your pt and build up all the strength in it. With the boot on do leg raisers on a chair and lay on your stomach and do hamstring curls. Just to keep the muscles activated. Your calf will be the hardest to rebuild. But stick at it and you’ll get back to normal life. I’m a house painter, so climbing ladders and walking on roofs etc is a normal day for me.
Stay positive, you will get there! But it does take time! Good luck!
I shattered mine in 8 pieces, repaired via surgery with plate and 6-7 screws. My surgeon said I will never run again or be able to workout. 🙁
Hey mate I also shattered my navicular into 7 pieces, downhill mtb accident. Have had surgery and currently got pins sticking out of my foot, one right through my heal with a plate and screws also. Have surgery booken in again to take all pins out and leave plate in. So this is what is worrying me, the surgeon/ specialist has told me I won’t be able to do any impact sports again, this is devastating for me as I want to keep riding but have been advised against. Was told I’ll need a fusion eventually and could lose 90% of movement in my foot. Any of this sound familiar? Cheers
I broke my cuneiform medatorsal and ankle. Dec 8, 2016. After crawling around on pillows three months and walking boot, I realized first of three Drs was correct, “it may need surgery, MRI first. I was in excruciating pain, second surgery in whole life, so out of desire for best outcome, searched for a Dr. with a hugely successful reputation.
MRI Feb 14, 16, was non conclusive. Had a petscan, which the computer technology then converted my imaging into a linear design of what had transpired, to diagnose more accurately as my bones are so frail. (note to everybody keep your VitD up, and calcium intake and sunshine UP, if you want to stay UP and not on crutches, or wheelchair. Ok, well I had to have surgery, but I am in the best hands possible, and have accepted the fact that I have no idea how this is all going to turn out, and that untimately it is not up to me, it is up to this gifted Dr. and God, and my self directed personality, to do whatever he says, to the best of my ability. My surgery was May 26, 16. I am in my 11th hard non weight bearing cast, and broke my heel In cast, trying not to fall on my 11 year old 100 lb. snoozing dog. I broke my heel the one that they used to bone graph harvest from, to help repair the front of my midfoot non union of the cuneiform, along with hardware. The Dr. was very quiet as he viewed my foot in realtime, 3D xray having me turn it and rotate different ways. He seemed to not like what he saw. My bones are so delicate, it is not what he said, it is what he did not say. I am on 50,000 VitD2 weekly, taking in some morning daily sunshine to try to beef up my bones.
I have the walking boot, just waiting after he takes the pins out, to get back on my feet. I pray that is going to happen. All of my joints hurt, due to overuse, or underuse. I have never felt so helpless or been in so much prolonged kind of pain. I welcome any encouraging words, or suggestions. I have been doing leg lifts, to the casted foot, as the hip is starting to get into the act, painful to sleep on that side. I hope I can one day get my life back, and being out of pain~ is secondary to my desire to walk again. My world has closed into planet couch, falling twice this weekend when a dear friend took me out, thou it was WELL worth IT for my heart and soul that long for a life that no longer feels dark nipping at my ragged hope especially at 3am ; the linchpin between Can I endure this and for how long, am I going to survive, what’s in store for my future, and “I CAN DO THIS” …somehow. Any input would be deeply appreciated.
Are you still there?
I read your story and my heart goes out to you if your still here please email me I had similar experience w a 5 th met break
I broke my navicular, cuboid and calcaneous bones falling down a ladder, and landing on a steel beam below. Didn’t go to hospital until 2 days later. Lots of pain. I’m into my 6th week of wearing a non weight baring boot and a lot of foot elevation, restricting my days to the couch/chair.
I’m home alone, so obviously, I do my thing, cooking, cleaning, washing etc., but all very carefully, using crutches, not just to support me, but to push and pull things along the floor.
I’ve been told, I may need surgery, but to date, have not had an appointment with one. I’m almost 70 and although always active, I’m hoping my bones are strong enough to heal and not need surgery – trying to be optimistic.
I’ve had 4 falls since, but having the boot on helped – because you always put your foot down when you’re going down.
I mysteriously broke my navicular bone. Don’t know how I did it. LOL. I’ve been complaining about foot pain for about two years and MRIs came back with comments about irregularities in the navicular but no fracture. In January 2016 I woke up and began limping… didn’t go away but got worse after a week. Doctors visit and then a referral to an Orthopeadic Surgeon and more imaging revealed I had a stress fracture on my navicular. My surgeon informed me that the bone. Egan to die and collapse. Surgery occurred in August and included a pin and a bone graft from my hip.
I am at week 11 and hopefully just one more week to go. Muncast came off at 6weeks post-op and I’ve been in a cam boot since. My surgeon was adamant that instart physio immediately to increase range of motion so that when I can begin weight bearing once the boot comes off. The hardest part has been dealing with the inability of being mobile. Definitely have to stay positive.
Question for you… when you were given the green light to weight bear did you do so in the boot or was the boot off and then you were back to ‘normal’?
Have you started walking? I’m in week 10 after surgery, I’ve been having NWB PT
Twice a week for 4 weeks. Please let me know how it goes … being able to put
weight and walk excites me and terrifies me at the same time.
HI, not sure if you check this site anymore but I also mysteriously fractured my navicular bone. Have been in pain for a few weeks and thought it was plantar faciatis (which dr. thinks I have in addition to arthritis around the break so I may have done this a while ago) and is getting progressively worse. There is a wait to see the surgeon and primary care put me in a walking boot but my head is telling me I should be staying off of it. Just curious how you are doing are doing a year out of surgery and any suggestions on what worked an what didn’t through recovery. Thanks so much.
A car reversed into the back of me as I was walking along the pavement! It caught my left ankle, breaking my calcaneus, talus and navicular bones. Excrutiatingly painful, can’t sleep or get comfortable. I am in a hard cast now after being in a back slab. I am a dance teacher and by reading of the lengthy recovery times, I don’t hold out much hope of getting back to dancing. The doctors just pull a face when I ask how long it will be before I can walk again. Despondency is creeping in! Trying to stay hopeful, its only been three weeks, but my bum is numb from sitting on the couch all day. I am non weight bearing at the moment and am exhausted hopping around on crutches.
On the fourth of July something similar happened to me. A car went over my left foot crushing my navicular, cuboid, and my fourth metatarsal. I am also a dancer (or was) and have been devastated over the loss of my agility and skill.I am only 19. after a month of sitting in a cast the cut open both sides of my foot to put in a bunch of screws and a bar. At first, same deal, it hurt bad. I am hoping to make a full recovery though. I’ve been rubbing very nice therapeutic grade essential oils on the foot: Helichrysum, balsam fir, and germanium diluted in coconut oil. I dont expect to be landing a flip ever again but like im hopeful but trying not to be too hopeful… Good luck!
Hello all, tomorrow marks my first week after getting two screws inserted in my navicular bone, they planned on grafting a piece of my hip onto it, but it thankfully wasn’t necessary. The screws and having synthetic platelate (sorry if I spelled that wrong) fluid applied, it is the chemical that tells the body to make blood veins grow and help the bone get more blood flow. I am 17 and broke it in the first weeks of my senior year of football. I don’t know how I managed to break off a corner and hairline fracture almost all the way through the bone. All I knew is that it was very painful to play on, but didn’t hurt to walk on. Something just felt wrong. I was in a boot at first, it was first diagnosed as a very bad sprain that I then tried to play on and got removed from the second game of the year in the first half. So in September, within the week I had an MRI performed and I got put in a cast for six weeks and then another six weeks and because I have a talent for getting the cast wet, and was getting very impatient got put in a non-weight bearing boot. I was in that for another six weeks and another before I was transferred to an orthopedic surgeon who had performed 6 before and said “what usually goes on is what happened to you or they get surgery immediately” so if you have the option choose the surgery. I have ten weeks of non bearing and then hopefully I get to start physical therapy. Both doctors have told me the bone is so hard to heal because that area of the top of your foot has low blood supply, so it takes a painfully long time to heal if you try to just wait it out. I hope this helps someone out there.
I shattered mine in 03,nine screws and plate.to this day still have a lot of pain!i can walk but I’m in pain 24/7swells every night with bad stinging pain.did no pt.took a year an a half to learn how to walk.all i can say bite the bullet and hang in there.it does take a long time.i had a horse go down on mine.
Does anyone have input after recovering fully from a crushed navicular? I’m only 4 months out of the cast after 16 weeks NWB and 3 surgeries. I’m 29 and in great physical condition, I’m a weight lifter. I got back into the gym while I was still in the cast, and it only took me a month to walk without crutches after it was removed. My accident happened August 14th 2016. I’m just curious if the constant pain ever goes away. I can’t walk normal and my foot always hurts. The area over the navicular hurts like crazy, but sometimes it’s my entire foot, and my ankle still gives me a ton of trouble. Anyway, is this normal? Will it get any better or is this how it’s going to be?
I injured mine 2 years ago and I’ve still got the same issues. I’m sure you’ll improve some, but I don’t think you’ll ever be quite the same as you were before.
Thanks for the reply, you haven’t looked into getting it fused have you?
I crushed mine in a motorcycle accident in 2011. I have pins and a steel mesh in my foot now because most of the bone was dust (cornflakes was a word tossed around). My foot actually hyper extended around the brake lever as I went over the handle bars. I am still very active. I train muay thai and jiu Jitsu and also compete in MMA. I work on my feet all day as a route sales person. I can do all these things because I refuse to let it stop me. Some days are absolutely unbearable to walk on and a few days, it feels great. I wish I had better news. I’m still trying to find more people with a navicular injury of our scale. It just doesn’t appear to be very frequent and even less so finding people that cope with it. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this also. Best of luck.
Thanks for the info, sounds like you’re as stubborn as I am. Mine happened in a motorcycle crash too, my foot broke the peg off the bike from the friction of laying it down. It almost pushed the bones out the top of my foot. I still do everything I used to aside from running, and I have good and bad days also
I shattered mine about two years ago longboarding. Got 10 screws and 2 plates put in there to try and save what we could. I got the screws out 6 months ago, in the hopes that the swelling would go down. I am still in a lot of pain every day! I can walk, but even walking for a 10 minutes hurts me. I can’t play the sports I love anymore. Does anyone know if this will ever get better?? Seeing as it’s been 2 years now I am getting extremely impatient.
I fell over my dog at 3 am in the dark a little over a year ago. Several days later my left foot hurt on top. I limped around thinking I had sprained my ankle or pulled a muscle and it just needed time. After a month, the physicians I work with (I’m an RN with an ENT group) basically said” go see an orthopedic guy. We think you have a stress fracture.” I saw an Orthopedic PA for several months – a good one – and he said I had a broken navicular bone confirmed on X-Ray and put me in a walking boot for several weeks. I have had 2 MRI’s and 1 CT plus at least 15 regular foot/ankle x-rays. Nothing was definite. They don’t know whether surgery would be beneficial and it has now been over 1 year. My foot still hurts if I don’t wear the walking boot, however I cannot wear it all the time because it throws my gait off and everything on the opposite side began to hurt. Also, the swelling is still severe. My PA says various things, “wear the boot, don’t wear the boot, you are becoming boot dependent stop wearing it”. I am seeing the best orthopedic people in town (Fresno, CA.) but have lost confidence in them and haven’t been back for several months because they could not give me a definitive answer about anything. And my foot hurts as bad now as it ever did. The surgeon actually told me surgery would put me on 1 leg for a minimum of 2 full months and I live in a house with 7 dogs and stairs both inside and out. Crutches are out of the question and so is that scooter. Should I just try to live with the boot on for an extended period of time? The pain is the worst after I have been working all day and it is very swollen but it doesn’t seem to hurt where they tell me the break is. It’s my ankle! I’m wondering if they missed a secondary injury or is this just ‘referred pain?” Any information would be helpful.
Crushed my navicular bone in October 2015 when a car hit me from the side and the tire ran over my foot. I spent 4 weeks in a cast and two in a boot. I was told by the specialist that my navicular bone was in so many pieces they couldn’t do surgery. “Cornflakes” was the term he used. I still have significant pain today and any activity above a short walk causes sever pain and stiffness. I’ve been told I’ll likely never be able to run on it. Anyone have a similar diagnosis with positive outcome? I did 6 weeks of PT but didn’t find it extremely helpful. Thanks!
I crushed mine in a motorcycle accident in 2011. I have pins and a steel mesh in my foot now because most of the bone was dust (cornflakes was a word tossed around). My foot actually hyper extended around the brake lever as I went over the handle bars. I am still very active. I train muay thai and jiu Jitsu and also compete in MMA. I work on my feet all day as a route sales person. I can do all these things because I refuse to let it stop me. Some days are absolutely unbearable to walk on and a few days, it feels great. I wish I had better news. I’m still trying to find more people with a navicular injury of our scale. It just doesn’t appear to be very frequent and even less so finding people that cope with it. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this also. Best of luck
HI Amanda
Are you able to wear heels now since it has been a while after the accident? Are you able to gait, trot or slightly run? These are my concerns because my surgeon said I will never be able to run, wear heels or workout again?
I had broke my navicular bone in my left foot while riding in a car. We head on collided into a truck. 3 weeks out and the pain is now gone. I had surgery immediately the day after the wreck. I got on the cast after surgery and then on a boot two weeks after surgery. So far I can stand a little on it, but can’t walk on it just yet.
Hello Everyone
I shattered my navicular bone Jan 14, 2017 in 8 pieces. I was misdiagnosed by the first doctor who said its just a bad sprain. One month later, I still couldnt put weight on it so I went for another opinion. That doctor found the break and immediately sent me to Mercy Hospital. The foot doctor there said I needed emergency surgery to repair the bone. He put in a plate and 6-7 screws and I had an external fixator in my foot. This was not the way I had planned to start my new year. I had the fixators removed in April 10, 2017, I did not starting walking on it full weight bearing until memorial weekend. My surgeon told me that I will never play sport, work out, run or wear heels again. I actively compete and show my dogs at various shows and to be told that I will never run again kills me because I have to do some gaiting when showing my dogs. I am looking to find others who had a fractured navicular bone, in physical therapy (currently in 2x a week), can run or any women here that can now wear heels??? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? Is there still a chance that I can go back to kickboxing and working my dogs competitively?
Hi!
There is a light at the end of the tunnel. I broke my navicular bone 8/29/2016 – had surgery on 9/1/16 (3 screws and a plate). Began physical therapy mid October. The boot finally came off 1st week of February 2017.
Began Agility classes and spinning classes in March and in July started jogging and running slowly. My foot is sometimes a little sore or tight but I have found that once I start working out it feels better. I’m wearing block heals some days for work, no stilettos yet but I feel confident that maybe for special occasions I may be able to wear them. It’s been almost a year now, long recovery but if you do what the doctor says and do PT daily you’ll recover. My advice is listen to your foot, don’t over do it and never skip PT… it works! I have full range of motion, no mobility issues. My biggest complaint is stiffness in the AM but once I stretch and get going it improves and I go about my day. It’s a tough and long recovery but it’s definitely made me a stronger person.
Hope this helps! Stay positive and strong!!! Yalixa
Hi,
I fell over in very high heels about 4 years ago. My ankle swelled, bruised and was sore but I just thought I’d sprained it. I didn’t seek medical advice. It’s never been the same since. I still get pain and actually walk on the side of my foot to compensate. The other day I went over on the same foot going down some stairs. Again my foot began to swell so I went to a walk in centre to get it checked. Once I had the X-ray I told the nurse about my previous accident, Saying how it still hurts sometimes and showed her where. Looking at the X-ray she told me I had in fact broken my navicular bone. She has referred my to the podiatrist, which I’m waiting to get an appointment for. Has anybody had a broken bone for so long without treatment? And what do you think will need to be done now, as I’ve obviously healed already ? Don’t want to have surgery and it get worse 🙁
Hi my navicular has been broken for 7 months they missed it on an X-ray which now the specialist said shows , since then iv had MRI and a further X-ray ,
Had physio which was agony as he was told it wasn’t broken.
Meanwhile seen specialist I’m now on a 8 week list for steroid injection .
If that doesn’t work they will pin it I can’t believe I’m waiting so long .
I can’t bend the foot so walk with a limp I brought a strap as no boot was provided . Arthritis has set in I’m so disappointed with then NHS .
Sorry about your foot hope you get a speedier recovery kind regards Sue Doran
I broke my navicular bone two weeks ago and my orthopedic put me right into an air cast and said I could walk on it or well said weight as tolerated. Being as I am stubborn and didn’t want to take off work or clinicals (in nursing school) I have been on my feet working with no modifications as a CNA since two days after I broke it. I’m to go back to the ortho in two weeks, the pain wasn’t too terrible, the arch hurt I think more than anything… My ankle and entire outside of my foot swelled instantly but now isn’t bad at all. The bruising was the entire outside of my foot, my arch, and my toes. The pain seemed to have mostly subsided within about three days although there is still a little there just not nearly as bad as before. I wanted to let the author know I won’t lie I only wear my boot to work and school otherwise I wear only shoes, the shoe feels way better than the boot! The boot actually causes more pain and bruising in my case. Not saying it’s a good idea as I am new to this whole broke navicular bone thing, but I am able to walk around just fine as long as I don’t mind pain here or there!
I wanted to leave a comment for future readers. I missed a step going down a few stairs while barefoot. My foot twisted and I heard a pop. My wife offered to take me to an emergency clinic, but I wanted to sleep on it. The next morning I knew I had to have it looked at. I was apparently lucky that the clinic’s x-ray showed a fracture. My GP got us an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon later that day, who, after a CT scan, advised us that he could put it in a cast and let it heal, or he could surgically put a screw in to fix it in place, a procedure he said would take about 5 minutes and leave a very small incision. I went with the surgery. Now, 2 and half weeks after surgery, and keeping from putting my body weight on it, swelling and bruising is almost non existent. and pain is very mild. Without a cast I can sleep comfortably and bathe pretty easily.
I hated crutches immediately. This is my first broken bone–I just turned 50. My house is multi-level and when I was looking for a scooter, which would have been difficult to manage in my home, I found the I-walk 2.0. It’s a peg-leg looking device, with a platform for your knee. It cost a little more than most scooters. It allows you to walk almost normally, and even carry things. I can manage the stairs in my home, and even walk my long driveway to get the mail. Up to 12 weeks without using my right leg is a long time. The I-walk 2.0 makes life way more tolerable. I’d definitely suggest looking into it if you have a broken foot bone. I found it on Amazon, but we bought from a local medical device place that had it in stock. If you go this route, be sure you review all the fitting instructions. This is critical. Once fitted, there are three clasps you affix to tighten the three straps on the device. It’s a bit of a chore to put it on and take it off each time you want to walk, but walking is so worth it to me.
So check out the i-walk, and if you think you may have a broken foot bone, go to the doctor sooner than later to allow your healing to begin.
I broke my navicular on 11/17/17 and I also love the iWalk! Not sure what I’d do without it! I had surgery on 11/21/17 with four screws and a plate. Only five more weeks of non-weight bearing and then partial weight-bearing for two weeks. Seems like so far away!
Update: 4 months later I’m mostly back to normal. The screw remains in my foot, and there is still pain when I walk from the screw. My doctor told me we’d leave the screw in place unless it bothered me. I’m not sure if the slight pain is worth taking out the screw, though.
I’m going to guess pain is not from the screw. I have 4 screws and a plate and the pain is not from the hardware, it’s from the surrounding tissue. My surgeon told me I may experience soreness for upwards of a year to a year and a half. This isn’t a quick injury to recover from. I was able to jog a little for the first time a few days ago. Today is exactly 6 months from surgery. I have more good days than bad days now. Just have to listen to your foot and be patient with it.
I suffered a transverse fracture to my navicular bone on 10/28. Had surgery on 11/7, 3 screws (I think) and a plate. Doc originally said two months non weight bearing and then I would be able to work back to walking with crutches. I just got out of my hard cast today (it’s been six weeks) and now he says he wants me to go another month non weight bearing in the boot before spending another month working back to walking (10 days two crutches, 10 days one crutch, 10 days walking with the boot). He said all the X-rays looked good, and for the most part it feels good, although it would probably be pretty tender if I tried to start walking now.
I’m young and for the most part healthy, and it’s so frustrating how long the process is taking. I’m going to possibly get a second opinion and start NWB PT (he didn’t implicitly say to do this but I want to get going again) at 8 weeks, and likely try to walk with the boot and crutches at 9 weeks so I can hopefully be fully walking with the boot at roughly 11 weeks. Not sure if this is completely advisable but it’s irritating because I feel as if the doctor is being overly cautious despite my successful surgery and process. Says it may be 8 months to a year before I’m running again.
Navicular fracture on 11/17/17. Surgery on 11/21/17 (4 screws and a plate) Non-weight bearing 8 weeks. Foot is a little tender on the arch and swells some but back in a shoe with a custom orthotic at 12 weeks on 2/14/18. Surgery works. You can recover. Just hang in there!
Broke my Navicular bone taking a bad step in Dec. NWB, using a CAM boot, scooter and crutches for just over six weeks. Xray then told us the bone was not healing at all and that posterior tibial tendon was not attaching either. Kept me in CAM boot but added an orthopedic insert and instructed to lose the scooter and go crutches with PWB; going full weight if tolerable by next appointment in six weeks, although he said I may not be able to. I’ve got just under two weeks to go until that next appointment and I still cannot walk without crutches. I asked Dr. about surgery weeks ago because I was feeling impatient and tired and he just assured me they try to avoid surgery. My biggest fear is that I’m going to go 12 weeks monkeying around with this, not being able to drive, and still need surgery, requiring another 12 weeks. It really is a long, slow recovery 🙁
Update: Got 2nd opinion from new doctor. Had the feeling he was frustrated for me and if he’d seen me first, he would’ve done surgery right away and I wouldn’t be prolonged miserable. He even told me that I not only had a navicular break, but two cuboid bones and Lisfranc displacement as well. Other doctor never told me that! But…I was at a crossroads of just beginning to heal. He had me purchase $300 orthotics and $200 shoes for them to fit in and see how it would go. I’ve been trying to walk for almost five weeks and I am in constant pain with each step. I mean full blown pain; I cannot fully bear weight and definitely not able to push off with my foot without pain. I go down stairs like a toddler. I limp like a hunchback of Notre Dame. I reached out to this new doctor two weeks ago explaining something’s not right – even asked if I should go back to the boot? They said no and ordered a CT scan. That was a week ago and I’ve heard nothing. My next schedule appt. is next week. I called and vented a bit more today and explained how much pain I was in. The nurse tried to be sympathetic, but she seemed surprised I hurt so bad. Doesn’t your body hurting mean something is probably wrong?? I. Am. So. Fed. Up. I want to curse the original physician for trying to treat this injury conservatively. I’m so tired of being in pain.
Newest update: After much frustration with my second doctor not understanding why I was suffering so much discomfort and swelling, I took myself to Mayo Clinic. Best experience I’ve ever had. Why can’t all healthcare be that way instead of having to drive three hours?
But I digress 🙂 They took new images, the doctor walked in, sat down and told me exactly why I hurt, found where my foot hurt and validated everything I was feeling and why. He said at this point I have a healed navicular bone – although it looks abnormal, and a lisfranc injury. He said that conservative treatment for this injury isn’t recommended, but that I’ve gone so long that he wants me to wait a full year before doing surgery. He said research shows that if you’re going to improve on your own, it will take up to a year to be the best you’ll probably heal.
So, I’ve gone ahead and scheduled my mid-foot fusion surgery for November – almost one year from my original injury. I’ve got to start all over; 12 weeks in a cast/boot, another scooter, no driving. Just ready to move forward.
Hello all,
I broke my navicular on a hike in January 2018. One plate, 5 screws and 2 months later, about to start PT. My doctor says just leave the “metal” in the foot for the rest of my life since it is a low profile plate and screws.
My questions are:
Do you all have discomfort in the region from walking and/or running like months or years later with the plates and screws?
Should I have them removed later on in life?
I am still trying to grasp the idea of having metal in my body… Thanks
Michael,
4 months after surgery I still have the single screw used to fix my navicular in place. The bone has healed, but there’s still a little pain, I assume from the screw. My foot is still fully functional, but I’m wondering if the pain is permanent and if removing the screw would be worth while.
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Hi Lauren,
I fractured my navicular in october, diagnosed it in january. Today is the day I got out of the boot after 6 weeks non-weightbearing, 4 weeks in 25-50% weightbearing, and 3 weeks in a boot with full weightbearing. I was wondering what I should expect in regards to pain. What pain is normal and what could be potentially bad, possibly sending me back to the hospital for surgery? I feel like I have soft tissue pain on the outside of the foot and in front of the navicular, but not so much in the arch or on the bone/fracture site. I also see the importance in seeing a PT for foot mechanics. I never had a ton of pain on the navicular prior to diagnosis; my pain was on the outside of the foot (suspected peroneal tendonitis) and then found the fracture on MRI. This pain was from walking on the outside of my foot, and it flustered me so much that I had a fracture!
Thanks,
Greg
hi Greg!
I broke my navicular landing off a hurdle at the end of March and had surgery the day after doing it! 2 screws were put in to hold the bone back together and I spent a total of just over 6 weeks in a completely non-weight bearing fibre glass cast. I’ve just been put into a boot which I was told I could walk in however it was not specified how much walking I was able to do. Initially I continued to use my crutches for the first couple of days in my boot but quickly became confident and I have been now able to walk around without crutches. For reference I had an x ray the day I received the boot and was shown that my break was not fully healed. SO perhaps today I was a bit silly and, being a student, left the house for college without my crutches. Probably not my smartest idea and even though I coped ok and was glad that my friends did not have to carry my books, I’ve paid the price with some pain and swelling. I really hope I haven’t put myself backwards in progress but being such a usually active person this has been so frustrating for me. Think I’ll take my crutches tomorrow.
Hope your recovery has gone well since your last message.
Sophie
Hi
I was in a head on collision eight weeks ago. Ankle crushed under pedals. Broke navicular and metatarsal. Was at no point told by anyone not to weight bear. I weight beared for six weeks not knowing any different. Was in backslab for a week, then cast for three weeks and been in a walking boot almost a month now. I walk away without crutches as I feel no pain. I’m able to walk barefoot across the room also. I don’t know if this is good or bad as no one is telling me what go do.. I feel OK doing it though.. I’m 44years old. Been doing soaks in ginger and lots of essential oil.. Comfrey cream too. I take the boot off at night and move the foot around.. Just feels really stiff and quite sore in the achilles
5 weeks ago I fell down stairs and broke my navicular and calcaneus bones. The navicular is displaced and I have surgery in 2 days. The bone will have to be rebroken and then screws put in. Has anyone had any experience with how a rebroken displaced fracture might heal?
I have had a broken vanicular bone for a month without knowing until last week
X-ray and 2 types of CT SCAN couldn’t see it
but confirmed last week by MRI, have trying to go to
work when I could full of endone tablets but now in s mmi.
boot for about 6 weeks
Warning: Positive feedback ahead
Exactly 6 weeks ago I suffered a type III body fracture, somehow I managed to shatter my navicular after a slightly awkward parachute landing. I’m writing this message because I read all the responses above and they are mostly less than positive, and unfortunately that seems to be the trend on most sites.
However, today, only 6 weeks post op and the doc has said I can put all my weight on my foot provided I’m in the boot. The bone has knitted very well, which even surprised him. So what is the difference? Here are the steps I followed and I hope they can help you.
1. My surgeon took my CT to colleagues of his and they all debated the best way forward, and came up with a plan. This is a rare break so I believe yours should do the same, sharing knowledge is the best way to positive outcome.
2. Immediately after the operation, during the acute phase, I started Hyperbaric Therapy, 10 sessions comprising of 1 hour day everyday for 10 work days.
3. I started taking calcium and Vitamin D supplements.
4. This is probably most important, I kept positive. Being on crutches is the worst and I live on my own 3 flights of stairs in an apartment. However you need to figure out how to make your life easier, allow friends to help where they can, hopefully you’ll only need it for a few weeks. Also, to get around at home I purchased an iWalk 2.0, which allows me to move hands free. It’s terrible for stairs and quite slow when compared to crutches but it’s perfect for home.
Best of luck to all of you! I hope this was helpful.
That is wonderful news! I’m very happy that it has worked out for you and you’re on your way to a normal future.
The best piece of advice I can tag onto this to anyone going through this – do the surgery. Right away. Any success story I’ve read that’s the best start you can get towards recovery.
I had doctors that tried treating this conservatively and now I’m going into midfoot fusion surgery almost one year after the original break. I’m going to have to start all over.
Get second opinions if your doctor says conservative treatment!
Hey there, I’ve had a mountain bike accident 15/07 resulting in broken navicular into 7 pieces. Went in for surgery a few days later, have got plate with screws and an x fix (rods and pins protruding through and out of my foot). This has been extremely painful and difficult as it’s almost impossible to sleep, a few weeks have passed and the pain is not as bad, I have my next surgery booked in 4/09 to take out x fix rods and begin the moon boot. The surgeon/ specialist has told me that I most likely won’t be sble to run again or continue to do any impact sports, this is absolutely devastating fom me to hear that, I’m 32 and my passion is riding downhill mountain biking and wakeboarding. She told me that it is inevitable that’ll I’ll require a fusion eventually and could lose 90% of movement in my foot. All this is causing huge stress on me, the thought of giving up the things I love. I’m also a builder so I’m on my feet for 8-10 hours a day. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
Another update:
It’s been 4 months since the injury and today I’m running 2kms, this is not because I’m in but because I’m just really unfit.
Keep positive, keep pushing, keep rehabbing and you’ll make it!
That is awesome news! Hope for the rest of us!
Hello I had an accidental three weeks ago where I come off my mountain bike I bent my right foot back and broke my navicular in to three main chucks biggest one having another fracture in it I had an operation to have it put right I have k wire and two screws in it to hold it together I was in a back slab for 2 weeks after the surgery I had my cast taken off Monday I’m now in the moon boot for 4 weeks any advice please
I ended up with a navicular fracture after pinning my foot between a concrete curb and the frame of my motorcycle. I walked around on it for 3 months before being sent to an ortho. By then a CT should it about 80% healed. Still in a cam boot and it still hurts like hell! Doctor says no surgery, but this is so frustrating! I just want to be able to want to be able to walk without pain…
Sorry if this is a repeat, i posted on another section of the site by mistake….
Im 36 and generally in good health. I shattered my navicular into at least 9 pieces 4 weeks ago, i was just running barefoot and tried to sprint past my friend, and I just fell over…. not sure if i twisted my ankle or what. There wasn’t much pain while i was laying down but when i tried to get up there was massive pain in my foot and i couldn’t put any weight on it.
I had the cast on for 2 weeks and orthapedic surgeon said it’s a very bad break and if at the end of a year if i can walk properly and it gets a bit sore at the end of a long day i’m doing well. He said we could take the cast off and wear a moon boot, but after reading on internet everything i could it seems that leaving it in a cast for longer will be better, so i said just leave it on a bit longer and he said we will take it off after another 4 weeks. He said i can’t get screws put into it because there is nothing to screw into, it’s all in bits.
I guess one good thing is that i haven’t been in any pain while it’s been in the cast. I can feel the bones clicking in there though like they’re not connected together, but after the 4th week it felt like it was starting to stick together and not click so much i fell off my knee scooter and banged it lightly but it feels clicky again now (although not as bad as to begin with) which is a real pain.
I’m a Bowen therapist and have just been seeing less clients and working from a home clinic with a wheely chair, which gives me a little to do and a small income.
I’ve just been doing some stretches every day and regularly eating bone broth soup my wife has been making and making vege juice, hoping all these things will help. Also been listening to some guided meditation with a thermomater on my foot for biofeedback to try to increase blood flow to my foot (it has been clinically tested to heal foot ulcers in people with diabeties). Also thought about looking into magnets for my feet after i get the cast off. Haven’t been very active apart from that, i thought best to try to let it rest more.
Reading your guys posts have been helpful i guess in at least hearing some other people who have shattered their navicular and they can walk again finally. It’s pretty hard just sitting around, there are only so many movies or books you can read. I’m looking after my 2 and 7 year olds alot of the time which is good because they keep me occupied, however everything is made difficult and takes 3x as long only one one leg. I was trying to get out more but then my crutches started making my wrists sore and if i go too far on my knee scooter my knee starts to hurt so just trying to prolong the rest of my body so it will still hold up and i can still actually move in another 2 months time!
Hoping for a miricale that it gets better soon! All the best everyone!
Reply
I fractured my navicular bone and calcaneum on September 24, 2018 while blocking a shot on goal in a friendly pick up soccer game. I trapped the ball while in motion and as I did my foot went the wrong way with force fracturing both bones. ER missed the fractures, but the urgent care orthopedist saw the navicular fracture and ordered a CT scan where they found the calcaneum fracture. They also discovered an accessory navicular bone which from my understanding is rare. I went 7 weeks non weightbearing in a hard cast then into a boot. I have been in the boot since Thanksgiving slowly increasing weight over time. It has been 5 months since the injury and I’m still in a boot. Recent MRI showed fluid in both fracture sites and a shift in the accessory navicular bone which they think is causing most of the pain and inflammation. They’ve ordered a 2nd CT scan to see if the navicular bone is strong enough for surgery to remove the accessory navicular bone. If it is then they will remove the bone and reattach the tendon to the primary navicular bone (previously fractured). I’m devastated. Here I thought I was almost done with everything and now I’m being told I will have to start all over in my healing process if they do surgery. From reading others posts it sounds like this type of fracture truly is slow healing. My question is has anyone else experienced bone marrow edema (fluid in fractured bone) or an accessory navicular bone? If so did you have surgery? And how long did it take you to heal (with or without surgery)? Thanks in advance!
Hi Jennifer,
I wish you a speedy recovery. I broke my navicular last May and another bone – can’t remember the name of it at the moment. I was casted multiple times (used iWalk – what a lifesaver!) and lived in a boot the remainder of the time until January of this year — when I had surgery. They fixed one break with pins or screws. The other was fused together with calcium phosphate. I did have swelling with one of my bones and it was due to trapped blood/fluid. Therefore, they obviously had to release that fluid before fusing. Post-op, I was casted for 6 weeks and then transitioned into a boot for 3 weeks. I was then asked to use crutches so I could start putting weight on my foot. I am now walking in a shoe with the help of a foot brace. I still have pain and my foot stiffens up easily. It seems like the more I’m on it, the better it feels. However, if I’m on it too much, it really hurts. Definitely have to find that balance. My doctor wants me to start physical therapy in 2 weeks. He originally told me to expect a recovery of 3-4 months (that’s really just to be able to walk again). But he told me that it would not feel back to normal for at least a year. Definitely not an easy process. It’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through. I’ve gained 40 lbs in the past year. 🙁 You really learn a lot about patience. It’s been almost a year since this happened and I still have a ways to go. I would love to be able to get back into running or crossfit but I am preparing myself for the realization that I may need to come up with a back up plan.
Yuri Guts whats it like now
Hi,
I have followed these comments and it gave me confidence and anxiety going into my op last week. I had a Navicular Stress Fracture diagnosed late as the X ray was taken from the wrong angle and they diagnosed Arthritis first!
They took a bone graft from my heel and placed two screws of 28mm x 3mm. The block injected my lower leg so I didn’t feel my toes till the next morning. Recovery was 24 hours in hospital, I was comfortable and dozey no pain. I am a week into post operation, and stopped taking pain meds on the weekend.
I am learning quickly that hopping around home isn’t the answer as I am 6 weeks no weight bearing. I now have a very sore heel and my glute is seriously stiff. I guess rest is rest. In two weeks I go back for them to clean the foot, take out stitches and put me a full cast as it’s only a slab currently to let the swelling come out.
So glad to have had the operation as it feels I am now making progress to get on my feet again. I will post at the end of 6 weeks to let you know how the recovery is going.
Henry
What started off as a nightmare is really starting to improve now!
I shattered the navicular bone in my foot so badly that they couldn’t do surgery to fix it becuase there was nothing to screw to. After 6 weeks in a cast i got told i should start doing circle exercises with my ankle. Over the next week it got really sore just doing the NWB exercises so i stopped, then the following day i fell back on my crutches going up a step and landed on it. It swelled back up and the swelling didn’t even go down overnight for another week. Went back to the specialist after 12weeks and according the the x-ray it wasn’t even starting to heal. The specialist said there was no point in keeping off it any longer, he wanted me to wear shoes and start walking to stimulate it to start healing.
It was so sensitive from NWB for so long so i wore the boot 2 weeks with crutches, 1 week with no crutches and then put shoes on. I remember the first time i tried doing 10 heel raises while seated just with the weight of my leg, there was massive burning around my whole foot and down to my toes. Over that time i also swam 2x a week and sat in the spa at the pool for an hr or 2 which really seemed to help it. I kept doing circles with my foot and bending it different ways and doing the heel raise with gradually more and more resistance with my hand. Progress was very slow but i remember at 4 months after the break i was happy when i played a whole game of mini golf with no crutches. I was on and off with crutches for some time putting as little weight as i could on them to work my foot more. Then i started doing hyperbaric oxygen chamber, 3x week for a few weeks which really helped to speed things up. After 1 week i was able to not use crutches all day, even though i would sit down whenever i could during the day. Another week later i could walk around the supermarket without crutches and also walked 1.3km around the block. Another 2 weeks (5 months) later and all the hard work of doing the calf raises is paying off and i can hold 80% of my weight on the ball of my injured foot. I can now walk around as i want even in the evenings. Its still painful (although not the feeling of walking on broken glass when i first put my shoes on) but i can do more and more. I have another 2 weeks of oxygen therapy and i hope by that time i can hold 100% of my weight on the ball of my injured foot, and then i will no longer have a limp. Then it will just be a matter of building up endurance of that and letting the pain subside when i don’t need to keep pushing it for progress. Good luck everyone!
My 13 YO daughter broke her left navicular in what we think was a stress fracture (no trauma). She was diagnosed with an MRI (X-Ray was negative) in September 2021. She was unable to run well (lots of pain) and had trouble playing soccer (obvious limp).
She was put in a cast for 6 weeks and showed no pain at a 3 week checkup. She then went to a boot for 2 weeks. She took 2000 ICU Vitamin D each day. She played basketball and slowly returned to normal play by mid January. She would complain of pain now and then describes a weird sensation when she sometimes take a first step after sitting. Cold weather irritates it. He pain is not quite the same – it is now more in the arch and before the cast it was on the top of the foot and extended up to about an inch above the ankle. Very general type pain and not in a specific area. I am still concerned for her, but it is now Feb 23, 2022 and she is playing soccer again. She plays with no limp, runs without issue. This is very different than the before the cast where something was obviously wrong. I watch her very closely on the field and look to see if she ever favors that foot – she does not. I am hoping that the occasional pain is just lingering from the break. I have read studies that show some athletes healed but complained of pain for 2 years.
To put this into perspective for all of us, I think people only post here when they are searching for solutions. What you don’t see is all of the successful outcomes people have because they aren’t searching for solutions once they are OK. So this group is not representative of all outcomes.
13yr old son had a navicular stress fracture. Was doing soccer and cross country. Can’t pinpoint when it happened, just increasing pain. Oct.2020 Went conservative, no surgery, non weight bearing, then walking boot and PT. April 2021 given the go ahead to resume activity, CT showed healed bone. By May was complaining of pain. CT scan showed navicular had fractured again and almost all the way through this time. Completed surgery June 2021. 2 screws, no bone graft, 6 week non weight bearing, 3 months walking boot, 9 months of a bone stimulator and PT. Dec. 2021, CT showed fully healed but son was having lots of pain. Dr. thought he could be allergic to the screws, he was not. PT thought he had tendonitis. He could resume full activity in Jan. He is playing basketball but still has pain on outside of foot and along the toes, especially big toe. He can not do a toe raise on his injured foot. Took him to a podiatrist yesterday and he thinks his tendon has become detached from the navicular and to fix it he would need surgery with another hardware inserted into the navicular. Son is now 15 and we are still dealing with this injury. Pain when walking barefoot, pain when exercising, no pain when sedentary. getting an MRI this week. going on almost 2 years with this, June will be 1 year from surgery.