Hi guys. I hope someone can help. Right at the start of December I injured my right foot in football training after a hard tackle in which the foot went over the top of the ball at force, with a player tackling from the other side of the ball.

X-Ray the next day (on a foot giving me real pain and allowing little weight bearing) showed no break, and it was thus assumed to be ligament problems. After resting it for 4 weeks, I returned to training and on striking a ball the pain was excruciating and I knew I had to stop. I should add I had been doing light work before doing this and was getting no pain from jogging and twisting on it.

After this I visited a ‘specialist’ who looked at my foot and suggested (and I quote):

Examination: Normal alignment. No obvious swelling. Normal ski stance, tip-toeing and standing, dorsiflexion, inversion and eversion. Point tenderness over the medial side of the 1st tarso-metatarsal joint. Pain on passive movement of the 1st tarso-metatarsal joint. Remaining tarso-metatarsal joints painfree. Full range of painfree movement of midfoot and hindfoot. Tibialis posterior and tibialis anterior functioning normally.
Impression: I think that it is likely he has injured the capsule of his 1st tarso-metatarsal joint during a forced plantar flexion injury. I have recommended he avoid vigorous activity and pivoting for a total of 3 months.

From this appointment an MRI was arranged which happened two weeks later (8 weeks injured). From this the specialist suggested:

I would like to confirm that the MRI scan has shown some oedema affecting the medial cuneiform in keeping with micro fractures (bone bruising). With this in mind I would recommend you avoid any contact for a total of 3 months from when the injury occurred. Injuries such as this are somewhat unpredictable in terms of length of time… I would be optimistic the foot would have completely settled within 6 months.

I was glad to be finally diagnosed. Anyway, being 8 weeks into the injury at this stage I rested for another 4 weeks to take it to the 3 months recommended and returned to training. My mind was telling me my foot wasn’t ready to strike a ball again, but after slowly building my confidence I was able to slowly build up to being 100% capable of full force. Nevertheless, the foot still gives me pain, especially now I have begun to play in matches again, especially the day after. It is far from excruciating, more niggling, but it makes me wonder whether I should be pushing it this hard and whether I am one strong tackle away from being back to Stage 1 all over.

We only have 4-5 weeks left of the season then I can afford the top of my foot another 6 weeks rest from kicking a ball, which I am sure will do it no harm.

I guess my questions are:

- does this diagnosis sound right?
- can I re-inflict the injury?
- is there anything to aid recovery? (I have been using ultra-sound treatment thus far, twice a week)
- would you expect it to calm down and be pain free given the imminent 6 week rest?

Sorry for all the detail – just thought it might help. Would love to hear any views on this injury as it is my first one ever and it has been very frustrating!!

Regards!