LisFranc from WALKING?? Freaking out
Hi all, nearly a week ago on 8/12, I heard/felt a CRACK unlike anything I've ever felt before on the top of my foot while walking. To be fair, it happened after a play during co-ed adult softball (I'm 40 for reference and while I'm still good, I'm not in some super competitive league or something). I made a play at first, step on the bag with my LEFT foot, inning ended and proceeded to walk to the bench where a few steps later (aka walking, no play in action), my RIGHT foot made the huge crack noise/sensation. I immediately doubled over in pain. Luckily the game ended shortly after and I made my way home where I iced and elevated. There was (and still has not been) any bruising or swelling anywhere on my foot (top or bottom).
I went to urgent care the next day and they took x-rays to make sure it wasn't broken, which they concluded it was not but I scheduled a follow up with my podiatrist for Monday (yesterday). They gave me a walking shoe and told me to relax and ice, which I did over the weekend. Through that time until my appt, the pain got better, I can still walk but just can't walk 'all the way through' from heel to toe without some pain.
I saw my podiatrist yesterday and they confirmed no breaks, but are concerned it's a Lisfranc injury and ordered an MRI that I was able to schedule for tomorrow (Weds). They fitted me with a walking boot and told me to take it easy. Jokes on me as I already had a walking boot but I gave that to a friend a year ago, and then 3 weeks ago I lent my crutches to a friend who has a severe ankle sprain. I tried my best to avoid looking at what this injury entails, but my lizard brain got the best of me. Now I am freaking out at the prospect of not just being in a walking boot or cast if this is indeed a mild injury, but full on surgery.
I had major knee surgery last year, ACL and meniscus (same leg as this injury), in which I was NWB for 7-8 weeks, couldn't drive or do anything, and then about 6 months into that recovery I found out I developed avascular necrosis in my femur right above where they operated. I had to go back to wearing a brace and using a crutch for another 6 weeks, and it put my full return to normal back another 8 months. In total from that injury and surgery, it took 16 months to be given the ok.
I'm only 2 months out of being graduated from that PT. And now this happens. From walking. I realize the stress of playing softball and the action of the play right before could have contributed to this, but I'm still floored it's on my right foot and not my left which I stepped on the bag with.
To say I was devastated with what happened to me last year was an understatement. I deal with anxiety and panic disorder, but nothing ever felt like the depression I went through after my necrosis diagnosis. I'm trying not to freak out right now about this but I'm failing.
I don't know what I'm looking for by posting this. Has anyone else had a mild sprain and didn't have to do surgery? What did that recovery look like for you? My pain when sitting/laying/standing and not moving is 0/10. When I walk it's maybe a 0-5 depending on if I step oddly or too fast. I have a dog and it's hard to NOT walk (though I have friends who helped walk her last year, I'm sure they'd be willing to help again). I also live alone so facing another severe injury with just me by myself is daunting. I have a RLT panel and already started using it on the area on the top of the foot where this happened. I know research is hit or miss with red light therapy and who knows if the wavelengths can even penetrate that far into the bone/tissue/ligament but I figured it wouldn't hurt.