═══════════════════════════════════════ Fifth Metatarsal Fracture Recovery Timeline: Week by Week By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ One of the most frustrating things about breaking the fifth metatarsal is the uncertainty. How long until I can walk? When can I drive? When can I exercise? When does life go back to normal? The honest answer: it dep

═══════════════════════════════════════ Can You Walk on a Fifth Metatarsal Fracture? By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ "Can I walk on it?" It's the first thing nearly every patient asks when they find out they've broken the bone on the outer edge of their foot. And the answer — like most things in orthopedics — is it depends on which type of frac

═══════════════════════════════════════ Does a Fifth Metatarsal Fracture Need Surgery? By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ This is the first question almost everyone asks — and the answer depends entirely on where the bone is broken and who you are. Some fifth metatarsal fractures heal beautifully in a shoe. Others have a nearly 1 in 3 chance of ne

By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ The fifth metatarsal — the long bone on the outer edge of your foot that connects to your little toe — is the most commonly fractured metatarsal. It accounts for the majority of all foot fractures, and I see these injuries constantly in my practice across McKinney, Flower Mound, and the greater DFW area. Here's t

═══════════════════════════════════════ Ankle Fracture Surgery: Plates, Screws, and What Patients Should Expect By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ If you've been told you need surgery for an ankle fracture, one of the first questions that comes to mind is: "What are they actually putting inside my ankle?" Fair question. You're about to have metal

═══════════════════════════════════════ Ankle Fracture Surgery Recovery Timeline: Week by Week By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ The question I get asked more than almost any other after ankle fracture surgery: "What does this look like week by week?" I understand why. You've just had an operation, you're in a splint, you're on crutches, and you

═══════════════════════════════════════ HARDWARE REMOVAL AFTER ANKLE FRACTURE SURGERY By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ THE SHORT ANSWER Ankle hardware is designed to stay in. It does not need to come out just because it's there. But removal is common — 17% of patients within 3 years in a nationwide registr

═══════════════════════════════════════ PHYSICAL THERAPY AFTER ANKLE FRACTURE SURGERY By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ THE SHORT ANSWER Movement matters more than the therapy appointment. Active ankle exercise after surgery gets patients back to work roughly 21 days earlier than immobilization, with no inc

By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ THE SHORT ANSWER ORIF stands for Open Reduction and Internal Fixation. The surgeon opens the ankle, puts the broken bones back into their exact position, and holds them there with plates and screws. It's usually a 1–2 hour outpatient procedure. Most patients go home the sam

═══════════════════════════════════════ BIMALLEOLAR VS. TRIMALLEOLAR VS. LATERAL MALLEOLUS FRACTURES EXPLAINED By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon Sports Medicine | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas ═══════════════════════════════════════ ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ THE SHORT ANSWER The words describe how many of the three ankle bumps ("malleoli") are broken. - Lateral malleolus fracture = one bone, the outer bump. Often stabl

By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon | Sports Medicine Specialist | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas The Short Answer No. Most ankle fractures do not need surgery. Roughly 70% of ankle fractures are isolated one-bone fractures, and a large share of those heal perfectly well in a walking boot.[1] Surgery isn't decided by whether a bone is broken. It's decided by one question: Is the ankle stable? If the talus — the bone your leg balances o

By Sarang Desai, DO — Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgeon | Sports Medicine Specialist | McKinney and Flower Mound, Texas The Short Answer A broken ankle is not one injury. It's a spectrum — from a hairline crack in the fibula that heals in a boot, to a fracture-dislocation with three broken bones and torn ligaments that needs surgery within days. The single question that drives everything is: is the ankle stable? If the talus — the bone your leg sits on top

Introduction: Foot and ankle injuries are among the most common reasons athletes miss games, lose training time, or suffer long-term setbacks. Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a youth athlete, or a professional competitor, keeping your feet and ankles healthy is crucial to performance and longevity. At The Achilles Doc, we specialize in diagnosing and treating the full spectrum of sports-related foot and ankle injuries — helping athletes get back on the field faster and stro

A broken ankle is one of the most common injuries seen in emergency rooms and orthopedic clinics — and one of the most important to get right. Ankle fractures account for nearly 675,000 emergency department visits over a recent 5-year period in the United States alone, and the incidence is expected to increase by 300% in the elderly population in the coming decades. Whether it happens during a soccer game at McKinney ISD, a misstep on the stairs, or a fall on an icy North Tex

The Fourth of July is a time for celebration, community, and fireworks. But amid the excitement, many people don’t realize that this holiday is one of the most dangerous when it comes to accidental injuries—especially those involving the feet and ankles. Each year, emergency rooms across the country treat thousands of firework-related injuries, many of which are entirely preventable. In this article, we’ll explore how fireworks pose risks to your lower extremities, the most c

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, your feet and ankles play a critical role in nearly every sport. Unfortunately, they’re also particularly vulnerable to injury. Foot and ankle injuries can be frustrating, impacting your performance and daily life, and, if not treated properly, they can lead to chronic pain or further complications. Here, we’ll explore some of the most common foot and ankle injuries in athletes and offer practical tips on how to preve