How Much Ankle Motion With a Metatarsal Stress Fracture?

How much should you move your ankle when you have a metatarsal stress fracture? An elite Masters track athlete asked Dr. Christopher Segler this question after noticing that her ankle was getting stiff while wearing a fracture walking boot for a third metatarsal fracture. Ankle stiffness matters because once you return to running, restricted motion can increase the forces applied to the foot and may contribute to other overtraining injuries. But aggressively forcing ankle motion while the metatarsal is still healing can also put unnecessary stress on the injured bone. In this episode, Dr. Segler explains the concept of doing “a little motion, a lot” instead of “a lot of motion, a little,” why frequent gentle ankle movement may be preferable to forceful end-range stretching, and why tracking discomfort is essential when deciding when to increase activity.