Foot Fracture Surgery: When a Broken Metatarsal Needs a Plate or Screw

Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie had surgery to repair a fracture in his right foot, the team announced on October 28, 2026. He was hurt in the first quarter of a game against the Charlotte Hornets two days earlier. The Athletic’s Josh Robbins reported that the Wizards hope he can return by the All-Star break.^[5] The team has not said which bone was broken, and we found no newer update as of November 9, 2026. We have no connection with this athlete or his team and have not examined him. The studies below describe other patients, not a forecast for anyone in the news.

What is a metatarsal fracture?

The five metatarsals are the long bones between your midfoot and your toes. They are numbered from the big-toe side (first) to the little-toe side (fifth). Each has a base, a shaft, a neck and a head, and breaks happen most often in the neck or shaft.^[2] Metatarsal fractures make up about a third of all foot fractures.^[1]

When does a broken metatarsal need surgery?

The main question is whether the bone has shifted. A metatarsal that heals out of position (a malunion) is a frequent source of pain and disability.^[6] Surgery is generally recommended when:

• The first metatarsal is displaced. Internal fixation is recommended for displaced breaks of this bone.^[1]
• A middle metatarsal has shifted. Reviews put the line at more than 3 to 4 mm of shift or more than 10 degrees of tilt in any direction.^[1,7]
• The bone can’t stay in place. Most displaced fractures can be pushed back into line, but holding them there needs internal fixation.^[6]
• Several metatarsals are broken. Surgery may be needed when the foot is deformed or unstable.^[2] In one small series, patients with multiple metatarsal shaft fractures had worse walking and foot scores than patients with Chopart or Lisfranc injuries, a sign that these breaks deserve careful treatment.^[8]
• The break enters a joint or is in many pieces. These often need open repair with a plate.^[6]
• The skin is broken over the fracture. Open fractures need more urgent surgery.^[2]

How is a metatarsal fracture fixed?

• Pins (K-wires). Thin wires passed down the inside of the bone through tiny incisions. Pinning is the most common surgical choice for simple fractures of the middle metatarsals.^[7] In 34 patients with 58 neck and shaft fractures pinned without opening the fracture, every bone healed, at an average of 6.5 weeks, and average pain at follow-up was 0.28 out of 10.^[9]
• Plates and screws. A small plate on top of the bone suits breaks that enter a joint or are in several pieces.^[6] Spiral fractures can be held with screws across the break, or with a plate when screws are hard to place.^[7]
• A screw inside the bone. When a fifth metatarsal fracture near the base needs surgery, a single screw down the center of the bone remains the standard.^[10]

For how fracture surgery is planned, see fracture surgery.

What do studies show after metatarsal fracture surgery?

Sources: three reviews and a case series.^[3,4,11,12]

What about the fifth metatarsal and Jones fractures?

A Jones fracture, near the base of the fifth metatarsal on the outer edge of the foot, sits in an area with a poor blood supply, so it can heal slowly or not at all, and surgery may be recommended early for very active people.^[2] A 2026 review of 10 studies and 998 patients found fewer complications (8.5% vs. 15.6%), fewer nonunions (3.3% vs. 11.6%) and higher foot scores after surgery than after nonsurgical care.^[13] For the full picture, see our parent practice’s guide to Jones fracture surgery and healing time (external site).

Metatarsal fracture surgery recovery time

• 6 to 8 weeks. Metatarsal fractures usually heal enough for weight-bearing in 6 to 8 weeks, though some take longer.^[2] After plating, full weight-bearing came at about 7.5 weeks and healing on X-ray at about 11 weeks.^[3]
• Months. The foot may stay swollen for several months, and comfortable shoes can be hard to find at first. Return to sport waits for your surgeon’s clearance.^[2]

See recovery after foot and ankle surgery.

Why see a Foot and Ankle Surgeon early?

Most shifted metatarsals can be pushed back into line, but a painful malunion found later usually needs a bone cut to correct it.^[6] When several metatarsals break, the nearby joints, including the Lisfranc joint of the midfoot, need a careful check.^[7] See ankle and foot fractures. X-ray and ultrasound are available on site at our practice; see foot and ankle imaging.

What are the limits?

Many metatarsal fractures that stay in line heal in a boot or cast without surgery.^[2] Up to 39% poor results have been reported after central metatarsal fractures, depending on the fracture pattern and the patient.^[7] Surgery itself raises the risk of some complications, especially nerve problems.^[1] In elite athletes after fifth metatarsal surgery, complications reached 22.5% and 8.6% broke again.^[12] In a randomized trial of displaced fifth metatarsal base fractures, a plate gave better scores for the first 6 months, but early functional treatment matched it by 12 months and healed faster.^[14] Much of the evidence comes from small case series.

Common questions

What is the recovery time after metatarsal fracture surgery?

Most metatarsal fractures heal enough for weight-bearing in 6 to 8 weeks. After plating, full weight came at about 7.5 weeks.^[2,3]

What is the indication for metatarsal fracture surgery?

A displaced first metatarsal, more than 3 to 4 mm of shift or 10 degrees of tilt in a middle metatarsal, several broken metatarsals with an unstable foot, a break into a joint, or an open fracture.^[1,2,6]

Is a broken metatarsal surgery done with a plate or a screw?

It depends on the break. Pins suit simple middle metatarsal fractures, plates suit longer or multi-piece breaks, and a single screw inside the bone is standard when a fifth metatarsal fracture near the base needs surgery.^[7,10]

Will the plate need to come out?

Usually not. In 45 patients with metatarsal plates, none had the plate removed.^[3]

The bottom line

When a metatarsal breaks out of line, or several break at once, fixation restores the foot’s shape and lets it heal straight. Which method fits your fracture is a decision Dr. Ozturk makes after examining your foot and X-rays. Dr. Ozturk is a double board certified Foot and Ankle Surgeon and podiatrist who sees patients in Lyndhurst, Paramus and Millburn. Our parent practice also explains stress fractures in the foot (external site), or you can request an appointment.