Stress Fracture is an injury from running that is not uncommon among marathon runners and is the cause of the longest rest period among all injuries
What is a Stress Fracture?
A stress fracture is a bone fracture that occurs due to repetitive use, excessive exercise, leading to muscle fatigue and inability to absorb weight or impact. When muscles become fatigued, it results in increased stress on the bones, leading to small fractures within the bone structure.
Causes and factors of Stress Fractures
The causes and factors leading to stress fractures result from rapidly increasing distance, time, and intensity of running or exercising on unfamiliar surfaces. Such as running on shock-absorbing treadmills and then switching to running on hard roads, wearing inappropriate shoes for foot conditions and usage can also result in stress fractures.
Common locations of Stress Fractures
Stress fractures most commonly occur in bones that bear weight and impact, which are found in the lower leg bones and foot bones, with the shinbone being the most frequently affected.
Symptoms of Stress Fractures
The symptoms of stress fractures include pain during activities. There might not be any pain while walking, but pain occurs when running, stops after resting, and returns upon running again, thereby not being able to run, necessitating a break. This happens repeatedly without going away.
Diagnosis of Stress Fractures
Diagnosing stress fractures can be done by taking a medical history of the risk factors that contribute to stress fractures, such as a rapid increase in exercise intensity along with a bone scan, because the fractures within the bone structure are very small and cannot be seen by regular x-rays.
Treatment of Stress Fractures
Treatment for stress fractures involves resting the affected area to allow the bone to heal itself, usually taking about 2 – 3 months before resuming exercise or running. Be sure that there is no remaining pain before starting to run again; else, it could lead to more stress fractures and become a chronic issue.
Prevention of Stress Fractures
- Gradually increase the intensity, distance, and duration of running or exercise.
- Alternate the type of exercise to strengthen muscles and body flexibility to help prevent injuries.
- Eat nutritious foods, especially those high in calcium and vitamin D.
- Use appropriate sports equipment, wear shoes that fit the foot condition and usage.
- If pain or swelling occurs, rest for 2 – 3 days; if the pain or swelling does not subside, seek immediate treatment.
