Stress Fracture Specialist

What is a stress fracture?

A stress fracture is a small crack or severe bruising in your bone tissue. The condition sometimes causes only minor pain at first, but the discomfort often worsens over time. You may notice that your pain worsens when you put weight on your foot or ankle, then lessens with rest. Swelling can also occur in the affected area.

What causes stress fractures?

Unlike a traumatic injury, it’s more difficult to identify the cause of stress fractures. Very often, these injuries occur due to overuse or repetitive activity.

Some of the causes of stress fractures include:

• Osteoporosis or vitamin D deficiency
• Sudden increases in exercise or activity
• Improper technique when running or walking
• Shoes that lack proper support or shock absorption

Anyone can develop a stress fracture, including children, healthy men and women, and even professional athletes.

What are some treatment options for a stress fracture?

Prior to determining your customized treatment plan, your podiatrist completes a thorough exam to learn the extent of your injury and its likely cause. Imaging using X-ray or other technology can guide that process, as can a discussion of your health and activity levels.

Your treatment plan might include lifestyle modifications like losing weight or beginning treatment for osteoporosis or vitamin deficiency. You’ll need to reduce your weight-bearing activities for 6-8 weeks to give your bone tissue a chance to heal. You can remain active, however, by choosing things like cycling or swimming.

Reinforced or protective footwear can help stabilize the bones in your feet as the fracture heals. Cases and medical braces are also options. In some cases, surgery is the best treatment option. A surgical procedure can place fasteners to hold bones together to enable healing.

What is recovery from stress fractures like?

Your recovery process depends on the extent of your fracture, the number of fractures, and your overall health. The choices you make during recovery also factor into how quickly your body heals.

Staying off your feet as much as possible for 6-8 weeks is a standard part of recovering from a stress fracture. Your bone tissue cannot mend itself if you continue to place weight on the area. Many people return to normal activity levels too quickly after treatment, which can cause re-injury and a whole new treatment path.

Be sure to come in for scheduled follow-up care, and heed the advice of your podiatry team to recover as quickly as possible.    

Don’t live with a painful stress fracture when there are effective treatment options available. Schedule a visit to Podiatry Clinic of Jackson today to begin a path toward improved pain and function.