Stress fracture?

[trailrunner]

I've had two stress fractures on my tibia. Had to be put in a cast to resolve them.

I thought I had a stress fracture in my foot, but it turned out to be a neuroma, which required surgery. Actually, it required two surgeries.

I also had plantar fasciitis. That was pretty painful, very annoying, and resisted all treatment.

Each one of these injuries felt different. The neuroma and stress fracture feel somewhat similar, but PF felt different. A good doctor should be able to diagnose your problem. Probably the best indicator for a stress fracture is that if it pressed, it will hurt. Stress fractures don't always show up on x-rays. A bone scan, where they inject a radioactive tracer in your blood, should show a stress fracture (the stress fractures on my tibia were glowing so much that the tech looked at the image and said "wow - that's bright - that must hurt"). If it is a stress fracture, about the only way to resolve it is by staying off it. I had a hard cast for my stress fractures, but now they would probably use one of those hard plastic boots that look sort of like a ski boot. Usual caveat: I'm a doctor, but not a medical doctor.

[txdpd]

I don't always have a high opinion of doctors, but the orthopedic/podiatry guys usually know their business.

I diagnosed myself with illiotibial band syndrome, turned out to be a tibial plateau stress fracture.

[Mjolnir]

Look at your diet. Something (many things) are lacking for this to happen. As we age our bodies become less efficient at... everything.

Time to supplement if you haven't been.

Silica and Magnesium taken together for a bioavailable Calcium.
Boron, Zinc, B-vitamins, anti-oxidants would be a good start.

Look up what minerals are found in bone then find bioavailable sources of each. I gave you the key to Calcium (most on the market is just rock).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nephrology]

I don't always have a high opinion of doctors, but the orthopedic/podiatry guys usually know their business.

I diagnosed myself with illiotibial band syndrome, turned out to be a tibial plateau stress fracture.

Between the two, I'd go with Ortho.

Actually, if I had the choice, I'd see ortho once for the plain film and then go right to PT if they even hint that it' a non-op case ...

Look at your diet. Something (many things) are lacking for this to happen. As we age our bodies become less efficient at... everything.

Time to supplement if you haven't been.

Silica and Magnesium taken together for a bioavailable Calcium.
Boron, Zinc, B-vitamins, anti-oxidants would be a good start.

Look up what minerals are found in bone then find bioavailable sources of each. I gave you the key to Calcium (most on the market is just rock).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Supplementation is usually not a bad thing, but I would be surprised if it would prevent the OP's problems. Your body is very good at regulating the concentration of minerals and electrolytes that we need. Unless he has osteoporosis or in renal failure it is likely that his mineral metabolism is doing OK.

Plus, there is very little evidence that vitamin supplements actually do anything...

[Robinson]

Between the two, I'd go with Ortho.

Actually, if I had the choice, I'd see ortho once for the plain film and then go right to PT if they even hint that it' a non-op case ...

I'm not very smart. I understood everything but "plain film" and "PT". Physical Therapy? Really?

[Robinson]

One thing I have observed is that the most intense pain is at the same place on the top of my instep where I had an injury about 20 years ago. There was sufficient force involved that it caused a hematoma and I had blood pooled around my toes and the side of my foot for a long time. I am wondering if that old injury had something to do with this. It wouldn't be the first time an old injury came back to haunt me.

[Greg]

Plantar Faciitis - The other PF, and it really sucks.

[Thy.Will.Be.Done]

I've had 9 stress fractures, 6 of which were in my feet, plus one random fracture in my right foot of unknown origin.

Rest, ice, elevation. I got 7 in one fell swoop in the Marines and they had me on a very aggressive physical therapy program that didn't allow enough rest, so they remained present and painful for 18 months. In the process of forcing me to run sooner than I should have, I got two more.

I had a similar experience when I broke my foot 2 1/2 months ago and tried going for a walk too early in the healing phase. Fortunately I was in charge of my own recovery, and lacking the mental retardation and advanced medical degrees of Navy doctors I decided to give it more rest instead of making it worse under the auspices of "its going to hurt but you have to run to make it heal."

So, that's my advice. Give that painful son of a bitch all the rest it needs. If it hurts, stop doing whatever it is you're doing and give it more rest. Making it hurt is only going to make it take longer to heal. It's very simple in reality, don't overcomplicate it with ridiculous recovery plans from physical therapists and athletic trainers.

Wow.... just wow. I'm no doctor, but I did stay in a holiday Inn a while back... generally when something causes you pain.... it means you should stop doing whatever it is that caused the pain.

[Nephrology]

I'm not very smart. I understood everything but "plain film" and "PT". Physical Therapy? Really?

Yes to PT, definitely. Orthopedics is great if you have a surgical problem. If you don't, I'd see PT. If surgery isn't absolutely necessary I generally side with not doing it.

Plain film - X-Ray.

[Mjolnir]

Between the two, I'd go with Ortho.

Actually, if I had the choice, I'd see ortho once for the plain film and then go right to PT if they even hint that it' a non-op case ...



Supplementation is usually not a bad thing, but I would be surprised if it would prevent the OP's problems. Your body is very good at regulating the concentration of minerals and electrolytes that we need. Unless he has osteoporosis or in renal failure it is likely that his mineral metabolism is doing OK.

Plus, there is very little evidence that vitamin supplements actually do anything...

I'll keep my mineral supplements and vitamins, thank you.

There is no evidence of one getting all of the supplementation one requires eating our common foods. Minerals come from the soil not "from the plant."


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk