Have you ever experienced sharp pain in your leg or feet that is worsened by weight bearing? You may be experiencing or may have experienced a stress fracture. The pain is usually on the front side of the bone and the pain usually feels pretty deep.

How does a stress fracture occur?

As the name entails, the injury is usually caused from repetitive “stress” or overuse. Running is a common mechanism of injury because it is usually repetitive. The cellular damage inside the bone can cause bone weakening, which in turn can potentially cause a stress fracture in the bone.

How can I tell if I for sure have a stress fracture?

The best method is to have a bone scan, as x-rays may miss them. Fractures hate vibration, so a non-radiographic way to tell would be to use a tuning fork or something that gives vibration and put it all around the area where you feel the most pain. If it touches a stress fracture, it will cause a very sharp pain (somewhat unbearable) in that area.

How can I manage a stress fracture?

The best method to promote healing is to rest and have some sort of elastic support for two weeks. This is followed by non-weight bearing exercise such as bicycling or swimming. It usually takes an average of 4-6 weeks for a stress fracture to heal. After some rest, Physical Therapy can help to get you back to that activity fully and safely again. Massage therapy can help flush out the inflammation that is surrounding the fracture site.

Elevation Chiropractic & Wellness will do everything we can to help you get back to yourself and ensure a safe and full healing process! Give us a call at 720-744-0666 and schedule a FREE consultation today!