Symptoms of Stress Fractures - Common Signs

What are the signs and symptoms of stress fractures?

If you are a runner or training your body physically and intensely for any reason at all, it is possible that you are at risk of developing stress fractures.

A stress fracture often occurs when a person weakens their muscles through various methods of training and continues to do weight bearing exercises. In this case, the muscles can no longer absorb the shock of exercises such as running, so the impact goes straight to the bone.

When people are working out very hard for prolonged periods of time, their bones are not able to properly reabsorb the nutrients they need for strength. This can result in micro fractures that over time become stress fractures.

It’s important to know the symptoms of stress fractures so that if you suffer from one, you can act quickly to heal it and prevent further injury to yourself. While not everyone suffers from the same symptoms of stress fractures, most people notice the same or similar sensations if they have a stress fracture.

• Gradual pain - This will increase with weight bearing activities such as running. When you are at rest, you may not hurt at all.
  
  
• Pain can often become worse with time and eventually may interfere with daily activities.
  
  
• The top of the foot or outer ankle can develop swelling. This is especially true if the stress fracture is in the foot or ankle.
  
  
• You may develop a bruise at the site of the stress fracture.
  
  
• The stress fracture site may be tender to touch.

You should know that you may not even feel any symptoms of stress fracture when it first occurs. In fact, it might be days before you actually notice any pain at all. When left untreated, a stress fracture can cause sharp pains during weight bearing work outs that can become bothersome.

Most often, stress fractures will develop in the shin and the metatarsal bones (middle foot). Remember that not only athletes who train frequently can suffer from stress fractures. If your bones are not as strong as they should be and you even do as much as frequent walking on surfaces such as pavement or cement, you could suffer from a stress fracture.

Often, initial symptoms of stress fractures can imitate pulled or strained muscles, so you should listen to your body, especially if you are feeling pain in your shin or ankle. Take the time to rest the affected area so that your injury doesn’t become worse. Make sure to wear shoes that are well cushioned so they properly absorb the shock of daily activities.

It’s also a good idea to avoid suddenly increasing the intensity of your training. Instead, add intensity to your workout gradually, so your body can become accustomed to the new workout and your muscles won’t be overly fatigued.

Don’t forget to make sure that you include plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet, so that your bones can quickly reabsorb the nutrients they need. This will help you to stay strong and healthy, and help keep the effects and symptoms of stress fractures away.

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