Suspected foot stress fracture - what to do?

BerryH

It's been nagging at me for a while, a sharp pain in the ball of my foot just under the second and third toes almost like something's digging into it. It gets worse through the day, gets better when I run then hurts more after I've stopped running. Could be all sorts of things from tendinitis to standing a lot in bad footwear, but the symptoms seem classic stress fracture to me.

I have a GP's appointment on Tuesday at which his advice will be to stop running - every time I get an illness or injury that could possibly be related that's what he tells me! I think it's guilt because he's obese.

I'm training for the London Marathon in nine week. Fortunately this week is a drop-back week in mileage, but obviously I want to keep the time off my feet to a bare minimum.

My plan until I get the diagnosis confirmed (though I gather this is seldom certain, even after an X-ray) I will rest completely today, swim/water run tomorrow, ditch my long run for the running club tomorrow (low mileage but intense, mostly on grass, with Sorbothane insoles).

What then? Can I run on the treadmill as it's softer? Should I do strictly no impact and if so for how long? How can I keep up my fitness without jeopardising my chances of getting round the marathon?

All advice and wisdom from experience much appreciated!

Aperture_Science

bump.. anyone?

Reinventing_Me

Plantar fasciaitis, sesamoiditis (or something like that) or something eles that I can't that I can't recall the name. My foot was bothering me last month. I took a week and a half off from walking and got some inserts. You have to rest it or you'll do more damage. Google foot pain in the ball of the foot. Good luck.

BerryH

Ooh, metatarsalgia sounds like it and a lot less scary. Wear insoles, basically. Thanks.

Reinventing_Me

Ooh, metatarsalgia sounds like it and a lot less scary. Wear insoles, basically. Thanks.

That's it! Metatarsalgia. Couldn't remember that for nothin'. Mine was sesamoiditis - pain at the ball of the foot near the big toe.

buzzcogs

Is your GP good, (besides being anti-running)? Will he or she diagnose your ailment correctly? How easy is it for you to see a specialist in sports medicine or an orthopediac surgeon? The thing about stress fractures is that they need time to heal. I'm no doctor but I would advise staying off your foot until you at least see the doctor. Swimming (not water running) and cycling on a stationary bike will condition you without putting weight on the foot. I think 9 weeks is a good time to heal. Remember think long term. You want to run the marathon, check? You want to keep running, check? Don't risk damaging more if you can help it. See the GP first but until then don't do any load bearing exercise.
I had plantar fasciitis and it pretty much became managable after two weeks. For those two weeks I massaged and iced my feet (had it in both feet). I only walked at my own pace (i.e. fairly slowly) and went on the exercise bike. Surprisingly after two weeks of this my run actually improved! But my plantar fasciitis felt like rocks on the underside of my foot and the pain wasn't sharp. Again I'm not doctor but that doesn't sound like what you have.
That being said I hope (fingers crossed!) that you have something less than a stress fracture. But in anycase take care of your feet and don't do anything harmful until you see the GP.
I'll be hoping for you!