Stress Fracture

soldiergrl_101
soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Can you ever go back to being a good runner after a stress fracture in your foot or is it one of those things that will just keep coming back forever?

Replies

  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    What did your doctor say? I have a fracture in my tibia that will supposedly heal completely. I'm still planning to do things differently to make sure I don't do that again.
  • runningkel
    runningkel Posts: 53 Member
    If you do proper recovery and are smart about future training, it shouldn't keep happening. I got a stress-injury (my only running injury) in my foot in 2010 due to ill-advised, ill-fitting inserts...I wore the boot, did my PT, and was smart about getting back into running. Since then I've done a full marathon, probably another 7 half-marathons (one was a second best PR), ran 1000 miles in a year, and haven't had a recurring twinge since.

    Don't worry too much!
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    Its pretty much healed and right now I mainly walk up hills rather than run because I am afraid of doing it again. So I wanted to see if this would be a constant battle or if I could work my way back up to my long distance runs again
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    I broke my tibia and fibula 10 months ago and I just started jogging again. I'm slow, and cautious. I have 9 screws and a plate.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
    edited July 2015
    1. Yes, you absolutely can get back to running long distances.

    2. The fact that you've had one stress fracture *might* mean you are more susceptible to them than some other people (lower bone density), so you just will want to be more cautious about adding mileage. Meaning do it more gradually. Don't add speedwork/faster running until you've been at your mileage target for quite some time.

    3. Stress fractures don't happen overnight--they build up. Be very very aware of pain on top of your feet. If you feel it, take a few days off. (I'm not talking about "phantom pains" as you return to running now; I mean like three years down the road, your foot is starting to hurt in the last couple miles of every run.)

    4. "Recurring" stress fractures aren't so much "recurring" as, the first one probably didn't heal all the way. Caution in the beginning is very warranted.

    5. The one exception to all the above--in my mind--is a femoral neck (hip-femur joint) stress fracture. I wouldn't mess with that. If I ever overtrain myself into one of those, I will very seriously consider never running again. That's "putting yourself at risk of never walking again" territory.

    Runner's World online has an article right now about a pro runner who's come back from *multiple* stress fractures.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    After it heals it will have no effect on your ability to run.
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