

Stress fractures above the knee are particularly troubling from a medical standpoint, as the femur, pelvis, and low back are among the strongest bones in the body. Stress fractures to the navicular, pelvis, and femur, however, are often high-risk, and tend to require significantly more time away from running and a more cautious approach to returning to running.įortunately, these high-risk stress fractures are rarer than the low-risk types. Low risk stress fractures include most types of tibial and fibular (shin) stress fractures, and metatarsal stress fractures.Ī high risk stress fracture, however, is one in an area which is known to heal poorly. Stress fractures can be grouped into “low risk” and “high risk” categories:Ī low risk stress fracture will typically heal on its own just fine, and may not even require any time spent in a boot or on crutches. How Long Will My Stress Fracture Take to Heal? Runners can get a wide variety of stress fractures, but the most common stress fractures in runners are (in order) tibia (bigger shin bone), metatarsal, femur, fibula and navicular.

Running on stress fracture shin crack#
While bad cases of some injuries do have a reputation for sticking around longer than the duration of a normal stress fracture, a stress fracture is a much bigger baseline setback than most soft tissue injuries: at least six weeks of no running at all-some of your time off may even need to be on crutches or in a “boot.”ĭefinitely something to bring about the runner blues.Īs the name suggests, a stress fracture is a small crack in any of the weight-bearing bones of the body.

We wish we did not have to share this with you, but if you do have a stress fracture, hopefully this will give you some reassurance that you will get back to running, and prevent having another in the future if you follow our steps (and yes, that does include getting a good pair of running shoes!).Ī stress fracture from running is one of the most frustrating injuries a runner can face. Well, we are going to answer those questions, along with the causes of stress fractures (and why runners are so prone to them), how you can speed recovery if you have a stress fracture from running, and what you can do in the future to get back to running as soon as possible. You know it probably is the two words that strike fear into every runner stress fracture.īut, how can we know for sure without getting an expensive MRI or bone scan?Īnd if you do have a stress fracture from running, just how long does a stress fracture take to heal? This is not just shin splints or minor soreness in your foot this hurts too much when running. You should see a sports medicine specialist to determine the cause of your persistent symptoms.That sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach. Chronic inflammation of the peroneal tendon could also cause persistent pain in the outer aspect of the lower leg. This is usually located 4-6 inches above the outside ankle bone (lateral malleolus). Along the outside of the lower leg, a branch of the peroneal nerve becomes superficial there may be a defect in the tissue at this site, creating a soft spot and possible irritation of the nerve. An x-ray would demonstrate inadequate healing of the fracture, an uncommon but possible cause of persistent pain. It is not uncommon to experience some discomfort when returning to running following a stress fracture, but 2 years is an excessive amount of time. Any help or suggestions?Ī: It sounds as if you had a fibular stress fracture two years ago these injuries usually heal without causing a chronic condition. I've rested it, gone months without running, and my first run back I can feel it. I rested my leg until it was fully healed, but to this day I can feel a irritation In the same location. Q: Two years ago I suffered a stress fracture on the outside of my right leg.
