Too Much Too Soon

Continued...

Diagnosis

Since a stress fracture is microscopic, it is very difficult to find on a standard X-ray. Routine X-rays don't pick up stress fractures until healing is in progress, anywhere from two to eight weeks after the onset of pain.

So it is possible to have a normal X-ray but still have a stress fracture. The healing appears as a thickened outer rim of bone or as a callus, which is a hazy increase in the density of the bone.

A specialized X-ray image called a bone scan can diagnose a stress fracture if the standard X-ray is normal. Before the bone scan, a small amount of radioactively labeled material that concentrates in areas of active bone formation is injected into your system. A bone scan will show the site of the stress fracture within a few days from the onset of pain. Bone scans can also be used to diagnose other bone problems.

The state-of-the-art diagnosing tool for stress fractures is now the Magnetic Resonance Image, or MRI. There are no radioactive substances involved and the image is far superior to an x-ray or bone scan. It is, however, very expensive. For more information about MRI, read "Imaging Technology."

What To Do

A stress fracture isn't the end of the world, but it can cause a lot of pain and may end your training or activity for a significant period of time. Like true fractures or broken bones, a stress fracture takes four to eight weeks to heal, depending on the bone injured and the size of the fracture. In most cases, you don't have to be put in a cast or on crutches, but you will be advised to significantly decrease weight-bearing activity.

For an active woman with a stress fracture in her foot, this usually means wearing a flat shoe with firm support and walking only enough to complete the chores of daily living. To stay in shape you will have to choose non-weight-bearing activities such as bicycling or swimming. If any activity causes pain, you should decrease the amount of activity until you are pain-free.

During rehabilitation, your physician or therapist should evaluate your risk factors for sustaining a stress fracture (see "Seven Ways to Decrease your Stress-fracture Risk" on the next page) and treat any tendinitis or muscle imbalance with a combination of stretching and strengthening. You will usually be pain-free within a few days to a few weeks, but you must be patient for the full four to eight weeks until your physician says it is safe to start increasing activity again.

What is the best way to return to training?

Next | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Previous

Order Now!

Table of Contents

Foreword: Billie Jean King

Comments by Barb Harris
Editor in Chief,
Shape Magazine

General Health
Nutrition
Exercise
Common Medical Problems
Dental Health
Emergency!
Infectious Disease
Sexual Health
Emotional Well-Being
Eating Disorders
Alcohol & Other Drugs
Environmental Health
Prevention