Stress Fracture Treatment - Vancouver, BC
Bone fractures of the foot and ankle are serious but treatable conditions that thousands of people experience every day. While all types of bone fractures are painful, the degree and intensity of the related pain and other difficulties differ from one type of fracture to another.
Sometimes mistaken for a sprain or muscular pain, a stress fracture is a type of fracture that commonly occurs in the ankles, feet, and other areas in the legs. While often less painful than compound or other fractures of the foot, stress fractures still require medical treatment to heal correctly and safely.
Dr. Joseph Stern and his team understand how critical prompt, thorough medical care can be for recovery from stress fractures. With over 30 years of experience treating foot and ankle injuries in Vancouver and surrounding areas, Dr. Stern offers in-depth foot and ankle expertise and proven treatment services.
Keep reading to learn more about stress fractures, treatment options, and expected recovery times. For information on other types of foot and ankle injuries, treatments, and more, explore our website or reach out to our friendly team by phone.
What Is a Stress Fracture?
Stress fractures are hairline breaks that occur in many different bones throughout the body, including those in the feet, ankles, legs, hips, and other regions. Though thin and not as noticeable as other forms of bone fractures, these hairline breaks can lead to complete fractures if left untreated.
In feet, stress fractures occur most often in the second and third metatarsals, the long bones that give your foot its shape. These bones are thin and run along the area of the foot that receives the most impact during walking, running, or exercising.
Stress fractures also occur in the heel, fibula, talus, and navicular bones. Where stress fractures occur depends on many factors, including a person’s overall health, activity levels, exercise habits, and more.
Causes of Stress Fractures
Most stress fractures occur due to overuse injuries, misuse of equipment, or improper exercise technique. Duration and intensity can also put wear and tear on the muscles, ligaments, and bones in our bodies, leading to conditions that contribute to stress fractures and other injuries. For this reason, stress fractures of the foot are common in athletes who participate in track and field, football, and other sports involving running.
Anyone can experience a stress fracture, regardless of athletic status. Walking on uneven surfaces, a new shoe style, or sustained walking can result in stress fractures. If you’re suffering from stress fractures, work with Dr. Stern to determine any underlying causes.
Bone Density
Conditions that affect the strength and density of bones, such as osteoporosis, and certain long-term medications can increase a person’s chances of experiencing a stress fracture. In these cases, a stress fracture may occur even without strenuous activity or exercise. Stress fractures also occur more frequently in winter months, when our bodies are lower in Vitamin D due to increased distance between the earth and the sun.
Female athletes have greater chances of stress fractures due to an increased occurrence of menstrual dysfunction, eating disorders, and premature osteoporosis during high-impact training.
Improper Training or Exercise Technique
When our bodies aren’t ready for exercise, we put ourselves at risk for muscle, tendon, and bone damage. For this reason, warming up through muscle stretches and light activity is essential before all exercise and training sessions.
Improper technique can also contribute to stress fractures and other injuries during training and exercise. Poor posture, overexertion, and engaging the wrong muscle structures are among the most common mistakes in workout techniques. All can lead to slow-forming or even instantaneous injury.
Terrain Changes
Stress fractures can also occur when people switch from one surface to another during exercise, particularly after prolonged periods. For example, if a person regularly plays tennis on a flat, smooth court and suddenly plays volleyball on a sandy beach, the sudden change in stress points can lead to injuries or fractures.
In addition to terrain changes, exercising on uneven surfaces without the proper warmups, gear, and muscle training can contribute to stress-related injuries in the legs and feet.
Improper Equipment
Finally, another common contributor to stress-related injuries is improper equipment. This covers everything from uneven or worn shoes to poorly-calibrated workout machines, such as treadmills or ellipticals. Make sure to use quality, shock-absorbing shoes designed for exercise, and learn how to use all exercise equipment safely and effectively.
Symptoms of Stress Fractures
The most common symptom of stress fractures in the foot or ankle is pain. Pain may develop over time and could range from barely noticeable to debilitating. In general, symptoms of stress fractures may include:
● Increasing pain during day-to-day activities
● Swelling of foot or ankle
● Tenderness, soreness, or stiffness at the fracture site
● Bruising and discoloration
● Slow healing times
What to Do if You Suspect a Stress Fracture
It’s essential to schedule a visit with Dr. Stern as soon as possible if you suspect a stress fracture in your foot or ankle. The sooner Dr. Stern can diagnose the fracture and begin treatment, the better your recovery chances are. Do not attempt to perform normal daily activities, as further stress on the fractured bone could result in a complete fracture.
If you cannot be seen immediately, follow the standard RICE protocol while you wait. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation. These steps help reduce swelling, promote circulation, and allow the injury to begin healing.
How Podiatrists Diagnose Stress Fractures
Podiatrists diagnose stress fractures through a process that includes both physical examination and detailed imaging tests.
Dr. Stern will ask about your medical history, your daily activities, your diet, and other factors to determine the presence of any underlying causes of stress fractures. If you have had stress fractures before, he may also send you to your family doctor to check for nutritional deficiencies such as calcium or Vitamin D.
After discussing your symptoms, history, and habits, Dr. Stern will examine your foot and ankle for tenderness, mobility limitations, and other signs of fracture or injury. Next, imaging tests, including x-rays may be ordered
Since stress fractures are very thin, it may be difficult to see a stress fracture with an initial x-ray. The crack may only become visible weeks into the healing process. In this case, a podiatrist may order other imaging like CT, bone scan, or MRI.
Treatment of Stress Fractures
Once Dr. Stern has diagnosed the stress fracture, he will develop a treatment plan. Depending on the location and severity of the fracture, he may provide nonsurgical or surgical options.
Nonsurgical treatment of stress fractures involves the prolonged application of the RICE protocols and anti-inflammatory medication, crutches, or protective footwear. Dr. Stern may prescribe one or all of these treatment methods, in addition to modified daily activities, hard casts, stiff shoes, and more.
Podiatrist-recommended surgical procedures to treat and fix stress fractures typically involve stabilizing the bone using pins, screws, or plates.
Recovery
In most cases, patients who follow strict recovery recommendations can recover from a stress fracture in six to eight weeks. In severe cases or in cases where surgical intervention was necessary to facilitate healing, full recovery can take as long as three to six months.
Dr. Stern will confirm that your fracture is healing through a series of follow-up appointments and examinations. As recovery time progresses, he may recommend increasing daily activity levels until your mobility has returned to normal.
Even as you return to normal daily activities, Dr. Stern advises to rest and ice your injured limb as necessary. Pay attention to your body and watch for signs of swelling, stiffness, or pain, and make sure to rest the limb when possible.
Prevention of Stress Fractures
Prevention of stress fractures involves a multifaceted approach. To enjoy exercise and help your body stay strong, try taking the following steps:
Eat a healthy diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
Use up-to-date, well-maintained exercise equipment
Read all equipment instruction manuals and ask for help if you need to learn how to use exercise equipment
Vary your exercise activities to target different areas of the body
Add strength training to your exercise plan
Proper shoe gear
Custom orthotics
Get plenty of rest
Stretch before exercise
Be active daily
Dr. Stern Will Help You Get Back on Your Feet
If you think you might have a stress fracture, don’t wait. Dr. Stern and his team are here in Vancouver to help you on your way to better health and recovered mobility.
Call today to ask about our services and schedule a consultation and examination.
