I just found out I have a stress fracture...YIKES!!

stepitup

stepitup

Cathlete
Hi Cathe & Others,

I just found out that I have a stress fracture in my left foot. While it is painful the only thing that concerns me at the moment is how long I will be sidelined to recover. I met with my podiatrist this afternoon and she didn't want to commit to too much until I had a bone scan. Until then I am not supposed to do any weight-bearing activities. This is horrible since I just received 4DS, Drill Max, Butt & Gut, Body Max on Friday!!! I also pre-ordered STS but hopefully I will be well by then ;)

One concern is, will I ever be 100% back to normal? Can I ever do high-impact again without worrying about a repeat injury? My only form of cardio is high/lo impact step. I have been backing off of the cardio and doing more heavy weight training recently. Do you think heavy weights can cause something like this?

Also, while sidelined, can you recommend some exercises for lower body? I have the LG dvd and will do the ankle weight floor work and also the band work on GS Legs. I'm most concerned about not being able to do squats or lunges for a significant amount of time. Any suggestions on what I can do for the glutes without putting too much strain on my foot?

Thanks in advance for any responses.

Trish
 
My son runs track in college (a freshman at an Ivy League school: sorry, I can't stop bragging about him!). He was diagnosed w/ a stress fx. 4 wks. ago. He'd had pain for 3 wks. prior. Negative xray, but the bone scan did show the fx. He spent 2 wks. in a boot, a la Tom Brady and has not run since. In the meantime, he's continued w/ his lifting program, as well as biking and pool work for rehab. Next week, he's back to light workouts (running) to see how that feels. He's miserable not running and will probably say he's fine even if he's not.

It's a wait and see injury and time off is your best hope of a complete recovery. Remember that working out is only a part of your life and you want to preserve function for the many yrs. you have left to walk on it etc.

Please rest it as much as possible for at least a few weeks. Good luck!
Valerie
 
The only thing that heals a stress fracture is time. I had 3 of them already, it comes from repetitive motion, good luck

Karen:-(
 
Thanks for responding Valerie. Your son probably feels as miserable as I do (and way to go on the ivy league;-)!). I'm glad to hear that he continued lifting. Do you know if he only did upper body (which you can modify quite a bit and do lieing or sitting instead of standing) or if he also continued with squats or lunges or any leg work? I had a baby 14 months ago and started working out 5 days a week, two weeks post-delivery with a commitment to not only lose the pregnancy weight but get into the best shape of my life. The results of my hard work are just really kicking in (I can't stop looking at my butt:p) and after all of this time I'm just scared I will lose what I have worked so hard for. This is the only thing that I do for myself (I have 2 young DD and a DH so you get the picture;)) and I just feel defeated. I'm trying not to let the depression set in by telling myself that I can maintain, but I don't think that is realistic. **SIGH**!!

I will follow the Doctor's orders and your advice about resting up so that everything will heal up, but boy am I bummed!

Trish
 
Hi Karen,

Thanks for your reply. Were all 3 of your fractures in the same location? I am also concerned about re-injuring following recovery.

Thanks,
Trish
 
I had a stress fracture of the small sesamoid bone in my left foot in the fall of 2006. My podiatrist said that the bone had separated (because I had continued to exercise on it, d'oh!) and would probably never come back together completely. He had me doing no-impact exercises for 3 weeks (bike, elliptical, weights). I was able to do squats with light to moderate weights, since I keep my feet flat on the floor and don't move them, but not lunges. He said that he would prefer that I not go back to high impact step even after that, but I was honest with him and told him that I would probably go back to it when the foot started feeling better.

I tried to be really good, knowing that if I didn't give it a good rest that it would never heal properly and I would be worse off than before. After the 3 weeks, it felt a lot better, but not completely. I gradually did go back to high impact, starting with low impact and modifying the higher impact routines, and over time the foot seems to have healed nicely. I rarely get any pain now, and I am very aware of what kinds of moves exacerbate the pain. I still have to be careful of lunges, power scissors, and even planks, which bend my foot back right at the point where the fracture is. But jumps don't bother it at all as long as I do them right (jumping straight up and down, in a controlled way).

Not knowing exactly what your injury is, it's hard for anyone but your doctor to know what your prognosis is, but I would say that you should follow her instructions and give it a good rest. I think that the more rest you give it now, the more likely you are to be able to resume your usual activities later. Good luck!
 
Thanks Jodi.

The Dr. beleives the fracture is in the second metatarsal but will confirm with the bone scan. I'm so glad to hear that you could do weights during the healing process:) and that you were eventually able to return to a high impact workout. I don't mind giving up cardio for a little while, but I really hate to lose any muscle at this point. My Dr. doesn't even want me to do a bikex( but maybe that will change once she's seen the scan. I also have knee issues so power scissors and a few other moves were always on the exclude list. Your recovery sounds really positive and gives me some hope!

Trish
 
Once you get back to doing cardio, I highly recommend varying your types of cardio, which is a good idea anyway, with or without a history of stress fracture.

Kickboxing can be high intensity without being high impact. And power walking is another low impact exercise that can be quite intense.

I don't know how many days a week you do cardio, but be sure not to do step two days in a row.
 
it's hard to sit out, when you're accustomed to vigorous activity: your body and mind seem to crave it. sounds like you've worked very hard to get to your current level of fitness.

I can tell you that, at 48, my husband still feels the effects of his ACL tear 30 yrs. ago. He did continue to play soccer on it thru college, and has run for fun his entire life. Now, he's thinking biking might be a better alternative for the long haul.

I have a friend who was a state champ racewalker in high school. Now she's 42 and on celebrex daily for the pain in her hip. She's trying to put off a hip replacement.

What I'm using too many words to say is that, if you're injured seriously (and a stress fracture is a big deal, in terms of recovery), you'd be wise to take it slowly vs. pushing yourself.

I'm a nurse, on my feet for 12 hrs on work days. The next day, I can barely crawl out of bed because I ache from my head to my toes. I monitor my activity very carefully, so that I'm able to continue working. Yesterday I stupidy do a 30 min. interval workout on the treadmill and this morning it's taken me a few advil and a few hrs. to not be a hurtin' unit.

Sorry for the rant and I don't mean for it to sound like a lecture. I just more moderation and less 'extreme' activity, would have kept me in better shape over the course of time.
 
Wow! Valerie, thanks so much for the 'lecture' :). I think it is just what I needed to slow me down. I do not want to have long term issues that can not only effect my fitness but possibly day-to-day activities. I will take it slow and follow the doctor's recommendations and modify when modification is an option :)

THANKS!!!!!
 
Thanks Kathryn. I actually really love kickboxing but got away from it for a while for some reason. I guess this is a good reason to get back to it;)

Trish
 
Trish, I had a stress fracture in 2003/2004 in my left tibia. Sheesh, it felt like it took forever to heal. Two months of no impact, other than walking. Yikes!! I first ordered Low Max (my first Cathe workout) in the fall of 2004, and had been doing Firm workouts with minimal impact up to that point.

I should say, I expect my fracture was pretty serious and I think I had a longer recovery because I continued to run for some reason. I ran 18 miles on the fracture before finally deciding I should maybe take a break! Sheesh. ;)

I think I was completely off it November through February, and started jogging/walking for workouts later in February. I didn't go slow enough and continued to feel it through the early summer.

I now use that location in my leg to warn me if I'm overdoing things. That's the only time I ever feel it! Best of luck.

I worked for a podiatrist for 10 years. You should really ask your podiatrist what she recommends for your weight work. I expect biking and swimming will be okay for your cardio but definitely ask her about your weight work!!!
 
>Hi Karen,
>
>Thanks for your reply. Were all 3 of your fractures in the
>same location? I am also concerned about re-injuring
>following recovery.
>
>Thanks,
>Trish
Hi Trish, I had them in 3 different places, 2 were in my right foot & 1 in myleft They did occur at different times, LOL. Be patient, time will heal it

Karen:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top