When Pain May Be a Stress Fracture

The Hospital for Special Surgery warns that, along with warmer weather comes runners, and foot problems. Overuse injuries, repetitive stress, stress fractures. There’s a lot to potentially damage: the foot is made up of 33 joints, 26 small bones, and more than 100 ligaments, muscles, and tendons. David Wang, MD, a primary sports medicine physician at HSS Paramus in New Jersey, stated that, due to lockdown and winter inactivity, “the body gets weaker and cannot handle an activity at the previous intensity.” He quotes the idiom, “slow and steady wins the race.”

Overuse can lead to injuries, and to a stress fracture. Stress fractures cause pain, swelling, bruising. The best course of action is stopping the activity, and resting. Ice and elevation may help. Those most at risk are runners, older people, those who don’t rest when they should, people who are exhausted, those on steroids, and those who engage in repetitive, high-impact sports. Preventive measures include wearing proper shoes for exercise, adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium, and building up to exercise slowly, if you’ve been idle.

 

Read the press release.

Other Categories:

• orthopedics