Running is more than a hobby for you — it’s a passion and way of life. Unfortunately, frequent running often leads to painful stress fractures. If you don’t listen to your body and take a break, you could wind up sidelined for much longer than necessary.
Kelly L. Geoghan, DPM, and our team understand that you don’t want to let precious training days go by without any movement. That’s why we’re using this blog to cover everything you need to know about stress fractures, why you shouldn’t keep running with them, and what you can do to maintain your gains while you heal.
A stress fracture is a small crack or break in the bone, typically a weight-bearing bone like your shinbone or those in the foot or thigh. You’re especially at risk if you have a preexisting condition that affects your bone health, such as osteoporosis or low vitamin D.
Stress fractures don’t develop from a single incident as most breaks do; instead, they’re a type of overuse injury caused by the repetitive force your body takes with every foot strike during a run. Eventually, your bone can’t absorb the force, and a small crack forms.
This usually happens after you’ve increased your training regime, added more miles, more days, or longer workouts. Run with a stress fracture long enough and you’ll start altering your running form to compensate, which triggers another slew of issues.
You know you have a stress fracture if you experience pain that starts as a dull ache and progresses into sharp pain. It might feel worse when you put weight on the injured area, and stress fractures sometimes cause swelling.
The first — and best — thing you can do for your stress fracture is to stop running, at least for now. You can start with the RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, and elevation) at home and schedule an appointment.
When you get to our office, Dr. Geoghan evaluates your injury thoroughly and creates a personalized treatment plan, which may include any of the following:
We also offer shockwave therapy, a noninvasive, drug-free treatment that uses sound waves to stimulate healing.
A stress fracture doesn’t have to mean losing all your hard-earned personal records. While you need to give the injured bone time to heal, there are safe ways to maintain your endurance, strength, and mobility during recovery.
You can still get your heart rate up without pounding the pavement. Focus on low-impact cardio such as swimming, cycling, and pool running. These gentler exercises help keep your heart and lungs in shape without stressing your injured bone.
Incorporate strength training with targeted upper body, core, and exercises on the uninjured leg to maintain overall muscle tone and balance.
You can also switch your focus to mobility and flexibility. Gentle stretching and range-of-motion exercises can prevent stiffness and keep your body moving well.
Above all, always follow Dr. Geoghan’s timeline for when and how much weight you can put on your foot. Pushing too hard, even with cross-training, can delay healing.
When Dr. Geoghan clears you, take a gradual, structured approach to get back to running.
We recommended starting with walk-run intervals. For example, alternate 1-2 minutes of easy jogging with 3-4 minutes of walking.
Increase mileage slowly. You might not be able to venture out for your typical 10-mile jog right after you heal. Stick to the 10% rule: Don’t increase your total running volume by more than 10% per week.
Always listen to your body and prioritize recovery. Mild muscle soreness is normal, but sharp pain in the injured area is a red flag to stop and rest. Use rest days, proper nutrition, and good sleep to help your body adapt.
The key is patience. It’s better to take a few extra weeks to rebuild than to risk reinjury and end up sidelined even longer.
Stress fractures might be small, but they can have a huge impact on your body and your training goals if you don’t take them seriously. Pain is your body’s alarm system — listen to it and reach out to Dr. Geoghan at the first sign of injury.
If you think you have a stress fracture, contact Kelly L. Geoghan, DPM, in Lutherville, Maryland, today to schedule an appointment and get started with a return-to-running plan.
