If you are involved in high impact activity (jumping, sprinting) or long distance running, then you are at risk for developing a stress injury in your foot. This post will give you all the symptoms you need to be aware of to rule out a stress fracture as well as the way to manage one if present
Most Common Symptoms For a Stress Injury
- Pain or swelling at the site of pain
- Feels like a “hot spot”
- Tenderness at the site of pain
- Foot pain that occurs during activity that doesn’t go away after
- Foot pain at rest
- Foot pain that feels worse at night (link)
How Is A Stress Injury Diagnosed?
- If you have any of the above, you should follow up with your doctor for imaging
- The doctor will likely order an x-ray
- An x-ray does not show a stress fracture right away typically
- As a result, the doctor will either wait two weeks or order a CT scan
- Waiting 2 weeks allows the bone to heal so the healing callus is seen on x-ray
- A CT will be able to spot the stress fracture right away
How To Manage A Stress Fracture In Your Foot
- Stop the activity you are doing and limit the force going through the foot
- Do what you can to protect from further injury (avoid dangerous activity, wear a walking boot)
- Avoid anti-inflammatory medications (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Aspirin). These actually slow down bone healing via a very complex pathway I don’t have time to divulge here
- Do not ice the injury. Ice delays healing.
If you still have foot pain, then read this post on the steps you can take to assess if an x-ray is needed (link)