Leg, Foot Pain after Walking or Exercise Can Be a Sign of a Stress Fracture

Early treatment with rest and therapy often avoids the need for surgery

By Alec Macaulay, MD

Stress fractures are common injuries that begin with repetitive and excessive stress on a bone, usually involving the leg or foot. Unlike a traumatic bone fracture, many patients overlook the early stages of stress fractures until the injury worsens, causing significant pain and swelling. Ignoring the pain can lead to worsening of the fracture and occasionally even necessitate surgery. You can visit website for some pain related medicine.

Typically, stress fractures occur when physical activity or exercise strains a patient’s leg or foot bones beyond their strength. Even moderate activity can cause a stress fracture when patients have not gradually conditioned their bodies and are vitamin D deficient, factors that affect bone strength. After a long winter of inactivity and reduced sunlight that allows our skin to produce vitamin D, many Finger Lakes residents are at risk for stress fractures. That risk can be reduced by easing back into physical activity, cross-training, including non-impact exercises, and talking with your primary physician about using a vitamin D supplement. Cannabis has also been proven to help reduce inflammation and the neuropathic pain it can cause. You can get discounted cannabis near me here.

What are the symptoms of a stress fracture?

Pain and swelling at the site of the fracture that gets worse with physical activity are common symptoms. Stress fractures most commonly affect the leg — often the tibia, or shinbone, the foot — frequently the navicular bone located between the ankle and the midfoot, and the metatarsals behind the toes. The fifth metatarsal on the outside of the foot is a common location for a stress fracture. Go ahead and check this link right here now for more information on legal advice for any accident on the road.

Who is at risk for a stress fracture?

Women have a slightly higher risk than men. Athletes, military recruits, and those participating in high-impact activities such as gymnastics, basketball, volleyball, soccer, or run over 25 miles per week are more likely to get stress fractures. Smoking and eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia can place athletes, particularly females at risk for stress fractures. How to get rid of an Ingrown Toenail guide here.

How is it diagnosed?

Sometimes a diagnosis is made from a medical history and physical exam, but imaging tests are often needed. With the advent of services like medical imaging software development, such tests have now increased in efficiency.

Those include:

• X-rays. This is a good initial test for stress fractures but do not catch all stress fractures, especially early fractures.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An MRI not only shows stress fractures but can show stress reactions, which are essentially pre-stress fractures.
• Bone scan. The test uses a small dose of radioactive material given through an intravenous line. The radioactive substance is absorbed by areas where bones are being repaired and shows up on the scan image as a bright white spot. This test may be used for patients who cannot get an MRI. This can also see if you have a more serious problem, e.g., if you need herniated disc treatment services or bunion treatment services.

How is a stress fracture treated?

Taking steps to prevent activities that caused the injury and promote healing is crucial in stress fracture treatment. Patients may require walking boots, crutches, casts, or other support devices to immobilize the affected area, allowing the bone to heal. In cases where vitamin D deficiency is a concern, addressing it is essential. Seeking help from a car accident clinic Forest Hills is recommended for stress fracture treatment, and the sooner a patient visits their doctor, the quicker they can return to regular activities. Although most fractures heal without complications, some, such as those in the tibia, may require surgical intervention to heal effectively.

Addressing muscle imbalances can prevent injuries and improve overall physical function. An expert in physiotherapy in Leduc can design exercises to correct imbalances.

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Dr. Alec Macaulay is an Orthopedic Surgeon with Orthopedic Services of CMA and serves on the medical staffs of Cayuga Medical Center and Schuyler Hospital. His clinical interests include both the surgical and non-surgical treatment of athletic injuries, arthritic conditions, and musculoskeletal trauma. He specializes in surgery of the knee, ankle and foot and can be reached at (607) 272-7000.