Stress Fracture?

I have an appt at the drs tomorrow evening, but after researching i think i may have a stress fracture.  I've had pain in my lower leg for a couple of weeks now, been doing RICE and not upping my miles/speed too much too fast (however previously i think i had done too much too quick and think this is why i have the problem!)

I thought it was shin splints to begin with, but the pain is one specific part of my leg, hurts to press it, sore walking up and down stairs, in fact sore almost all the time now.  It does get slightly better with rest (pain gets better, but does not completely disappear)  i tried a run on Sat morning, and after 1.5miles had to give up as pain was too sore to keep going.

Anyway, i'm absolutely gutted (so gutted i got home and just cried on Sat ha!), if it is confirmed as a stress fracture, i have read the only treatment is rest for around 2months.  Problem being my race is in 2months.

So has anyone else had this problem?  Will i have to pull out of the race?  Will i be able to walk it - i don't want to let the charity down?

Fingers crossed it isn't stress fracture, but i don't see what else it could be.

Any opinions on any of the above much appreciated.  Thanks.

Comments

  • You haven't said

    What the race distance is

    How far you have been running

    Why panic til you have seen a doctor

    Don't take everything on the internet as gospel

    It's only a charity race, So it doesn't matter if you don;t do it

     

    Or else just man up and get on with it

  • Sorry, was in a rush.  Ok it's only a 10k (yes i realise how 'pathetic' this distance may seem to some, but as a beginner to anything more than a couple of miles, this is important to me, everyone has to start somewhere right?) and my runs consist of 2 - 4miles at the moment, 3 times a week.  Tue and Thu shorter runs, Sat longer run.

    I know i'm getting myself in a bit of a state over it, but people have donated alot of money for my sponership and i have no idea what to do if i'm told not to do the race - i'll have let myself, the charity and the people who have sponsored me down.

    I would just 'man up and get on with it' but not at the risk of injuring myself further!

  • So all the people who have sponsored you are going to ostracise you if you protect your own health rather than run ?



    The charity are going to blacklist you from ever fundraising again ?



    Nope neither of the above...



    So explain you are injured and do your sponsors want the money ack, or are they still willing for it to go to the charity.



    The charity will be happy to get any income...
  • Yeah, you're right.  Suppose i just need to stop getting myself in a state over it!

    Thanks for the reply.

  • if you can't race then pick another one in the autumn and let the sponsorship carry forward to that one........

    where is the pain that you feel......could be something much less worrying than a stress fracture

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    There are many 10k races. I'm sure your charity won't mind you deferring.

    Your only obligation is preservation of one's own health.

    No need of the modern day equivalent of 'human sacrifice'.

     

    🙂

  • That sounds like a good idea, didn't realise this was an option.

    The pain is on my lower leg, feels like it is on the bone, it's not directly on the front of my leg but a little to the side (slightly towards the inside of my right leg).  It's kind of like the same feeling when you bruise.

    It could be, but i'm the kind of annoying person who freaks out when something bad happens and assumes the worst!  Must stop stressing....

  • Thanks Ric, and everyone else for responses.  Feeling slightly less panicky about the whole thing now.

    I sometimes need sense talked into me!

  • To be honest (I'm no doctor) but doesn't sound a stress fracture if it gets better after a little rest. If you squeeze your leg further up, do you get shooting pains where the pain is now? If not, highly unlikely to be stress fracture - but still get it checked out!

    Shin splints is a generic term for lots of problems. There is a small muscle that attaches where you have pain and runs down the inside of the ankle and is responsible for scrunching your toes the Tibialis posterior). Sounds like you've damaged that. If it is, a couple of weeks rest, with some specific strengthening exercises, you should be fine.

    Best advice - see a doctor or a physio image

  • Thanks Rafiki, i'll have a search on that.  There are a host of other things i've found that it sounds like it may be looking on internet.  But looking on google is probably the worst thing to do ha!

    Will try not to panic till i see the dr and hope he can help in some way!

    Hopefully just a week or 2 of rest as not running is very depressing now i've got into a routine and am loving it!

  • EmmyO I have had two stress fractures now and the pain your describing sounds very similar to what I was experiencing, all you can do is rest and enjoy every other sport that doesn't involve any impact. I have found on both occasions that the fracture has healed within 6-8 weeks this can vary person to person with diet etc. Rest is key.
  • What Rafiki said!

    I doubt it'll be a stress fracture on 10K training volume. Not impossible, just unlikely. I had pain in the exact area you're describing after 3 marathons in one month. It was bad enough it kept me awake or woke me up at night, and I often got sharp shooting pains as well as dull throbbing aches just from standing or walking. It wasn't a stress fracture, just basic garden variety tibialis posterior strain...

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