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Calcaneal stress fracture? (Read 67 times)

cbrown15


    Does anyone have experience with a heel/calcaneal stress fracture? I am concerned I might have one, but I have been to two doctors so far and neither has really confirmed. X-Ray came back negative, but I know stress fractures do not always show up. I also passed the tuning fork test, but again, not always conclusive. Right now it's being treated as tendinitis/inflammation, and most of my pain is in the sides of my heel when I walk, especially pushing off or the actual turnover of the foot. I really can't tell if it's bone pain or tendon pain since it seems to change throughout the day. Anyone with a previous calcaneal stress fracture, what did it feel like?


    rmcj001


      No experience with stress fracture, per se, but I can tell you what the orthopedist told me.  If the pain gets 'better" or no worse when running, then it is probably soft tissue. If it gets worse as you go along, probably bone related.  For me it was the former and I was able to lighten my load just a bit to get through it. YMMV


      Ray

       


      SMART Approach

        If it continues to be persistent, get a bone scan. If pain is over a wider area vs a specific area, I would lean toward

        soft tissue but you never know. Does it feel a bit better as you walk on it more or does it get more sore?

        Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

        Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

        Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

        www.smartapproachtraining.com

        bluerun


        Super B****

          Very sharp pain, especially when pushing off the foot.  Actually range of motion didn't hurt, nor did simply bearing weight, but it was impossible to walk without pain.  (I didn't learn about this until after the fact -- but it grasping the heel from both sides and squeezing is supposed to really hurt with a calcaneal sfx.)

          chasing the impossible

           

          because i never shut up ... i blog

          cbrown15


            The pain kind of comes and goes and changes. Right now I can cross train (bike/elliptical) and it does not really hurt while I do that, but it hurts after once I start walking around. Ice usually help and for some reason it tends to feel better at night. Sometimes it feels more like a pulling, and other times it feels like a deeper sharp pain, and sometimes it is on the inside/back of my heel and other times it is on the outside/back. It doesn't really hurt to put weight on it; the act of actually picking my foot up while walking is what is more painful. My doctor did palpitate that area/did the squeeze test, which hurt bot not horribly. Hopping on it hurts, but again not excruciating, and when he tried the tuning fork I didn't feel anything.

            cbrown15


              Also sometimes it's like a burning/throbbing pain and it will feel like my shoes are aggravating it or are too tight at times. Walking on the outside of my foot tends to feel a little better than just walking regularly.


              SMART Approach

                Hmmmn. Can be a stress reaction???? My gut tells me it is not a stress fracture and is soft tissue but there is so much that can go on in that area. It should improve over next 2 weeks or you may need to immobilize or offload it in a Cam Boot to reduce stress on it.

                Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                www.smartapproachtraining.com

                cbrown15


                  Thanks for the responses; I guess I'm just frustrated because I've had a stress fracture and stress reaction before, but both of them showed up on X-Rays so I got quicker diagnoses. I hate the waiting game. I actually tried the boot because I had a spare one lying around, but it really did not help much. Doc said for now we will treat it like tendinitis and do an MRI if needed. My gut just always says stress fracture when I get injured--runner paranoia.

                  bluerun


                  Super B****

                    The pain kind of comes and goes and changes. Right now I can cross train (bike/elliptical) and it does not really hurt while I do that, but it hurts after once I start walking around. Ice usually help and for some reason it tends to feel better at night. Sometimes it feels more like a pulling, and other times it feels like a deeper sharp pain, and sometimes it is on the inside/back of my heel and other times it is on the outside/back. It doesn't really hurt to put weight on it; the act of actually picking my foot up while walking is what is more painful. My doctor did palpitate that area/did the squeeze test, which hurt bot not horribly. Hopping on it hurts, but again not excruciating, and when he tried the tuning fork I didn't feel anything.

                     

                    Stress fractures tend to hurt more at the end of the day, but that's just a generalization.


                    None of my stress fractures ever showed up on X-rays.  It's kind of amazing that yours did in the past.

                    chasing the impossible

                     

                    because i never shut up ... i blog


                    SMART Approach

                      Thanks for the responses; I guess I'm just frustrated because I've had a stress fracture and stress reaction before, but both of them showed up on X-Rays so I got quicker diagnoses. I hate the waiting game. I actually tried the boot because I had a spare one lying around, but it really did not help much. Doc said for now we will treat it like tendinitis and do an MRI if needed. My gut just always says stress fracture when I get injured--runner paranoia.

                       

                      Have you had a metabolic profile and Vit D blood level tested? I see a greater likelihood of stress fracture in athletes who have lower blood levels. Recent military study also showed this.

                      Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                      Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                      Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                      www.smartapproachtraining.com

                      kilkee


                      runktrun

                        The description of a pulling sensation leads me to think that you DO have a bone stress injury, but not from impact.  Soft tissue pulling on bones at their origin/insertion points can cause stress fractures.  This is more common in the ankle and shin (peroneals), but they way you describe the pain fluctuating is also similar to how stress fractures tend to feel.

                         

                        You say cross training doesn't "really" hurt...but if it does cause some pain or discomfort, you may be slowing the healing process by over stressing it every time you cross train.  Sfx protocol is basically don't do anything that hurts before, during or after activity.  (The duration of rest is up for debate, and I really think that most athletes can return to activity sooner than the 6-8 week standard, but should back off it pain returns.)

                         

                        You could either get another x-ray or get a bone scan or MRI.  If this has been bothering you for at least 3 weeks, the x-ray will likely show new bone (it looks like a cloudy film over the fracture site).  An MRI is pricey and may not be approved by insurance. but it will give you the best visual information, especially if you suspect this is soft tissue.  A bone scan will identify the location of injury and relative severity, but does not provide clear visual information.

                        Not running for my health, but in spite of it.

                        cbrown15


                          The heel pain has improved a good deal, but I'm still not running. I've got an appointment with an orthopedist Monday. Pain has cropped up again in my midfoot/near my little toe, which is where I was originally experiencing pain before it suddenly moved to my heel. I can press and palpitate the spot near my toe all day with no pain, but there is pain when I walk or if I try to turn my foot a certain way sometimes. Looks like my right foot is just falling apart.

                          kilkee


                          runktrun

                            Looks like my right foot is just falling apart.

                            Bingo.  You just saved yourself a trip to the doc. Wink  Jk, hopefully you get some answers.  I tend to think that pain moving around is better than pain in one spot.  Ha.

                            Not running for my health, but in spite of it.

                              Bingo.  You just saved yourself a trip to the doc. Wink  Jk, hopefully you get some answers.  I tend to think that pain moving around is better than pain in one spot.  Ha.

                               

                              One of the favorite games my body likes to play is "where will it hurt today?". As long as it's not the same place more than 3 days in a row, I win.

                              Come all you no-hopers, you jokers and rogues
                              We're on the road to nowhere, let's find out where it goes