Stress fracture (Read 106 times)

I'm pretty sure I have a stress fracture on the top of my foot. Besides rest, which I know is the obvious thing I should do what are some other ways to keep running while it's still healing? Compression socks? Tape? I've been pushing myself really hard lately with faster runs and longer distances and I know that's how this happened, I really don't want to take a break

I haven't been to the dr. It has been sore for a couple weeks but not unbearable, I just figured it was from pushing myself. But today, I ran 6 miles, my last mile my foot hurt really bad. Now, I can barely walk on it.

The short answer is most stress fractures require time off from running to heal. If you've really been pushing yourself, try cutting your mileage way back, maybe even in half, and take more total rest days.  If you don't notice an improvement with seriously reduced activity in a week or so, then you probably need to stop running for 4-8 weeks.  The longer you mess around with a sore but not debilitating sfx, the longer it will take to heal and the longer it will take you to get back to running 100%.  If you can use the elliptical or bike with no pain (NONE!), then try that for a few weeks before you try running again.  When you have been able to walk around and cross train with NO PAIN DURING activity, immediately AFTER activity, or the FOLLOWING DAY for at least a week, try returning to running with a very conservative approach.  Find a track or cinder rail trail and start day 1: 4 x :30 jog, :30 walk, and walk to cool down.  Day 2: off or light xtrain. Day 3: 10 x :30 jog, :30 walk. Day 4: off or light xtrain. Day 5: 5 x 1:00 jog, 1:00 walk. Day 6: Off or light xtrain.  See the progression?  If at any point it hurts during or after activity, take a day off, and return to the activity level that your last completed with out pain. This will help you satisfy your urge to run and allow you to progress without risk of pushing it to a complete fracture.

You could also try this approach before seeing a doctor, but the other posters are right, metatarsal sfx symptoms have a lot of differential diagnoses.  If you've been running with pain for at least 3 weeks, an x-ray may be enough to show evidence of a healing sfx (healing...not HEALED yet).  If this was a recent or acute development, an MRI might be best.  See a sport doc or an ortho familiar with runners.

A "stress reaction" is still a bone stress injury.  You still need time off and modified activity, however, maybe for a shorter duration.