In my last blog post, I discussed the importance of taking care of one’s feet. To be honest, my post was motivated by some pain I had been experiencing in my left foot that was to be addressed at an upcoming appointment with my podiatrist. After an x-ray, I was diagnosed with a stress fracture and now have to wear a boot for four weeks. Stylish, no?
What is a stress fracture? According to the Mayo Clinic’s website: “Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone — most commonly, in the weight-bearing bones of the lower leg and foot. Stress fractures are tiny cracks in a bone. They’re caused by repetitive force, often from overuse — such as repeatedly jumping up and down or running long distances.” The first time I had a stress fracture, my podiatrist showed me how they happen. He took a regular #2 pencil and tapped it repeatedly on top of my quad muscles; under my quads is the femur–which is the strongest bone in the human body. The doctor told me that if he just kept tapping, eventually he would fracture the femur; it is like erosion that does its job slowly but continually.
I looked at the x-ray this week, and could not really see anything; it is not like a regular fracture where it is pretty obvious that the bone is broken. A podiatrist, however, is trained to identify these tiny cracks. The most common treatment is to immobilize the foot to allow the bone to grow back and heal the fracture. That is why a boot is most often prescribed.
Are stress fractures preventable? Yes, and no. According to the Mayo Clinic, ways to prevent stress fractures are: 1) start new exercise programs gradually so as to allow the bones to strengthen as new demands are put on them; 2) use proper footwear–I discussed that in the previous post linked above; 3) cross train–in other words, exercise different parts of the body in different ways rather than repeating one singular exercise over and over; and 4) maintain proper nutrition to ensure the proper vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that keep bones strong. The “no” is that even when you do all these things (as I do), it is still conceivable that this can happen. I was on a hike in Arizona recently with a very uneven trail; I rolled my ankle at least a dozen times and I think this may have contributed to the stress fracture.
I will heal. This has happened before and, after some inconvenience, things will go back to normal. In the meantime, I will immobilize my foot as best I can. I will also continue to follow the recommendations about exercise, footwear, and nutrition. No 100% guarantees, but injuries will occur now and again–and they are small price to pay to avoid the negative health consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
Kosher Fitness 