Anyone know about stress fractures?

[pyjamas89]

I ran a marathon at the weekend, having trained for several months with no injuries. My legs are hurting a bit today (obviously!) but randomly this evening part of my foot is REALLY hurting - it didn't hurt at all yesterday when I was running on it but now it's painful to weight bear (but OK when I'm not standing on it). It also looks like it's starting to come out in a bruise. Wondering if it could be a stress fracture? Does anyone know about how they can present? Just seems odd that it's bruising a whole day after running...

My friend ran a half, felt a twinge in her foot but kept going. Later that night she walked from the car to the takeaway shop in agony, it was a stress fracture! But then I pushed myself running once, couple of days later I felt a ‘clunk’ and got pain. Normal x-ray, referred to physio who said I’d built up lactic acid from doing too much too fast and the lactic acid had caused my small foot joints to interlock. Ultrasound and doing a run/walk loosened it up and then it settled quickly. It was really tender.

Can you get it seen? I’d go straight to somewhere with an X-ray machine, minor injuries if they have one, might need A&E.?How painful is it? I’d probably take painkillers, elevate it, sleep and get it seen in the morning but it depends how bad it is.

I had a stress fracture that was a complete fracture, from running. Felt like cramp in my foot at the time. Later on got all hot and swollen and just generally got more swollen and sore as time went on eg not able to sleep sore. I still hobbled on it though (until I was told not to).

That's really helpful, thank you both for the thoughts. I just wasn't sure if a delay before it hurting was possible. It's still hurting quite a lot today. Will see how I go and if it doesn't get better on its own will get it checked at minor injuries.

Dangermouse - what was the treatment for your fracture?

SIL got a stress fracture from a 10k. I think she actually had it before this and made it worse after the 10k. She went to minor injuries for an x-ray and was given a beckham boot to walk with for 6-8 weeks. Stupidly she ignored the advice given to her and only wore it for a bit so I suspect she'll have more issues with it going forward.

Thanks @YouBoggleMyMind - that's what worries me a bit really, that it is not good to be walking on it...

I've just been diagnosed by physio with stress damage to the bones in my foot, but not an actual stress fracture. Is it still really painful or does it seem to be getting better? If it seems to be getting better, then you may be in the same boat as me. Mine didn't swell up.

Just so you know, stress fractures often don't show up on a first x-ray. They can become visible as they start to heal and the fracture calcifies.

I know this through experience, foot got more and more painful and swollen and I was fobbed off twice with tendonitis after xray revealed nothing and then plantar fasciitis (they refused to x-ray again despite having a purple, massively swollen foot) before a foot specialist saw me a month later and a new xray showed the fracture of my middle toe in the middle of my foot.

@BlueChampagne that's interesting to know thanks. It's about the same really - but then I'm guessing whatever it is will probably take some time to heal.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn that sounds awful! I'd read that stress fractures often don't show for a whole which is what has made me reluctant to go to MIU. It hasn't swollen up so I'm hoping it is just something temporary that will solve itself.

Hard to know when to get something seen, or is that just me? Like it hurts but I'm not in agony and there's not much to see!

DH got one in his hip when he was in basic training, just from the physical stress and weight of the stuff he was carrying- he was trying to complete the exercise and was limping pretty badly, his sergeant was making fun of him and making clucking noises, saying he was walking like a chicken. Same guy was laughing slightly less when DH was medivacked out and told he'd fractured his hip!

I'd go to minor injuries asap, these things rarely get better on their own.

Ah - mine got markedly better for general mobility (not running!) over the first few days. For what it's worth, I did mine on a Saturday, phoned the physio on Monday, and was advised to give it a few more days, and had first appointment on the Thursday.

Pyjamas, mine got slowly worse as I was walking on it. It wasn't an immediate pain just progressive.

@BlueChampagne it is definitely hurting more today than yesterday...

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn was your foot swollen/bruised when it first started hurting? I'm still feeling reluctant to go to minor injuries because there's not really anything to see... don't want to waste anyone's time if it's something else and doesn't need seeing/ just needs time to heal

OP treatment for my foot was crutches and a boot (was offered a cast but I declined). 5 weeks not weight bearing at all, then gradually increasing until walking in the boot for the last 2 weeks. Think it was 9 weeks until I was free of the boot, but I did manage to completely and very clearly snap the bone right through...classic x Ray with the gap between the bits of bone. Probably wouldn’t have been that bad if I hadn’t tried to run for a mile and s half after doing it.

And if you go to minor injuries you are not wasting their time at all. This is the sort of thing they are there for!

You've probably just got bruised feet from running the 26 miles. Leave it a few days to see if it gets better, it probably will. It happened to me after running a half marathon and it was better 2 weeks later.

Every time I get a sore foot I worry about stress fractures but it's more likely to be bruising or just having laces tied too tight or both.

Get yourself checked out, I had a stress fracture in my right femoral neck (hip) and hobbled for 2 weeks before it was discovered. I was in agony when I tried to walk but fine when still. I had just been on a 10k training run. Yes stress fractures can develop and I can completely believe you ran on it for a few miles. As a PP said, an x-ray may not show anything, I had to have an MRI (thankfully I have private healthcare through work). A normal x-ray only showed the fracture 6 weeks on when the bone began to heal. I was on crutches for 2 months, then physio and a gradual return to exercise. My fracture was not displaced so just had to have complete rest. 6 months on and I am fully recovered.

Nothing visible on the outside can indicate injury on the inside! Go and get it checked out!

Hi OP, no not bruised or swollen at all. I first noticed it while sitting with my feet up and I just flexed my toes upwards and a pain shot right through my foot. It sort of progressed from that to becoming painful to walk on and then swelling and going purple.

My DS broke his foot about 8 weeks ago and it didn't swell up or bruise but he couldn't bear weight on it after being hit with a hard ball. He had a chip out of the bone and was on crutches and a boot but no obvious injury other than shooting pain when bearing weight.

Thank you for all the replies! I've been and had it looked at and they xrayed it. They don't think it's a stress fracture (though I know it wouldn't necessarily show...) so saying it's probably soft tissue damage. There is a foot and ankle clinic that I've been referred on to so I'm happy with that as an outcome. Very grateful for the NHS!

In the meantime I'm still icing and elevating which seems to help a bit but wish it would hurt less when I put weight on it. Bit sad not to be milking my current state of fitness and getting lots of running in.

Any other tips or advice gratefully received.