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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To go to the GP about stress fracture

15 replies

ThanksAntsThants23 · 04/06/2023 20:43

I’m a fairly overweight woman prone to vit D deficiency who runs about 25miles a week also work on my feet averaging about 30,000 steps a day. I’ve recently begun to suspect I have a stress fracture in my fibula as I have a very localised painful area on the bone. I stopped running a few weeks ago as it was causing a lot of pain/swelling but I obviously still have to walk for work all day and without an official diagnosis I can’t change that.

As long as I don’t run the pain is very manageable, it grumbles away all day and gets worse on steps/uneven ground and by the end of the day so it’s not stopping me going to work etc yet.

I have no idea what to do about it though. If I go to the GP they won’t have a clue, and probably won’t be Interested as I can still work. it’s not an emergency so that rules out any urgent care and not sure it would be visible in X-ray etc anyway. I guess maybe paying for a sports physio is an option but again not sure have much help they would be. Anyone else ever had a stress fracture? How did you get its diagnosed and treated? I would really like to get back to running asap as I have races planned!

OP posts:

Quveas · 04/06/2023 20:51

Ermmm - the stress fracture I had, I didn't know about, getting gradually worse until I realised that I really didn't have a sprained ankle. I went to the GP who immediately sent me to Xray and was in plaster within an hour of that. In my case it caused permanent damage that required surgery to "fix" - it will never be normal again now.

What do you do about a broken bone? Go to the bloody doctor!!!!!! It has nothing to do with your being able to work. And if you have a broken bone you so will not be doing any racing in the near future. And if you continue to ignore it then you may not be doing any racing again ever.

mdh2020 · 04/06/2023 20:53

I had a stress fracture in my foot and saw a consultant on my private insurance and he stayed the foot. When he gave me the diagnosis I burst out laughing as I was due to travel to Vietnam the following week. There was no treatment. However, I also once had an infection in a vein in my right calf and for a few days could not walk at all. Could you have that?

LittleFreakJezebel · 04/06/2023 20:54

I had one in one of my metatarsal bones and went to the GP who sent me for an x-ray to confirm it but other than that just advised I bought a padded foot support and rested it for 6 weeks. I'd definitely go and get it checked out though as it's probably different for a fib!

MMorales · 04/06/2023 20:55

At the moment you dont know what's happened, or what's causing your symptoms, and it will stay that way unless you get yourself checked out.

Vegemite001 · 04/06/2023 20:56

I think it's worth seeking advice - if nothing else, to consider the causes. For example, reduced bone density or an abnormal gait.

That said, a stress fracture won't typically show up on x-ray until 6 weeks.

Physios and podiatrists are pretty used to seeing patients with stress fractures, so that's another option besides the GP.

PinkFootstool · 04/06/2023 20:58

I'd go to any MIU with xray facility. Whilst it's not happened in the last 24hrs, yup be delaying diagnosis and potentially treatment by faffing with the GP. You could phone your nearest MIU and ask if it's an appropriate case for them if you're worried.

LittleDonkeyKong · 04/06/2023 21:05

Definitely not GP. Go to a minor injury aor urgent treatment centre as you will need an xray. It's wasting a GP appointment as they will tell you to get an xray

fucktonofcats · 04/06/2023 21:05

Urgent care and minor injuries is where I go for any suspected fracture/break as they have x-ray facilities. Because it's not life-threatening, you'll have to wait for ages, which is fine, but unless you have that x-ray, you have no idea how to treat it... There would be no point going to my GP.

Original poster

ThanksAntsThants23 · 04/06/2023 21:12

Thanks for all the replies, part of the problem with MIU etc is that I would have to take my kids with me and I might rather live the rest of my life with a slightly broken leg than spend 12+ hours in a waiting room with them.

@Quveas was yours in the fibula too? How painful was it? Did it just gradually get worse and worse?

OP posts:

PinkFootstool · 04/06/2023 21:34

And if your GP refers you for an xray? You'll still need to go somewhere. No need for it to take 12hrs. Have you looked to see if your NHS trust publish live wait times? Have a check!

fucktonofcats · 04/06/2023 21:36

ThanksAntsThants23 · 04/06/2023 21:12

@Quveas was yours in the fibula too? How painful was it? Did it just gradually get worse and worse?

I appreciate why that might be a horrific wait, but if you have done something nasty to your leg and it doesn't heal properly, it's going to make the rest of your life with those kids harder than it needs to be.

Think bigger picture...

unvillage · 04/06/2023 21:40

Stop making excuses. If your leg is seriously damaged and you don't get treatment it may affect you for the rest of your life. You should have had it looked at weeks ago but because you assume your GP will do nothing, you've just settled for being in pain. This is crazy. Get a babysitter and go to minor injuries. At the very least get a GP appointment. Do you actually want to be able to run again?

CakeIsNotAvailable · 04/06/2023 21:46

YABVU to speak about your GP so disrespectfully. To assume that a highly qualified professional with at least 10 years* of training, and probably much more, "won't have a clue" is incredibly disrespectful and rude. Unless you're a doctor yourself, with expertise in a relevant field, you really don't have the authority to judge your poor GP.

If you're competing in sport at a high level, you could consider consulting a sports medicine consultant privately - I can recommend one in London if you're there.

5 years at medical school and 5 years after, at a minimum

Original poster

ThanksAntsThants23 · 04/06/2023 22:32

@CakeIsNotAvailable not deliberately speaking about GP disrespectfully but I’ve have issues related to running before and know from experience that the GP isn’t knowledgeable about sports injuries or interested unless it’s affecting your ability to work. Normally I wouldn’t bother a GP with a sports injury but this is something different from the kind of injuries I’m normally dealing with as a runner which is why I’m asking for advice. I’m not a competitive athlete and live a long way from London!

OP posts:

highlydiverse · 04/06/2023 22:39

Go to a private sports physio, who can advise on whether you need an X-ray and can help you with how to train (aqua jogging, rowing machine etc) while it heals. This happened to me on one of my longest runs six weeks before a marathon and I had to stop running completely yet it all went according to plan on the day!

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